How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

by Rati on March 18, 2010 · 35 comments

I have been following this brush cleaning method for almost an year and even 10-12 month old makeup brushes are in great condition.

Step 1: Take clean water in a bowl. Just enough to dip the bristles of your brushes.

Brush Cleaning 1 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning Step 1

Step 2: Add shampoo in a bowl and mix it. I am using Dove Hair Fall Therapy.

Brush Cleaning 2 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning Step 2

Step 3: Wiggle your brushes in shampoo + water mixture. Do you see how the colour of water has changes in the second picture?

Brush Cleaning 3 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning Step 3

All babies taking bath together. icon smile How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning 4 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning

Step 5: Squeeze the excess water lightly on the sides of the bowl.

Brush Cleaning 5 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning Step 5

Step 6: Run the brushes under either warm water or cold water. I mostly run them under cold tap water. Just make sure that the pressure of the water is not too high. That might harm the bristles of your brushes.

Brush Cleaning 6 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning Step 6

Step 7: Roll your brushes on a news paper or paper towel to get rid of the excess water.

Brush Cleaning 7 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning Step 7

Step 8: Time to condition your brushes. In a bowl, add some hair conditioner and mix it with water. I am using Dove’s hair conditioner.

Brush Cleaning 8 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning Step 8

Step 9: Time to wiggle again. See, now the water in the bowl is not too dirty.

Brush Cleaning 9 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning Step 9

Step 10: Time to run the bushes under cold water again.

Brush Cleaning 61 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning Step 10

Step 11:Gently reshape your brushes on your palm and pat on a tissue to remove excess water.

Brush Cleaning 10 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning Step 10

Happy Clean brushes.Yay! icon smile How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Brush Cleaning 11 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Squeaky Clean Brushes

Step 12: Dry the brushes flat on a paper towel and turn them the other side after 3-4 hours.

Brush Cleaning 12 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)

Time to let them dry

I have noticed that brushes take 6-8 hours of drying.

Some tips:

  • Don’t dry your brushes in sun. Let them dry in shade.
  • You may use baby shampoo or any mild shampoo for cleaning your brushes.
  • Clean your brushes frequently. This would keep your brushes bacteria free and make them last longer.
  • If you are using your brushes for liquid/ cream foundations or lipsticks etc, clean the brushes after every use.  Follow some of the basic makeup sanitization rules.
  • I tried cleaning brushes on a sponge but that didn’t work for me. I used to get irritated with that method. What about you?

How do you clean your brushes?

 How To Clean Makeup Brushes (With Photos)


{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }

HD March 18, 2010 at 11:10 am

I use olive oil and johnson’s baby shampoo….I was not using my regular shampoo as I had seen in couple of youtube videos that this shampoo could be harsh for the bristles but since ur using them and its working fine i think this is a good way of using my leftover Dove Shampoo since I’ve stopped using Dove since a couple of months as it just stopped doing any good to my hair and have a whole bottle left to finish ;)

Reply

Rati March 18, 2010 at 11:16 am

I also used to use Johnson’s baby shampoo but that got over so using Dove now. :P Dove is a mild shampoo and I have used it a couple of times. Have not seen any hair shedding as such. But to be on the safer side, I would be shifting to Johnson’s baby only.

he he give it a try. :)

How do you use olive oil?

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HD March 18, 2010 at 11:40 am

I put a little olive oil on paper tissue and smoothly rub the brushes over it…this helps to break down all the hard makeup particles….later follow that by washing in Johnsons baby shampoo the same way as you have shown

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Rati March 18, 2010 at 11:43 am

oh yes, olive oil is such an amazing cleanser. I use it all the time to remove my eye makeup. I guess it’s time to try the magic oil for brushes as well. Thanks for the tips. :)

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Name March 18, 2010 at 11:22 am

I also use my regular shampoo or liquid dettol soap to clean my brushes. Im curious though, why condition you brushes?

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Nandita March 18, 2010 at 11:24 am

ok for some reason my name didnt show up in the previous comment ! :)

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Rati March 18, 2010 at 11:34 am

Hey Nandita,

Conditioners keep the hair of brushes from getting brittle. However if you use a baby shampoo you may completely skip using a conditioner. :)

Btw I think liquid dettol soap could be harmful…Instead you may just wash your brushes with a mild shampoo and wiggle them in a dettol liquid+ water mixture . Follow up with with regular rinsing.

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Poornima March 18, 2010 at 11:47 am

Haha..

The method is the same as what I do..for my art brushes…I am so possessive abt them..Now I guess I should start on a decent Makeup brush collection too :-)

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Rati March 18, 2010 at 11:50 am

Would you believe I learnt this method from my painting teacher? I got highly irritated with the sponge method and she was the one who suggested me to do this. So there you go, the art and makeup connection. Brush collection is actually fun. :)

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piya March 18, 2010 at 12:00 pm

hi RATI,

how r u doing…

i had bought multiple brush set on sunday…

but still confused about the usage of all of them

can u tell me the use of comb like brush?????

i m a dumbo in case of using brushes lol…

keep smiling

Piya

Reply

Rati March 18, 2010 at 12:55 pm

Piya are you talking about this ? http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/makeup-brushes/prod4940035

I am doing good, Piya. :) What about you?

Will help you with the brush usage if you tell me which ones you have bought. :P

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Cynthia Zacharica March 18, 2010 at 12:46 pm

Nice detailed pics. I do a similar method, except I don’t wash my eye and face brushes together n I put very little water in a dish so the water doesn’t seep to where the bristles are glued. N I don’t use conditioner…for no reason :)
I’ve had some brushes for almost 10 years now n they still look the same so can’t complain!

♥XX♥

Reply

Rati March 18, 2010 at 12:58 pm

I know about not cleaning eye and face brushes together but I have no patience , seriously. :P

10 years is such a long time. Since when did you start doing makeup? :P

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HD March 18, 2010 at 1:33 pm

I have the same question Cynthia….when did you start w makeup ;)

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tanveer March 18, 2010 at 1:33 pm

I too do wht HD does. First rub in oil to loosen the make up and then wash them individually with shampoo.

Like Cynthia – I too wash my eye brushes separately. Lip & face brushes tend to carry more bacteria as compared to eye. I don’t want cross infection. But yes, it takes like a few minutes extra when you do them individually.

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HD March 18, 2010 at 1:34 pm

yeah…I too wash my eye and face brushes separately

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Rati March 18, 2010 at 1:52 pm

HD, Cynthia, Tanveer, Okay I give up.lol!! starting to wash my eye and face brushes separately. :D

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tanveer March 18, 2010 at 5:12 pm

LOL :D … No pressure Rati!

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tanveer March 18, 2010 at 5:23 pm

And I also never thought of conditioning them.. Nice tip thr Rati :D

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Rati March 18, 2010 at 5:41 pm

lol!! No I guess I need to be less lazy now. :D

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piya March 18, 2010 at 2:43 pm

yes rati

this is the one. thanks yaar.
i m also good.
today i m also going to shop for IGlide pencils from colorbar

lets c wats more i vl purchase

bye for now

Reply

Rati March 18, 2010 at 3:46 pm

You may comb your brows in place with the side that has soft brush like bristles and you may separate your lashes or any clumps of mascara with the side that has plastic bristles. Not a must have brush but now that you have it, you might as well use it. :)

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Cynthia Zacharica March 18, 2010 at 2:56 pm

@Rati n HD ~ I’ve been obsessed with makeup since forever…but of course I had to wait till I was in college to start wearing it regularly. N yeah I did put on makeup when I was alone n wash it all off before my mom got home :D . Even in school I did all my friends’ makeup on Teacher’s Day n other occasions. They just came to me…I never understood why then :D

♥XX♥

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Rati March 18, 2010 at 3:55 pm

I was never a makeup girl even though my mom has enjoyed doing makeup always. But now I am covering up for all the years I have not done makeup. :P

They came to you because you were good. Obviously. :)

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HD March 18, 2010 at 4:22 pm

he he…that reminds me of my school days when I had secretly cut a fringe at home and would pin it up before mom would come to tie my plaits so that she wouldnt find out :)

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Rati March 18, 2010 at 5:13 pm

loll!!!

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Rima Kaur March 18, 2010 at 5:40 pm

i use olive oil then a mild shampoo. you’ll be amazed with how clean the brushes get.

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Rati March 18, 2010 at 5:44 pm

Rima, will surely give this a try. The methd I mentioned have always worked well for me but I geuss it’s time to upgarde. :D

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Yuvna March 21, 2010 at 2:30 pm

I have also used Olive oil before washing brushes but I found that:
Brushes don’t clean well.
Don’t pick up the product well.
If not washed properly can totally spoil your cosmetics.

It is better to condition your brushes with a mild conditioner,using a strong conditioner will prevent your brushes from doing their job properly.

Even the professional Brush cleansers have a mild conditioning effect after washing(I’ve used MAC).

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Antonia March 23, 2010 at 12:09 pm

Bookmarking this – great post, thanks!

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Rati March 23, 2010 at 2:15 pm

most welcome babes. :)

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Susmita March 26, 2010 at 1:04 pm

Woaaaaaaaaaah, great tips…. Tussi gr8

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Rati March 26, 2010 at 1:49 pm

Thank you, Susmita . :) Do join our forums as well. http://makeupandbeauty.com/forum/

Reply

parul April 19, 2011 at 11:22 pm

hi all.. i have recently joined this blog.. addicted to it already..
Can u suggest me on how I should clean my foundation sponges??

Reply

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