So, I recently had a really bad eye infection. Some of my makeup had to hit the trash after that, mascaras especially. (Mascara holds onto germs really well, so don’t be afraid to replace yours often. There’s a lot of mascaras out there, but you only have two eyes so take care of them!) But the rest of my makeup and brushes were pretty easy to clean. I’m really bad about cleaning my brushes enough, so I cleaned even those I hadn’t used leading up to the eye trauma. This how to is for serious cleaning. A little shampoo and water or brush cleaner is a great way to go to clean your brushes weakly, but so many oils and dirt live in brushes and makeup that, every now and then, you should go hard and clean up everything really well. It’s not difficult, just time consuming. But your skin will thank you!
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(Sorry this post is so late, I had car troubles driving home last night. By the time I was back home, I was to exhausted to do anything!)
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
– All the makeup & brushes you want cleaned
– Tissues
– Warm water
– A sink (or several bowls, like I used)
– A dish for soapy water
– A cup
– Shampoo
– Alcohol (I recommend ethyl alcohol)
– Spray bottle
– A towel
– Optional: Hair ties, Shower bar or similar object to hang things from
PREP:
TO PREP: run warm water from the sink and a bowl of warm water. If you can’t use a sink or you’re in a dorm like me, where the bathroom is dirtier than your brushes, prep three bowls of lukewarm to hot water. In the bowl, or the middle bowl if you’re using three, mix in enough shampoo to work up some suds. Lastly, fill up a final cup with about a half-an-inch to an inch of alcohol. I recommend ethyl alcohol for this because it kills more germs, including some viruses. Isopropyl does not kill viruses. You can also use vodka for this part.
BRUSHES & TOOLS:
STEP ONE:
Divide your brushes up in a manageable way, you’re going to want to change your water if its been awhile or you have a lot, so split them into groups so you know when to switch. I organized mine by face and eye.
STEP TWO:
Run the brush under the water or swirl in into the first bowl to get out a bit of the gunk.
STEP THREE:
Next, swirl your brush in the soapy solution. Use the bottoms and sides of the dish to twirl the brush and collect up some soap.
STEP FOUR:
Rub the soapy mix into the brush with your fingers. My blush brush is the worst since blush is one of my go-to’s even on “no makeup” days, so I washed and rinsed it a few times. You’ll want to do this too if you are as lazy as me!
STEP FIVE:
Make sure you’ve squeeze out a lot of the soap, then rinse the brush in clean warm water. Make sure there is no more soap and you’ve pressed out the water from the brush so it’s not dripping in the next step.
STEP SIX:
Swirl the brush in the alcohol. Make sure it’s distributed, but you don’t need to scrub it in like the soap. Press out the alcohol like you did for the soapy water, this time make sure that the bristles are shaped and smooth.
STEP SEVEN:
Used a rolled up towel to create an elevated surface to dry your brushes, especially if you have wood brushes. If the water settles at the base of the brush it can damage the wood and glue.
You could also use a hairband to hang your brushes. I did this for my extra fluffy brushes so they would dry in shape. Just twist a hair band into a figure eight and hold it against the bar, slide the brush into the top and bottom of the 8 on the other side of the twist.
Tools with soap are fine, but you really want to disinfect them. Shampoo and water rinses out brushes, but doesn’t kill acne causing bacteria, or other nasties.
STEP EIGHT:
Soak your metal tools in the alcohol for about thirty seconds. It’s not bad to soak them longer, but they need more than a dip.
MAKEUP:
Most eyeshadows and powders can be cleaned. It’s good to do this every now and then because when you’re putting on your make up, your brush touches your face, then the palette again. This means some of the dirt and oils from your skin transfer from your face to your makeup which can make it a bit gross. If you use a pump makeup, use a q-tip to saturate the opening with alcohol.
Mascaras and similar tubes can’t be cleaned well so those are better to toss out. Save your wands though, clean them with soap and water and alcohol and use them as an eyebrow brush or a pipe cleaner. They’re pretty useful. Sometimes I mix a brush I really like with a mascara formula I love to create a more custom lash.
It’s a good idea to wipe down your makeup bag with some disinfecting wipes while you’re at it too!
STEP ONE:
Wipe shadows down with a tissue to clean away the first layer. Don’t rub back and forth. Instead, pass over the plate one way, then fold the tissue to a clean side and pass over it again. One or two passes should be enough.
STEP TWO:
Packed powders and loose powders should be spritzed with a good layer of alcohol. The color should darken a little bit. The alcohol will kill the bacteria and then evaporate in no time at all. Spritzing powders with alcohol every now and then can be good, especially blush if you have oily and pale skin like I do. I even used this on my cream shadow tubs. The alcohol doesn’t soak into the product, but if you’ve wiped it down well it will kill the remaining surface germs.
If you have any broken powders, go ahead and crush them up then mix them with a little bit of alcohol to create a paste. Put it back in the tin, let it dry out and, voila, you’ve cleaned your makeup and saved some cash on a new product.
STEP THREE:
Liner pencils, lipsticks and tubes without a tool to pump it (think a cream tube you squeeze onto your hand or fingers, not a mascara or lipgloss tube) can be soaked in alcohol. Thirty to forty-five seconds should be plenty. Wipe the top of your lipstick with a tissue before you do this to clean away any skin or dirt residue from application.
STEP FOUR:
Let everything dry overnight. Loosely cover powders so nothing gets in, but the alcohol is still able to fully evaporate.
REMEMBER THIS IMPORTANT TIP!
Don’t be afraid to throw makeup out. Most is cleanable, but your health is more important. If you think your makeup has been compromised by a serious something like a nasty virus or bacteria, toss it. Just let it go. A few bucks isn’t worth risking a nasty infection. Many germs thrive in moisture-rich environments so mascaras, liquid liners and creams can be havens for the nasties. If it’s bad, throw it away!
Happy cleaning!
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