At the start of a new year, our thoughts are often on resolutions and changes we want to make. If you are still considering options for this year, here’s a suggestion: resolve to clean your make-up brushes regularly.
You’ve probably read that your make-up brushes should be cleaned at least once a month. I often wonder if this is a practice that many follow. And please know, I only think about this because I was a non-washer for so long!
Cleaning your brushes (sponges and other tools) ensures they don’t contain dirt, dead skin cells and oil, which can lead to bacteria growth. Clean brushes help prevent clogged pores and breakouts.
So we know why we should clean our brushes regularly, but do you dread doing it as much I used to? I found this chore to be so tiresome. And yet every time I actually take the time to return my brushes to their just purchased cleanliness, I revel in the ease of my make-up application. This feeling always made me wonder why I couldn’t adopt a regular practice.
Apparently, I just needed the right tool.
You are probably aware of the fundamentals of brush cleaning: wet your brushes, apply soap, agitate the brushes to remove make-up from the bristles, rinse and set to dry.
It sounds so simple and yet it was the agitation part that I regularly found highly frustrating due to the effort required. I felt like the task was never ending.
Luckily, I discovered this multi-textured brush-cleaning mat that dramatically shortens the time it takes for my brushes to release what they’re holding on to.
Rather than swirling my brush in a bowl of water and then endlessly rubbing the brush on my hand or tissue once cleanser is applied, I wet my brushes, add cleanser and then use the mat to help my brushes release everything they’re holding on to.
The varied surfaces allow me to easily work deep into the base of the brush loosening even the most stubborn of particles. This mat has revolutionised my brush cleaning. The task overall takes less time and dare I say it has even become a bit pleasurable?
While I purchased my mat in the US, it has a sister product in the form of glove, which can be sourced in the UK. In addition, I’ve heard a very reliable (and economical) suggestion for this glove. Both of these alternatives offer texture differences similar to the mat I use to help you get to clean.
In terms of cleanser, you don’t need anything more fancy than baby shampoo, although that said I’m in love with solid cleanser. I find it easier to wet my brushes and swirl them on the pot rather than make a bowl of baby shampoo mixed with water or to apply just the right amount of shampoo to my brush to commence cleansing.
One more important bit: while cleaning, be sure to hold your brushes so that the bristles are pointing down the whole time and only allow the bristles to get wet, not the whole brush. If you hold your brushes upright or allow water past the bristles, you will loosen the glue in the ferrule, where the bristles are attached. This will cause your brushes to shed, eventually rendering them unusable.
To dry your brushes, simply lay them flat on a flannel overnight to dry. Or you can give this stand a try. Doesn't it look fab? And it folds flat to store between uses.
Now I love how easy my brushes are to clean and how great they feel when I've finished. As a result, I find myself cleaning them more regularly and more frequently. So, my new year’s resolution from many years ago remains in place to this day. And brushes that I purchased nearly 20 years ago are still in excellent condition. Hurrah!!