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An essential part of any beauty routine is taking proper care of your tools, which raises the question: How best to clean your makeup brushes? No matter how flawlessly your favorite pointed concealer or powder-diffusing iterations may still perform, the only way to keep them bacteria-, dust-, and dirt-free is with a weekly washing, says the makeup artist Troy Surratt, whose line of highly covetable brushes are based on principles learned in the calligraphy brush mecca of Kumano, Japan.
“Cleaning brushes and sponges is mandatory not only for hygiene purposes and keeping bacteria and germs at bay but also for performance reasons,” explains Robert Sesnek, a pro makeup artist known for his work with stars like Hailey Bieber and Cara Delevingne. “When investing in quality makeup brushes, it is equally important to understand how to properly clean and maintain the quality of your brushes,” builds celebrity makeup artist Wendi Miyake. “Cleanliness and maintenance is number one to ensure your brushes are long-lasting and will perform at their highest capability.”
Below, six makeup artists walk us through how to clean makeup brushes like a pro, and the products that make the process that much easier.
A Weekly Washing is a Must
How often should you wash your makeup brushes? “For optimal application and the truest color payoff, it’s important to use clean brushes,” says Surratt. “If you apply a similar makeup look daily, I recommend washing your brushes thoroughly once a week.” That said, “you may need to wash them more often if you regularly change your colors.”
Treat Your Brushes Like Your Hair
“Washing your brushes can [seem like] a chore, so create an experience that’s enjoyable,” Surratt suggests. To carry out this objective, he reaches for Oribe’s Signature Shampoo, which has an addictive lemon and bergamot scent and is gentle enough for even delicate natural hairs.
Deep Clean With Liquid Soap
If a brush is entirely caked in foundation or a sponge is soaked in silicones and oils, on the other hand, Surratt says that Dawn dish soap “works wonders” for degreasing. Be careful of “cleansers that have a high alcohol content or contain harsh solvents, as they can loosen the glue that holds the brush together, eventually affecting the life of the brush.”
Sesnek is a fan of the Cinema Secrets Professional Makeup Brush Cleanser. “This is a great one for quick hygienic brush cleaning, [as] it contains an antimicrobial solution for bacteria-free brushes. The drying time is fast, a few sprays and brushes are clean and dry in minutes.” It’s also pro-approved by makeup artist Brigitte Reiss-Andersen as well.
Additionally, Sesnek “fell in love with how deeply this Sephora Collection shampoo cleaned his brushes. ”I prefer using a little at a time until any stains out of the brush or sponges are gone, it’s super concentrated so a little goes a long way.” Otherwise Sesnek likes the Beautyblender Liquid Blendercleanser for sponges “as it removes tougher oil-based makeup stains.” Makeup artist Andre Sarmiento agrees: “I like to put a couple of drops directly on the sponge and it gets everything out!”
Clinique’s cleanser is another thoughtful option to care for your tools and skin, as it’s formulated for a gentle, yet thorough cleanse. Users rave how seamlessly it removes buildup. Otherwise, the Real Technique gel option is tried and true for just a couple of bucks—worthy of a spot in your Amazon cart.
Deep Clean With Bar Soap
While some experts rely on more traditional liquid formulas, others, like celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles, reach for bar soap options—her favorite being Takeda Brush Purely Soap. What she considers an ‘if you know, you know” product, she notes how this “gets the brushes squeaky clean while also conditioning the brush hairs.” Jenny Patinkin’s Luxury Vegan Makeup Brush Soap is another favorite of hers because “it’s sulfate-free, fragrance-free, anti-bacterial, and anti-microbial so you know your brushes are clean and ready for use.”
She continues that both of these are also perfect for cleaning beauty sponges, too, and considers these faster than cleaning a sponge with dish soap. “If you try to wash a beauty sponge with something like dish soap, you’ll spend 10 full minutes trying to get all of the soap out of them. You never have that problem with either of these soaps and the sponges are spotless when you’re done. I’ve even cut one of my sponges open because I wanted to make sure it was clean and it was as clean as when I bought it.”
Lather and Rinse—But No Need to Repeat
“Put some cleanser on a small dish. Wet your brush, making sure to wash only the top part of the brush that comes into contact with makeup and skin, then tap it into the soap to dilute the concentration a bit,” says Surratt. Next, work the brush back and forth in the palm of your hand to create a lather, then rinse it with tepid water until all of the soap is gone.
If you prefer not to use your hands like Surratt, there are several cleansing tools that will help remove product buildup from your brushes. Sarmiento says he can’t live without Sigma’s cleaning mat or glove. “They really help get the brush clean while also protecting your hands from drying out. Swirl the brush onto your cleaning mat or glove to push out old product and rinse off your brush. Then fan put the bristles to see if there is any product left in the center of the brush. If there is give it another wash with cleanser.”
“For my bigger powder brushes, I always spin the water out in the StylPro Original brush cleaner and dryer, so that all the water gets out, dries quicker, and also ensures there is no odor that harvest,” says Miyake. This is a foolproof option for someone low on time, or with lots of brushes to handle.
Proper Drying Is Paramount
“Shake out the excess water and pat the bristles with a clean towel to get out as much moisture as possible,” Surratt advises. Then roll up one end of the towel, placing the handle of the brush on the rolled part so that the head of the brush is angled slightly down. “You don’t want any water seeping into the handle because that can affect the bundling of the bristles as well as the handle itself,” he says. If you need your brushes dry by morning, place them on a cookie sheet padded with a Silpat baking mat as an extra layer of protection, and place them in a gas oven. No need to switch the oven on, as “the pilot light adds a bit of warmth and helps them dry quickly overnight.”
Look for Signs Your Brushes Are Ready to Be Replaced
“If a brush begins to shed its bristles excessively, it may be time to replace it,” says Surratt. Rest assured, though: “If you care for your brushes with a bit of TLC, they should last for years. In my opinion, many brushes seem to get better and softer over time.”
Originally published in Vogue.com
