#clean brushes

See, most Youtube videos and makeup bloggers are great at demonstrating techniques to apply makeup and what tools to use so we all rush out and buy these gorgeous tools and expect them to create a flawless look every time but what most people forget to mention is the care you need to put into these tools to achieve these great results.

So what exactly does care entail?

The number one rule is WASH YOUR BRUSHES.

There are two types of cleaning brushes. The one I am focusing on today is Deep Cleaning but I also reference Spot Cleaning. It is important to deep clean your brushes at the very least once a week if you wear makeup every day to ensure your brushes do not end up gunky and gross with product build up and germs.

Now I know this may seem like a mammoth task to do every week but it is not as complicated and hard as everyone makes it sound. I personally used to despise having to wash my large collection of brushes because it would take forever. But over the years, I’ve come up with a fail proof system that takes me less than an hour to complete and keeps my brushes looking brand new and soft.

Here are my tips:

        1. Invest in a brush cleaning mat.

Sigma  Spa Brush Cleaning Mat

  Sigma Beauty changed up the brush cleaning game when they launched their Sigma Spa® Brush Cleaning Mat ($32 which is P320). They had created a silicone mat with raised ridges and different textures which you swirled your brush over during washing. The ridges and texture allowed product and dirt to be removed from deep inside the bristles of the brush making cleansing faster and more efficient and ensuring perfectly cleaned brushes every time. If you’re a makeup addict or a makeup artist (remember that Sigma offers pro discounts) then this is a great investment especially when Sigma offers Free International Shipping.

  However, for the average girl on a budget, this might be a bit too steep (especially for those of us who aren’t in America because shipping and Taxes escalates the price of all products to ridiculous amounts) so check out alternatives. Ebay and Amazon often has similar mats for much lower prices. The small mat I’m currently using was bought off  of Ebay for $1 (P10) and had free shipping (and another bonus was there was no customs charges on it).

       2. Use A Liquid Soap

There is no water yet on the pad just soap

Brush is slightly wet and swirled in liquid soap to create foam

I’ve used bar soap and liquid soap and for me, liquid soap is just easier to work with and in my opinion cleaner. With a bar soap you swirl the brush on it, leaving germs and bacteria on it, then swirl another brush on and it just cross contaminates too much. Whereas with liquid soap (especially if you find one with disinfectant properties) you put a squirt on the brush and there’s no cross contamination.

If you are on the lookout for a soap specifically made for brushes then Sigma Beauty, once again, has an answer to your needs SIGMAGIC® BRUSHAMPOO™ Liquid ($15 or P150). As well as, Ulta Beauty who sell the EcoTools Makeup Brush Cleaning Shampoo ($7.99 or P79.90) or Elf Cosmetics also has one called the Brush Shampoo ($4 or P40) to name just a few.

For those on a budget, or who are just too lazy to go out and buy a specific brush shampoo like me, face wash, hand wash or even baby shampoo and dish soap can work wonders. My go to liquid soap is usually face wash or disinfectant/ anti-bacterial hand wash (like Dettol) because they’re made to be used on skin and I won’t react badly to it if I wash my brushes with it.

        3. Make sure all the soap is rinsed out

This seems like common sense but it’s an extremely important point especially with dense brushes. Make sure every single bit of soap is rinsed out of your brushes. Soap left in brushes not only damage the bristles over time and make them harden it also becomes a trap for bacteria and dirt which will clog your pores when you use the brush. The last thing you want when applying your makeup is to have tiny bits of dried up soap suds being applied to your skin.

So Rinse, rinse and rinse again.

Then swirl on a towel and check if it’s actually all out. If not keep rinsing and repeating till it is.

        4. Use a clean, dry towel

I cannot stress this one enough. Do not use the face towel that’s been in the bathroom for three days and everyone has been wiping their hands on it after they go to the bathroom. Simple logic, that towel is caked in germs. Use a fresh towel to ensure you are not cross contaminating or picking up germs on your newly cleansed brushes.

         5. Leave them to dry

  Never ever use your brushes while they are still damp or wet. It will affect the way they apply your makeup often making application streaky or patchy or soaking up way more product than usual.

To dry brushes, lay them flat on a towel on a flat surface and leave for at least three to six hours to ensure they dry inside. Another method is to dry them hanging upside down from a brush drying rack (Sigma has specifically designed a Drying and Shaping Tower ($50 or P500) or you can find basic ones on Ebay).

Do not dry brushes upright as the water will seep into the barrel and damage the brush over time resulting in increased shedding, barrel cracking or the brush separating from the barrel.

Let them dry completely before you use them.

        6. Spot Clean brushes in between deep cleanses

Spot clean between uses and washes.

Spot cleaning involves using an alcohol based spray and swirling on a cloth or paper towel to remove product from the surface of the brush. This is great for days when you’re in a rush and only have a few brushes to work with, if you’re travelling or it’s been a crazy week and you don’t have time for deep cleansing.

This way even if you haven’t had time to deep clean your brushes you still have relatively clean brushes to work with thus preventing bad application, colour mixing or worst bacteria build up. Not to mention, it will make deep cleaning less of a mammoth task because there won’t be too much product built up on the brushes.

Most brands have a spot cleaning spray including Mac (Brush Cleaner is $16 or P230(according to Mac South Africa Website)) , Sonia Kashuk (Brush & Sponge Cleanser $10 or P100) and even NYX ( On The Spot Cleaner $10 which is about P100 maybe more) to name a few.

Those are my top tips for washing your brushes.

Please feel free to leave me any questions or requests and let me know if you’re interested in an instructional post on how to deep clean your brushes or spot clean them by giving this post a like or comment below.

Busy washing my brushes,

Ra’eesah

Tips for Perfect Summer Makeup

With the summer sun scorching our skin and our water intake at a low, no wonder our skin takes on a sallow and gaunt look. It is easy for some to stay indoors and keep themselves cozied up in their air conditioned rooms by day, but some just have to get out whether it is for work, college or even shopping! When it comes to shopping though, women are found buying all sorts of beauty and makeup…

Well brushes you only use powder on you can probably get away with just using a spray cleaner on quickly before each use. I’d deep clean them at least once a month though.