Most of us wear some sort of makeup on a daily basis. Whether you are a ‘clean girl’ or love your ‘baddie glam’ cleaning your face properly to remove makeup is crucial for preventing breakouts. But did you know cleaning your brushes is just as important?
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Why You Should Clean Your Makeup Brushes
Makeup brushes are essential tools in many people’s beauty routines, but they often get overlooked when it comes to regular maintenance. These brushes collect bacteria, oil, dead skin, dust and all of that is being put back onto our skin the next time we use it which will cause your skin to clog and break out. Here’s why keeping your brushes clean should be a key part of your skincare routine.
1. Prevents Breakouts & Negates Skincare Efforts
Dirty makeup brushes harbour bacteria, oil, and dead skin cells, which can lead to clogged pores, blackheads, whiteheads, and acne. Regularly cleaning your brushes helps eliminate these harmful substances and significantly reduces the risk of breakouts.
No matter how effective your skincare routine or products are (including MATE), they won't work if you're constantly applying bacteria to your skin, which will ultimately be a waste. Prioritising brush hygiene is essential—without it, you're wasting both time and money on skincare products that won't deliver the results you want.
2. Reduces Skin Irritation
The accumulated dirt, bacteria and makeup over time on the brushes can cause irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin, eczema or rosacea. Dirty brushes can exacerbate these skin concerns, leading to more itching, inflammation and breakouts. Keeping your brushes clean helps maintain the health of your skin by preventing irritants from making contact.
3. Prevents Cross-Contamination
If you use different brushes for multiple products or share brushes with others, cleaning them becomes even more important.
Having brushes that you haven't washed in a while can cause cross-contamination between products which will only further increase the probability of skin issues like breakouts or allergic reactions and even more serious issues such as infections.
Regular cleaning minimises this risk, ensuring that your brushes are free from any leftover product or bacteria.
4. Improves Makeup Application
Dirty brushes can actually affect the performance of your brushes as dirty brushes often become stiff, uneven, and less effective at picking up and blending makeup. This can lead to patchy or cakey makeup, which may prompt you to apply more product than what you actually or normally use. So, making a habit of having clean brushes can help in a smoother application of your makeup products and even help reduce the amount of makeup you need to use, which is beneficial for your skin as well.
5. Keeps Your Brushes in Good Condition
Cleaning your makeup brushes regularly can actually extends their lifespan. The accumulated makeup products and oils from your skin can break down the bristles over time, causing them to shed or lose their shape.
So even though it might seem like an extra step in maintenance, properly cleaning and caring for your brushes helps maintain their quality, ensuring that they continue to perform well and last longer. Just like investing time in applying your skincare, investing a little bit of time to clean your brushes can go a long way.
How Often Should You Clean Your Brushes?
Foundation & Concealer brushes
These brushes tend to hold more product and bacteria, so they should be cleaned at least once a week.
Powder & Eyeshadow Brushes
These can be cleaned once every two weeks, but more frequent cleaning is recommended if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin.
Sponges & Beauty Blenders
Since they absorb product and can become breeding grounds for bacteria, these should be cleaned after each use and replaced regularly.
How to Clean Your Brushes
Use A Gentle Cleanser
A gentle soap, baby shampoo, or brush cleaner works well. Avoid using harsh chemicals that can damage the bristles.
Rinse With Lukewarm Water
Hold the brushes under lukewarm running water and gently rub the bristles to remove product.
Shape & Dry
After rinsing, gently squeeze out excess water, reshape the bristles, and lay them flat to dry. Avoid drying them upright, as water can seep into the handle and loosen the glue, causing the bristles to fall out.
Dry Your Brushes Properly With Our Super Easy Life Changing Hack
How do we dry our brushes without laying them flat to dry? Something as simple and readily available in your room right now will change the way you wash your makeup brushes.
It’s super easy and one of our favourite secret hacks that we’ve been doing for years.
Now there are of course some gadgets and accessories that help such as the Sigma Beauty Dry & Shape Spa, but if you don’t have something like that or the intention to purchase it, then you can just use something as simple as your hair ties.
It is the easiest hack to level up the way you clean your brushes to help towards achieving clearer skin without ruining your brushes.
So, Here's Our Reminder
Cleaning your makeup brushes isn’t just about hygiene—it’s about skincare, too. By incorporating regular brush cleaning into your routine, you’re ensuring healthier skin, better makeup application, and longer-lasting tools. A small investment of time can lead to a noticeable improvement in both your complexion and your beauty routine.
With love,
Alia
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