Cleaning make-up brushes

I am sure a lot of you know that you MUST clean your makeup brushes. Whether you do it daily or weekly, it is truly a big must because you don’t want to use makeup brushes that harbor bacteria and dirt. Gross right? Anyway,There are tons of videos on youtube that show how to make homemade brush cleanser, which I have been using for at least a year now.
You don’t have to use this recipe, I hear MAC has a great brush cleanser, but I also hear that it can get kind of pricey. So when you're in a pinch use the homemade brush cleanser, your wallet will thank you later.

For spot cleaning during the week on my eye makeup brushes I use makeup facial cleansing wipes.  Your brushes still need a deep cleanse every week.  This does not apply to foundation brushes.  Foundation brushes must be deep cleansed every time they are used.  So here is the recipe for homemade brush cleanser:

Mix the following ingredients together in a large container:

1 cup of Distilled Water (purified bottled water will work just the same, not boiled water)

1/4 cup of  Rubbing Alcohol (70% or 91%… This helps to disinfect & sanitize)

1/2 tablespoon dish washing liquid soap (Any brand but not one with bleach in it)

1/2 tablespoon regular hair shampoo (or baby shampoo)

1 tablespoon of spray on leave-in-conditioner (the liquid type, no gel or cream types, this helps to soften your bristles)

After these ingredients have been mixed together, transfer it from the mixing bowl to a spray bottle using a funnel if you have one.

With foundation brushes I tend to pre-wash with shampoo first and then sanitize with the brush cleanser afterwards.  It sounds like a long procedure but your skin will be bacteria free.  Re-shape the brushes while they are damp to retain their shape.  Also do not lie the brushes flat while drying as the water can go into the barrel / handle and loosen the glue thereby damaging the brush.  Keep them upside down if you can.  I keep them at a slant resting on another object.

I use this brush cleanser to clean my hair brushes as well.

Happy cleansing xoxo