Quick and effective cosmetic brush cleaning

Cosmetic brushes are often used on a daily basis. It doesn’t take long for make-up residue, perspiration and dead skin cells to collect in the brush – creating the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. If you continue to use dirty make-up brushes, blackheads, pimples and other impurities are unavoidable. In the worst case scenario, a dirty cosmetic brush can cause infections such as conjunctivitis. The bacteria on the brush are also transferred to powder, eyeshadow and other products, allowing them to spread unhindered. Products with creamy textures provide the perfect breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria and germs. That’s why it’s so important to clean your cosmetic brushes regularly as a fixed part of your routine. It’s the only way to effectively prevent skin impurities and infections.

Cosmetic brush cleaning intervals depend on how often the brush is used and what products it comes into contact with. Brushes that are used to apply products with creamy or moist textures such as concealer or foundation should be cleaned after every two to three applications. If you use products with powdery textures, you can clean the brushes after 5-7 applications. That’s about once a week if the brushes are used daily. If you don’t have time to do a deep clean, you also give the brushes a quick clean. We’ll explain how to do that soon.

Sometimes a quick clean is unavoidable. To freshen up your make-up brushes between deep cleans, you can use micellar water or or a specially developed brush cleaner product. Simply moisten a cotton pad or a face cloth with the liquid and stroke the brush over it. The make-up is quickly removed from the bristles onto the cotton pad or fabric. Since you don’t wet the brush under running water, it dries very quickly and is soon ready for use again. And if you use creamy products, you can start using your cosmetic brush again while it is still damp.

You should give your brushes a thorough clean approximately every one to two weeks. The best time for brush cleaning is the evening when you no longer need them. Then, they have plenty of time to dry overnight and are ready for use again the next day.

You’ll need these things to give your cosmetic brushes a thorough clean:

• Brush cleaner or baby shampoo
• Cleaning mat for brushes
• Running water

1. Wet the brush under running warm water. Be careful not to let the water run into the brush handle. To do this, you should hold the brush with the tip pointing downwards at all times. This prevents the glue in the brush from dissolving and the bristles from falling out.
2. Apply a small amount of the brush soap to the cleaning pad. If you are using a solid brush soap, simply moisten the brush and rub it over the soap until it foams. You can then switch to the cleaning mat to work the soap in thoroughly. Silicon exfoliating pads for the face are a good alternative to a brush cleaning mat, or you can simply use your palm.
3. Rinse the brush under a running tap. Depending on how long it has been since the last clean and how much product has collected in the bristles, a second and perhaps even a third wash cycle may be necessary. You can tell whether the brush needs another wash by the looking at the rinsing water: if it’s clear the brush is clean. If it’s still dirty, apply a little more soap and wash again.

Give your brushes plenty of time to dry after cleaning them. It’s also important to ensure that no moisture gets inside the handle as they dry, so never stand brushes upright in a mug immediately after washing them because any water remaining in the bristles will run down into the handle. Over time, this dissolves the glue that holds the brush together. Obviously you should never stand the brushes on their tip either, as this would deform the bristles.

Here’s the best way to do it: After washing your brush, first tap it over the sink or bathtub to get rid of most of the excess water. Then gently stroke the brush across a clean towel. Form the bristles back into the desired shape and lay the brush flat on a spread-out towel. Definitely do not dry make-up brushes with heat, for example with a hairdryer. Human hair brushes are particularly sensitive to high temperatures, which can cause the bristles to break. It’s always better to clean your brushes in the evening and leave them to dry naturally overnight. The next morning, ruffle the brush heads to separate the bristles and the freshly cleaned brushes are ready to use again.

If you don't have a brush cleaning product to hand, these household items will do just as well:

• Baby shampoo: These shampoos have very mild formula and are usually fragrance-free. They clean your brushes very gently and they shouldn’t be any irritation to your skin. You can also use a fragrance-free, pH-neutral hand soap. Avoid using conventional shampoos, as these often contain silicones and fragrances.
• Washing-up liquid: Washing-up liquid can work wonders, especially with stubborn make-up residue. It’s actually formulated to remove grease and starch, so it makes a very effective brush cleaning product. Just a small amount does the trick.
• Oil: It can be difficult to get the brushes clean again after using some products, especially waterproof products. We recommend rubbing the brush with a little neutral oil first to dissolve any make-up residue and then rinse it out with soap in a second step.