How to Properly Care for Your Cosmetic Brushes

– by Melissa



Professional makeup brushes are an investment. And, like any other investment, we want a great return. One of best ways to ensure that will happen is proper brush care. Did you realize that makeup build-up, especially foundation, makes your brushes feel scratchy? If you have sensitive skin, cleaning your brushes regularly will help them stay soft and lush. It is imperative you make a point to clean the accumulated gunk out of your brushes regularly. This is not only good hygeine (for you, your skin, etc.), but it keeps your brushes in good shape.

Wet the hairs under the faucet with tepid to warm water with the hairs pointing downwards – this will help prevent any water getting in to the ferrule (metal part) or down in to the handle for brushes that don’t have ferrules.

Using a mild shampoo, liquid hand soap or castile soap, squirt a little on your fingers and apply it to the hairs from ferrule to hair tips. Gently squeeze the hairs from ferrule to hair tips over and over adding a little water at a time. Rinse and repeat until the water runs clear. Make sure when you are rinsing to keep the brush hairs pointing down.

After your brushes have a good bath, brush them off a little on a clean paper towel and lay them to dry on their side on a paper towel or a regular towel. It is also a good idea to reshape the brush at this point in time to prevent splaying. Whatever shape your brushes are left in to dry is the same shape they will be when they are dry. You don’t want your contour brush looking like a tapered blush brush, do you? Similarly, if the shape is off, wetting/washing your brush will allow you to reshape a brush. Lay kabuki’s and any other stand-up brush on their side. Never leave them to dry brush hairs up in a brush holder. The water can run down in to the ferrule and loosen the glue holding the brush together over time.

On top of cleaning, conditioning your brush with a quality hair conditioner will help keep the bristles soft. It’s not something that needs to be done as often general washing, but it is a good idea to do it often enough–like once a month. Mostly, it depends on how often you use and wash your brushes.

Lastly, let brushes dry completely before using. Dry time will depend on size and brush density.