Laura Skin Care

Brushes, blushes, palettes, concealers, mascara wands, lip gloss…oh my!

Don’t allow your makeup drawer/caddy/bag, etc. to get out of hand. By tossing all of your products and tools in the same space, you are not only going to have a more difficult time locating what you need when you are in a hurry and need to get glam quick, but your makeup brushes are more likely to accumulate unwanted gunk and bacteria, which you do not want on your beautiful face. And not only that, all of the remaining stuff on your brush can cause wear and tear and damage the bristles, leaving you running out to Sephora to purchase new ones.

Before you organize your brushes (which you will learn about in the next article) along with your other makeup products, you want to make sure to clean those brushes…regularly.

How do you properly clean your makeup brushes?

Here are some expert tips from the American Academy of Dermatology:

• Get on a schedule: Wash your makeup brushes every 7-10 days like clockwork.
• Rinse the tips of your brushes under lukewarm running water to remove residual makeup. **Note: Throughout this process, do not submerge the entire brush head, as the glue that holds the makeup brush together should not get wet. We don’t want it all to fall apart!
• Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and a tablespoon of either gentle shampoo or clarifying shampoo. **Note: There are other DIY methods to this—ingredients you can use, such as dish soap or ********
• Swirl each brush tip in the bowl. **Note: Feel free to use your fingers to “shampoo” the brush tip.
• Rinse the brush tips under running water. **Note: Remember to avoid getting the glue and handle soaked.
• Continue shampooing and rinsing each brush until the water runs clear from the brush.
• Squeeze out excess moisture with a clean, dry paper towel.
• Lay your brushes flat to dry on a towel with the tips hanging off the edge of the counter. **Note: Do not throw them back into whatever you keep them in or stand them upright, as we don’t want water dripping down onto the glued portion.

Click to watch a great video showing the correct cleaning process…which has had over 5 MILLION views!

Natural Living Ideas has a number of solutions for alternative ingredients to use when cleaning makeup brushes:

• castile soap
• bar soap
• liquid dish soap
• apple cider vinegar + dish soap
• hydrogen peroxide + castile soap or organic baby shampoo
• organic baby shampoo and water
• coconut oil + dish soap + hand soap

So keep those brushes clean and fresh so that your face will be the same! There are various ingredients to use when cleaning them…choose what is best for you and follow the steps above to achieve sparkly new-looking, bacteria and gunk-free brushes.

Speaking of makeup brushes, if you are in need of professional makeup application for an event, or even just for a night out on the town, contact Laura Skin Care and book an appointment soon!