Cleaning Make-up Brushes

Importance of cleaning brushes:

You wouldn't wash your face, get rid of oil, dirt, bacteria, then rub your face in mud, would you? Then why would you do the same when applying make-up with dirty brushes? We are all guilty of this, it's a beauty offence widely committed and would cost you a lot of time in beauty-jail! I aim to clean my brushes at least once a week. Obviously, the longer you leave it the more dirty they will get - especially if you store them by a window, as heat can spread bacteria!

Make-up brushes can, as I said before, can lead to a breeding ground for bacteria - causing spots, clogged pores and oily skin. This is particularly bad if you had spot/acne prone skin.

Brushes that you use for applying blusher, bronzer and eye-shadow also need to be cleaned regularly (as often as foundation brushes) because using the same brush for, e.g. five different blushers can completely change the colour

I'm embarrassed to show this, but you know your brushes are dirty when they look like this:

How I clean my brushes: 

1. Firstly, i fill the sink up with hot water - and add my brush shampoo from ELF 

This ELF brush shampoo is very inexpensive and is anti bacterial - made purposely for cleaning make-up brushes, it includes a gentle cleanser. You shouldn't use normal shampoo for cleaning your make-up brushes as it doesn't contain as much anti bacterial qualities and ingredients, and it is too strong (meaning your make-up brushes will shed). 

2. I dip the make-up brush into the hot soapy water and swish it around a little bit. I then take ELF's daily blush cleaner and spray a bit on to my hand (if the brush is extremely dirty and thick, spray a bit on to the side of the sink). Twist and swirl the brush into it - you should be able to see a lot of residue and product running out! Once you've finished and the brush is running clear place the brush into a moisture free surface to dry - ideally in sunlight. 

If the brushes are difficult to wash, spray some brush cleaner directly on to the brush and use your fingers to massage it in - as if you were washing your own hair. 

DON'T FORGET TO REPLACE THE WATER EVERY SO OFTEN! Once again there is no point in cleaning your brushes and dipping them straight back into horrible, spot producing bacteria. 

3.  Clean make-up brushes should look something like this 

4. To avoid getting grounded, remember and wash out all the gunk and old, groggy foundation residue out the sink! For this, I used Dettol bathroom cleaner ;-) (this is irrelevant, but remember and clean up afterwards, or your mama may be after you!) 

Points to consider:

• If you are unable to get a hold of ELF brush cleaners and shampoos, baby shampoo works just fine! 
• Remember, prior to cleaning your make-up brushes in the sink, clean out the sink! Once again comparing this to the fact that you wouldn't rub your face in dirt. Remember and rinse out all the bleach/cleaning product residue from the sink, as you certainly don't want to get that on to your face!

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