Right now, I’m going through a stage in my life where I’m removing a lot of stuff from other stuff. Like my belongings from my closet, my butt from my couch, and my brain from the soggy ditch it’s been in.
Originally, this post was going to be the last post on Crunchy Betty until the middle of next week – when hopefully I’ll be tucked in neatly to a new, fabulous place and all the rigors of moving a household is over and done with.
Good news, everyone! This post (originally titled “How to Remove Stuff from Other Stuff”) is now TWO posts, because the original was long enough to fill my new bathtub, which is enormous compared to the ice cube tray square I used to bathe in.
So after tomorrow’s post, where I”ll show you how to remove even more things from things, Crunchy Betty is taking (an actual announced and planned) break for the next 5-6 days. Unless someone wants to send me a mind-blowing guest post to fill in the tiny gap.
Now that you know all of this … how about I show you how to clean your makeup brushes – naturally? YAY!
How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes – Naturally
Did you know that 65.8% of you never clean your makeup brushes? This is a statistic I found in my brain, where I make things up that sound authoritative. But I bet I’m not far off.
It’s okay. Until I discovered this method of brush-cleaning, I never cleaned mine either.
Why would you want to? You’re just going to get them dirty again right away. Right? (That’s how I look at my kitchen sometimes …)
You need to clean your makeup brushes in order to get rid of ALL of the dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria that accumulate on them after regular use. This is especially important for those of you who have oily skin or acne. Keep those brushes clean, or suffer the pimply consequences.
Fortunately, it’s really, really easy to clean them – and it is taking you longer to read this post than it will take you to actually do it. So no excuses. What are you waiting for?
Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes Naturally – Step One
First, before you get started, you’ll want to gather everything you need.
- Dirty makeup brushes
- Olive oil (the real extra-virgin kind is best)
- Liquid castille soap
- Vinegar
- Two very small bowls
- A washcloth (or a paper towel)
The first thing you’re going to work with is the olive oil. Pour a tiny bit onto your washcloth (or paper towel) – no more than half a teaspoon should do it.
You’re doing this to “preclean” the brush, but also to condition the fibers on the bristles. This step isn’t quite as necessary if you use synthetic makeup brushes, but it’s still fun. So do it anyway!
All you do is just dab the bristles into the olive oil and then swipe the brush (pressing gently) on your towel several times – mainly until you feel like it’s mostly clean. (By the way, it is not. Not yet. No matter how clean it looks).
Throughout your makeup brush washing experience, try to avoid the “stem” where the bristles are attached to the brush handle. It’s not a huge deal if you get water up in there, but try to avoid it as much as possible, as too much exposure to the cleaners might loosen the bristles from the attachment, which is probably glue.
Step 2: Mix Together Warm Water and Castile Soap In a Small Bowl, and Wash Your Makeup Brush In It
Most other makeup brush cleaning tutorials suggest you use baby shampoo to wash your makeup brushes, but I’m going to guess very few of you actually have baby shampoo in your house. If you do, you can use it, but castille is far superior (mainly for it’s totally natural state).
Just pour about a teaspoon of liquid castille into a small bowl and add a bit of warm water.
Rub your fingers around in the bristles (remember, try to avoid the “stem”) while holding the brush in the soapy water. Squeeze it out and do this a few times.
Soon, your water will be full of somewhat icky color, which will teach you to think that using olive oil alone was enough to clean your brushes.
Once you feel like you’ve gotten all of the makeup out of your brush, you can move on to the next step.
Step 3: Dip Your Makeup Brush in Vinegar and Then Rinse Well With Hot Water
This vinegar step is optional, but I like to do it this way because it really makes sure all of the olive oil is out of your brush, as well as super cleaning, and super antibacterializing, the bristles.
If, for some reason, you don’t have distilled vinegar, you can skip that part and move straight on to rinsing.
As you dip it in the vinegar, squeeze it out a couple of times just to make sure all the makeup is out of the brush. You’ll be able to tell by the clarity of the vinegar in the bowl. Even if there’s a little left, it’s okay, because you’re about to rinse it in hot water.
Just hold the brush under the running water for a few seconds, squeeze, rinse again – and repeat if you enjoy what you’re doing. Otherwise, just turn off the faucet. No one will know.
Then dry it a bit on a clean towel and shape it back into the makeup brush shape of your choice.
Let that baby air dry for a while, and you have a fresh, clean makeup brush.
And it will look something like this:
Now Be Honest …
… how often do YOU clean your makeup brushes?
If your answer is “often,” you get a fancy trophy that exists only in your imagination. But you should also share YOUR favorite technique for washing your makeup brushes.
How do you do it?
Food For Your Soul: How to Fall Apart With Grace
Thanks for info… I used to use my brushes like 5 times then clean them.. But my face was breaking out. So I took a time out for a while cause my eyes started to get irritated from the makeup! ? but i haven’t cleaned them since Las time I used them.i will try your method. Thanks. Happy new year…..
I’m a clean freak and wash my brushes every two/three days. I usually only wash them with Dawn, since it does the trick. 🙂
Love these tips, thanks for sharing! I cleaned out my brushes after reading this and will now be cleaning them MUCH more often because they look so amazing. I used coconut oil instead of olive as in the past I’ve found it to be an effective makeup remover — now my brushes are super clean and smell vaguely coconutty, which makes me happy. 🙂
This is amazing! I shamefully admit that I don’t wash my brushes anywhere NEAR as often as I should… but I’m currently on a mission to clear up my acne-prone skin (which annoyingly only started breaking out after I turned 19!). This is such a quick and easy method – and SO EFFECTIVE.
I am definitely going to do this at least once a week, if not more often. Thanks so much!! I love this blog.
I use my facial cleansing oil to clean my brushes weekly. It gets all the makeup out if your brushes and doesn’t leave any residue behind. Love your tips, must try the vinegar rinse! But does the vinegar leave your brushes smelling like it after?
This method worked great. As soon as i read it i started the process. I had everything in my kitchen. This method is so natural and beneficial in so many ways. Castile Soap and Vinegar is a great natural remedy. My brushes are really clean. I must admit i was not washing my brushes often… 🙁 But after reading this i was amazed. I am going to stop being lazy and clean my brushes every week. You guys should try it. They don’t have a Smell. Smells nice and clean and feel soft.Thanks for this great tip….
Funny, this is pretty much how I clean my hair… Sometimes it’s coconut oil or coconut milk instead of olive oil, but…yep, pretty much the same….
A typical cleaning procedure should go something
like this: take water in a bucket, add X amount of reagent Y to this, put in a clean towel, wring it dry, and mop the floor with it.
Damp mopping is OK as long as the mop is only slightly damp.
These brooms have soft cloth-like material that pulls microscopic dust and other debris up
off of the floor.
Abrasive Wheel Brush : It is used for removing coatings and
also for preparing surfaces. Many people prefer synthetic brushes because they’re animal friendly,
while others prefer natural brushes because they last
much longer. Only apply shimmer in certain
areas and merely in places your location sure it will probably be hit
by light.
I use the e.l.f. Daily Brush Cleaner on my brushes after I use them each day, then “deep clean” them every few weeks. I learned the trick you mentioned with olive oil only a few years ago and holy cow, it makes a difference! Instead of soap or shampoo I’ve always used my face cleanser (hey, it takes the makeup off of my face, right?) and that seems to really shed the junk and oil. I love your suggestion of a vinegar wash at the end – I’m definitely going to add that step! Thanks!
Just tried this today and it was AMAZING! My brushes look absolutely beautiful now. I’m in love with this technique! I have an embarrassing confession… before today I’d never cleaned my makeup brushes! I rarely wear makeup, and I didn’t really think about it until I noticed how gunky and gross they looked. I looked up a bunch of different techniques online, but this was the only one that was all natural and used things I already had in the house! It worked like a charm. Will definitely be using this technique again and cleaning my brushes more often!
I shall tell my mom about this.
I used to work at a makeup counter and I had a customer come in and buy a new foundation brush and a few other things that she needed. When the transaction was over, I handed her her receipt and she handed me a dirty foundation brush…. Can you throw this away? I was shocked, it looked fairly new, just dirty and in need of a good cleansing. Before, I could get the words out she was gone, I didn’t have the chance to explain to her that she could wash her brush and save that $35 she just spent on that new brush. It amazes me that people don’t know they can wash their makeup brushes. I just bought this soap and I am finding so many uses for it. I will definately be investing in the gallon size, it will be worth it and so much more. Thanks for sharing the use of it as a brush cleaner 🙂
I wash my makeup brushes every month. I used to use just dawn soap but I like this technique better.
i wash my brushes often but im not as nice to them as you are lol. Im a rinse, soap and water, then rinse again girl. i wash it all handle to bristles the vinegar is a nice touch though i think i’ll add that. easy enough and i have it on hand. thanks!
I never liked the daily cleansing sprays that some people use…always left my brushes feeling filmy. A good cleansing (especially on foundation and concealer brushes) weekly is a practice I feel more people should adopt. I used to teach my clients to clean them after they finished their make-up on the same day each week and they’ll be dry by the next morning. One trick that I found effective for removing foundation and lipstick more easily from brushes was to draw them across a bar of soap and gently work the bristles in your hand with a bit of water then rinse real well. I have seen lipstick brushes return to their original shades with no trace of lipstick left.
Thanks.. this is super helpful! I just bought my first set of makeup brushes EVER (amazing, right?) 1 week ago, and cleaned them for the first time last night… because the paper they came with said to clean them once a week. 🙂 So at this point in time, I clean them very often! LOL. I will buy some castille soap for next time, tho!
Quick and easy solution. I just cleaned them and it did not take that long. I did not realize how much accumulates on the brush which I noticed as soon as I used the olive oil. Did not have any liquid castille soap so I used Paul Mitchell’s Baby Don’t Cry which should work just fine. I love your blog!
Conserve soap! Use q-tips and cheap brushes from the dollar store.
Great so you create a ton of waste and have poorly applied makeup….=(.
The whole point of this article is to preserve your face by being being very careful with what we put on it and how it’s applied. You’ll end up having to spend more money in the long run, buying more makeup to try to cover up a terrible complexion due to application with cheap brushes and toxic, shitty makeup.
i clean my brushes every two weeks. i would do it every week, but i barely want to wash my face and turn the lights out at the end of the night. i just use whatever shampoo i have in the shower. i figured, why not wash hair with shampoo eh? maybe i am misguided, i did lack a mother figure growing up, and learned any beauty knowledge from seventeen magazine and the cool girls ditching school in the park in high school. these days, with the ascension/revolution of social consciousness upon us, i tend to use only natural, mostly homemade, products. i love you Crunchy Betty!!! just did my bi-weekly spring cleaning facial again. 🙂
i have a trick i use for when you need to use your brush quicker then it takes to air dry. i get an old pillow case and toss the brushes in. tie off the end and place it in my dryer on low heat for a few mins.
What is liquid castille soap and where can I get some?? thanks!
I use a daily cleaning spray from sephora and then I really clean my brushes every couple weeks. I use my aloe vera shampoo because my brushes are real not synthetic. It keeps them very clean.
I DO wash my makeup brushes often; at least once a month. *accepting her fancy trophy with a big grin* 🙂 Mostly because I’m kind of a clean freak, especially when it comes to things on my body/face, and they get pretty gunky and not as affective. I just get the brush wet with cold water and use a tiny dab of shampoo and work it in, then rinse it out until I don’t see anymore makeup. It does the job, makes them smell nice, and they’re super soft! I will be trying your idea, though, too; it sounds more thorough. Thanks for all your awesome advice; I’ve definitely started to cut back on commercial products!
Up until about 3 minutes ago, my makeup brush cleanser of choice was this method:
http://accidentalbeauty.com/makeup/makeup-tips-tricks/deep-cleaning-your-makeup-brushes/ . I THOUGHT it worked really well until I put olive oil on my makeup brush! I use a long wearing makeup, so cleaning my brushes WAS very difficult. Problem solved 🙂
Oh thank you thank you thank you! I used to clean my brushes (which look suspiciously exactly like yours 😉 sporadically with just warm water, then bought a cleanser specifically for those brushes by the same brand, and holy batman, it’s friggin’ expensive! I’m so happy to know of this method instead. I already bought castille soap for a separate cause and I’m giddy to learn of other things I can use it for. Thanks again!
I’m fairly good about cleaning my makeup brushes, especially as I use a lot of metallic eyeshaows and that glittery stuff gets everywhere and ruins the colours when you try to put them on. I tend to just use some normal soap and hot water though, seems to do the trick for me 🙂
Dr. Bronner’s peppermint castille soap is AMAZING & a little goes a long way. I use it to wash my face, mix it with water & a little neem oil to make a kick-ass insecticidal soap spray for house plants, & my husband shaves with it. Target & Kroger both sell it.
I use BeautySoClean conditoning brush cleanser to clean my brushes daily especially when I’m doing makeup for more than client. Great quick way to clean them. Once or twice a week i thoroughly clean them with a baby shampoo even dish soap is great too!
Clean them after every application. The bacteria starts to grow the moment they hit the pigments and your skin and the longer between washing the greater their proliferation. I use unprocessed coconut oil, I lather Marseille soap and then work it in the bristles- I have a bar I bought 11 years ago just for this purpose and it is only about half gone. Rinse in cold water, swish in lemon or lime juice, rinse in cold water, and then hang via small clothes pins so the bristles are pointing down. This method also works really good for paint brushes- witch also make very affordable makeup brushes with the added bonus of having long handles. A sable tail water brush is have that of a sable make up brush.
Important note; real Castile and Marseille soaps are vegan- no tallow, and very low lye.
I mean which not witch and half not have- past my nap time.
I want to say I wash my brushes regularly (sometimes I do!), but it’s a pendulum… regularly… less often… not at all… whoops, starting again…
I use my organic shampoo, seems to work well, but I like the oil to condition, and the vinegar to rinse, may try that too!
Oh, & to everyone like me, having trouble keeping it up: I just started again, just washing the few that needed it as they needed it, and it’s going pretty well! When I insist that they ALL must be washed EVERY time that I get off track. I’m a brush addict, they add up, & now it doesn’t seem like such a burden. I just have to be more mindful, which is always good.
This is what I do to my brushes and they come out perfect http://howtofixstuff.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-to-clean-makeup-brushes.html
For a little while I was cleaning my brushes weekly with baby shampoo–since I do generally wear make up to my 9-5 job–but that habit kinda got sloshed by the holidays and I’m reasonably sure I haven’t cleaned my brushes yet this year *blush* So, I’ll get right on that. Later.
I try to clean them fairly regularly…which ends up being not as often as I should. I use Ivory dish soap and hot water. Ivory cuts through oil and makeup really well.
Ok so let me preface this by saying that I clean my brushes about once every 2 weeks, and my version of cleaning them was like a cosmetic version of ‘Saw’. a few times every month, over the course of several months, I am required to wear stage make up, so I have mutilated those babies clean. Also it made me happy to know that I am not the only one who uses Castile soap to clean my brushes. I feel like it gets them cleaner.
ANYWAY…So I just did this, which was much more fun and WAY nicer to my brushes…and holy grossness batman! Especially my mineral foundation brush. I didn’t think there was still that much yuck after wiping it with the oil! And my brushes feel a lot cleaner than using just Castile soap. Yay! Thank you!
I did this same exact process last year! It worked wonders! My brushes felt brand spankin’ new again!
I have yet to ever clean my make-up brushes, but now I think I’ll use your tutorial and finally do it this weekend. I have acne prone skin, so I should have done this a long time ago.
I only cleaned mine for the first time a couple of weeks ago – and the colour of the water that came out of them was SO gross! It made me vow to do it more often!
Betty: I love you. I found you when searching for natural deodorant and kept going, now I look forward to every post! Thanks for making our lives better, and giving us a laugh while you are at it!
Can’t wait to try this, Ugh, mine look grubby.
LOL
Vicki
Honestly, I rarely wash my brushes. I don’t have oily skin and I rarely get pimples and I rarely wear makeup. The few brushes I have washed got all icky after the washing. They tended to be the cheaper brushes and got moved along to another task afterwards. I learned the hard way to buy better brushes.
A couple years ago, I treated myself to a couple small Bare Minerals kits and purchases another couple brushes. When I went back to get help with the foundation color, among other things the salesgirl suggested that washing my brushes would help the color immensely. I was afraid the brushes would get all icky like in the past, so I skipped washing them and tried the other suggestions. I still don’t care for the color of the foundation on my skin, so maybe I’ll give your method a shot…
Thank you always!
Oops *using *bacterial
When I was in school for Esthetics they taught us that usin liquid anti-bacteria soap works just fine! that’s what I do
Love your bog 🙂 I was my brushes about every 2 months. Considering I only wear makeup about once or twice a week that seems to be often enough to keep them clean………however…….I suppose the bacteria is working away in there no matter how long it is between cleaning. 🙁 I use castile soap and water with vinegar rinse then water rinse. Dry flat. The only thing I don’t like about clean brushes is that it seems to take so much more minerals to get my makeup on. Oh well, clean brushes are worth it. 🙂
If you feel it is taking to much minerals then there are a couple reasons- you are using the wrong shaped and sized brush for the job. You may have striped your skin and the pigments have nothing to cling to.
I have never ever washed mine. I like dirty brushes, I seriously think they spread the makeup better. I cleaned my first set and I always hated the brushes after they were cleaned. I don’t think of it as a problem since I only use them on my skin when it’s clean, so I haven’t worried much. Someday I may clean them, but my makeup artist friend is exactly the same. She HAS to wash work ones, but personal use ones she never washed either so I try and tell myself I am not a weirdo lol
I clean mine often, and with baby shampoo – haha! But before I had a baby, I used my shampoo. I am def going to include the olive oil and the vinegar to my regime – thanks!
I use to never wash my brushes until I was getting my makeup done and the girl told me to wash them weekly in warm water & baby shampoo. I have been doing that for a few years now, but I like your natural method better (I don’t even use that shampoo on my daughter). Thanks for the tips & keeping it crunchy!
I haven’t tried using castile soap. My first experiment includes only olive oil, apple cider vinegar and lemons. I don’t like the funky smell of vinegar so I mix lemon juice and pulp to neutralize it. The pulp also is a good “brush” for the brush. Here’s my version:
http://ecobeautysecrets.com/2012/02/clean-your-makeup-brushes-naturally-using-ingredients-from-your-kitchen/
However, I think it’s still definitely a must to deep cleanse with a proper foaming soap like castile at least once or twice a month to get rid of the oil build up thoroughly. 🙂
I use Sephora’s cleaner also. I will try this recipe when I run out for sure!!
I’m embarrassed to say that I rarely clean my make-up brushes…but I’ve been meaning to. So I’ll definitely try this and the sprays some people mentioned in the comments sound great too!
I use ELF Professional brush cleanser and brush spray. The cleanser was pretty unnecessary, as I did have baby soap in my bathroom (I’m a sucker for how awesome baby stuff works), but I was always tired of color-mixing, which is why I bought the spray. None of my makeup, brushes, or sprays get much use, though, as I hardly ever wear makeup, and when I do, it’s just mascara and a lip stain. Oh well. It’s there when I need it.
I’ll be honest and say that I haven’t cleaned my makeup brushes in MONTHS…and after reading this, I don’t want to suffer pimply consequences…so I’ll be cleaning them tomorrow 🙂 Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather 🙂
Not crunchy but, for the past two years I’ve used Sephora brush spray on my brushes after every use. Once I started doing this my persistent jawline acne disappeared. Additionally I soap and rinse my brushes every month.
Ever since I discovered your blog a few months ago, which I love, I have begun to transition to using less commercial products. I swear by oil and/or honey cleansing and have given up all the high end anti-aging products that filled my shelves. Thanks for all the great info and ideas!
Spraying daily, yeah! More cleaning = more beneficial. There are lots of videos on youtube with recipes for your own brush cleaning sprays, if you just search for “cleaning makeup brushes.” You could look at the ingredient list of your Sephora stuff and decide what would be the best ingredients for you. A sterile glass spray bottle would be the best thing to use, and if the recipe calls for water, make sure it’s distilled.
I was in the 65.8% ….but thanks to inspiration from Crunchy Betty, I’m really going to try to change this!
I clean mine with plain old hot water.
I use my makeup brushes almost every day, and clean them once a week or else I break out. I put baby shampoo in a little dish like in the picture, swirl them around, squeeze a few times, then rinse (angled downwards, with warm, not hot water) and repeat until the water runs clear. I also wipe down the handles (and my tweezers, eyeglasses, etc.) with alcohol. I let them dry flat on a clean hand towel in the sunshine because they dry a lot quicker that way.
I bought some makeup cleaner spray that you are supposed to spray on then wipe off after using the brushes, but I rarely use it because I am suspicious that it irritates my skin.
Yeah…I reckon my brushes get a wash about once every two months…but given I wear makeup about that often, I’d say that’s pretty good! Might give them a clean up this weekend though. I’m about to dive into post-breakup cleanout mode as it is!
Interesting comment above about synthetic brushes being good because they are cruelty free. How are the natural hair brushes made? If the animal isn’t harmed (I really don’t know how they do it), is it better to give a rabbit a haircut, or commission a petrochemical factory to manufacture synthetic
Could you make a brush out of your own hair??
I love natural cleaning methods. I personally don’t wear makeup, but I have two daughters who do. I am sharing this article with them. Thanks for the tips.
I put my brushes aside when I notice they are looking clogged and have a bit of build up on them and then wash them that evening so they are dry for the next day.
Shampoo is great for getting make up off since it cuts through any oily residue (from
Non water based make up) just like it does with your hair. Takes 1minute for each brush depending on how thorough you want to be. When I travel I collect up the little complimentary hotel shampoos just for my brushes so I don’t use my expensive salon products – they work a treat! Leaves my brushes looking brand new and so soft after a proper air dry on top of a dry washcloth 🙂
Hope thus is helpful for people who needed to clean brushes more regularly but dont want to have to scout out products or ingredients 🙂
P.s I adore this blog!
bare minerals carries a brush conditioning shampoo. It’s super easy to use. You just rub it into your brushes and then rinse. I’ve used it multiple times and it works great
I clean my brushes once every year or so. Usually when I’m on the “mending” stage of whatever major icky illness(es) went around my home during the beginning of winter.
I majorly cheat, and just use hot water and whatever soap is on my bathroom counter. I hardly ever use my brushes, though, as I hardly ever use make-up beyond a tinted moisturizer with sunscreen in it during the summer months.
One day I watched like 15 youtube videos on how to clean your makeup brushes. Your post is great for deep-down cleaning, but in between cleanings you can spray your brushes with a solution and just wipe them on a cloth or paper towel until it comes clean. Like a brush refresher… I dunno, it’s good for keeping them more clean than they otherwise would be in between washes.
Some of the recipes were for tea tree oil and water, some had alcohol in them, some had like 12 ingredients. I settled on 3 parts Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel to 1 part alcohol. The alcohol and witch hazel help kill bacteria, I think, and then the aloe and other goodies in the Thayers keep the alcohol from drying out your brush. You can do this daily, just like five minutes before you put on your makeup. Like the ladies at the makeup counters do, you know. Except you can put all-natural whatever-you-want in it. Awesome.
I never use hot water to rinse my brushes as the heat causes the metal base to expand which could lead to shedding (unless you do a good job of avoiding the base as noted in post- but in the picture the brush is angled upward). Always hold the brush at a downward angle. It’s also important to lay the brushes flat when drying as you don’t want the water to collect at the stem the brush. I lay them flat on a window sill in the the sunlight (may have made this up but I think the UV rays help sanitize).
When I was a makeup artist I was mortified by virtually every clients brushes when I asked them to show them what they were using. They would always say “I know you are going to lecture me…but here’s what I’m using” then they would meekly remove a matted and filthy brush from their makeup bag. Take good care of your brushes and they will last virtually forever. Thanks for encouraging good habits!
The sunlight won’t sanitize, as windows block the UV. You’d also need a hearty blast of light to sanitize, but the drying qualities of sunlight help. 🙂
Windows do NOT block UV rays.
I just use Dr. Bronner’s and cool water. I squeeze out the excess water, shaping as I do it, then lie flat to dry.
After recently learning loads more about the fabulous bicarbonate of soda (or baking soda) I decided that since it is amazing for everything I should try and clean my makeup brush with it. That doesn’t work by the way. But what does work is wishing really hard that Crunchy Betty would provide an instant solution to the problem…and hey presto, one arrives in your inbox!! You are now not only fantastically crunchy, but also incredibly telepathic!
Yeah… How often do I wash my brushes? I’d rather not talk about it… However, I’m motivated to do it today!! I’m a fairly new follower and I just have to say I love your site! And I love your humor. =) I look forward to your posts and am enjoying many of your pins as well. =)
As I don’t wear make-up very much but when I do I try to wash weekly. Sometimes I don’t get to. But I always just use mild soap and water and let air dry. I like your way so next time I clean I’m going to try this. Thanks so much for the tip.
I try to wash every 1-2 weeks. I often go about 4-6 weeks between washes tho. I’ll have to check the brushes I have now, I’m not sure if they’re synthetic or natural. But either way I’ve only ever used castille soap to clean them. No oil, no vinegar. And as an artist who has spent years cleaning brushes…skip the hot water. It’ll soften the glue and make them fall apart faster. There really is no reason the water needs to be hot.
Could you use another oil? jojoba or grapeseed perhaps
Yay, this sounds so much better than using the expensive makeup brush cleaner I see sold everywhere!
One tip: yes, you want to avoid getting water/liquid near the base of the brush so make sure that when you air dry your brushes, don’t stand them up with the bristles facing upward as that will just let any excess liquid seep into the base!
I set my brushes flat (horizontal) on top of a mug or narrow box so that the bristles are elevated (not touching anything).
I try to wash mine every week. I only use synthetic, no animal hair for me. I use a dab of Dr. Bronner’s in the palm of my hand. Wash, rinse, repeat! Air dry on hand towel. It’s quick and easy.
I wash my synthetic brushes with Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap and hot water. Then I stand them upright (bristle side down) in a small jar with enough hydrogen peroxide to almost cover the bristles. I let them soak like that for about 5 minutes (or longer if I forget about them) and then rinse with hot water. Then I fluff them out to reshape and stand them upright in the jar with the bristles side up to let them air dry – which tends to take a full day, so plan ahead! I do this every two weeks or so.
Um, I always intend to do it every other week. And when I remember, I have a streak of doing once a week for 5-6 weeks, and then it falls by the wayside. But guess what I’m doing this weekend!
I shared two natural brush-cleaning techniques on my blog a while back: http://indigoandcanary.com/2011/10/how-to-care-for-your-makeup-brushes/. Not too different from yours! 🙂
Rarely ever. I think I’ve washed them once. Gross, I know… But, guess what I’m going to do today? :0) I’m thinking it’s time to invest in some natural brushes and ditch the synthetic ones, too.
Synthetic brushes aren’t bad…they’re cruelty-free since they’re not made with animal hair, and they tend to be easier to clean. If you have sensitive skin, natural bristles might be too irritating, but a lot of people prefer them. Just depends on which works better for you.
I just dip my rat in my makeup and apply. He cleans himself, so he does all the work! [I’m kidding!] I don’t wear makeup, but I DO have makeup brushes and as an artist, I also have artsy ones (ever tried art brushes for makeup – they work wonders!). I don’t own any natural hair brushes, as they’re not as soft as synthetic (unless you splurge). As a vegetarian, cruelty-free is always the best way to go!
not as often as I should. =( but when I do, I use dishwashing liquid (?). Will try this next time though!
Every week or every other week. I have lots of brushes so I don’t use the same ones day after day.
Sounds like a rockstar combination! Somehow I don’t think I would ever have made the mental connection to use vinegar on my make-up brushes. . .Will try it tomorrow.
And, to answer your last question, that will probably be the first time since. . .last summer? Maybe? Heh.