an easy and cheap cleaner for your not so cheap makeup brushes

There are those beauty products we buy and use up almost too quickly. Then there are those that we buy and use so little that they feel like a waste of money. Makeup brush cleaners are one of those. I’ve never been able to use an entire, or even half, a bottle before it “expired”. So, I’ve stopped buying them completely.

I shared my list of makeup brush essentials here a few weeks ago so now it’s time to also share my tips on taking care of those brushes. While great brushes make it easier to apply makeup and are totally worth the investment, they can also be bacteria traps and cause breakouts and irritated skin without the proper care. So, regular cleaning is mandatory (ideally once a week). Instead of the wasteful makeup brush cleaners, here is an easy do it yourself makeup brush cleaner that I’ve learned from makeup artists throughout the years.

By the way, for the shampoo and conditioner you can use the cheap stuff. Leave your pricey salon products for your hair only. A moisturizing body wash can also work.

What you’ll need:
1 teaspoon of shampoo
1 teaspoon of conditioner
hot water in a bowl
room temperature water in a bowl
paper towelsWhat you’ll do:
1. Mix 1 teaspoon shampoo with 1 teaspoon conditioner. The shampoo will wash the brushes while the conditioner will help keep the bristles soft.
2. Take a brush and directly dip into the shampoo and conditioner mixture.
3. Carefully dip the brush bristles into the bowl with hot water. The metal should not go into the bowl as the heat may weaken the adhesive and your brush hairs may start falling out.
4. Gently wipe the brush on a paper towel to remove the makeup from it. If after a few swipes you still see a lot of makeup, you may want to repeat the step 3.
5. Take the clean brush and place into the cup or bowl with the room temperature water.
6. Repeat the steps with all your brushes and then let the brushes sit in the cold water for another 30 minutes.
7. Remove the brushes out of the cold water, gently dab off any excess water with a paper towel, and let them sit until they dry.