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#AskHauterfly: How Do I Clean My Make-Up Brushes?

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A good set of make-up brushes cost a bomb, and you know better than anyone that it’s totally worth the splurge. So when you spend a pretty package on them, why would you not want to prolong the life of your brushes? Cleaning them regularly is so important, as brushes retain product and can become storehouses for sebum, dead skin and bacteria. All mixed together (and not cleaned out often) can mean only bad news for your delicate skin.

If you use your make-up brushes everyday, you MUST clean them at least once a week. If you don’t use them as regularly, you can clean them every fortnight. You must NEVER use the same brush on two people though. The same goes for a brush that you accidentally dropped. Read on below to know how you can keep your brushes clean and your face safe. 


Real Techniques Deep Cleansing Gel_Hauterfly

Real Techniques Deep Cleansing Gel (Rs 2,499)

1. Baby Shampoo / Professional Brush Cleaner

Wet the bristles of your brush thoroughly, then squirt some baby shampoo or a professional brush cleaning solution and gently work into a lather. Be gentle as tugging on the brush’s fine bristles can lead to breakage. Rinse under running water.

If stubborn product still remains, use some more cleanser and gently swirl the bristles in your palm to loosen up the product. Dip the bristles in clean water and repeat until the brush stops releasing colour. You can also use a brush cleaning glove for this purpose. Wear the glove on your index finger and rub the brush on it. Rinse thoroughly and squeeze out all the water. Reshape the bristles and lay the brush on a paper towel to air dry.


Cinema Secrets Brush Cleaner_Hauterfly

Cinema Secrets Professional Brush Cleaner (Rs 1,681) 

2. Instant Brush Cleaning Spray

Wet the bristles of your brush thoroughly and soak them with the cleaning spray. Rub the brush back and forth on a paper towel until you see it leaving a clean trail. No rinsing out required.


Beautyblender Solid Blendercleanser_Hauterfly

Beautyblender Solid Blendercleanser (Rs 1,581) 

3. Soap cleanser

Wet the bristles and rub them gently directly on the soap bar. Keep rinsing and rubbing on the soap bar until there’s no residual colour coming off the brush. Rinse thoroughly, reshape the bristles and let it air dry.

4. Olive or coconut oil

Brushes used for gel eye liners often have product build up that hardens over time. It is impossible to clean these brushes only with water. You have to clean out the dried-up product first. In order to do this, wet a cotton ball in water, squeeze it out, then pour a few drops of coconut or olive oil. (Dipping cotton ball in water will ensure that its fibres don’t stick to the brush). Let the bristles soak up the oil and loosen the hardened gel. This should take just a few minutes, after which you can clean out residual product with the same cotton ball. You can then wash the brush using any of the above-mentioned techniques.


Hotrose Silicone Cleaning Glove _Hauterfly

Hotrose Cosmetic Makeup Brush Silicone Cleaning Glove (Rs 712)

Brushes are made up of three parts: the bristles, the handle and the ferrel (mostly made of metal, the ferrel connects the handle and the bristles). It is not advisable to soak the brushes in sudsy water as that could loosen the glue that holds the bristles inside the ferrel. Also, the ferrel might rust.

Also remember to always let your brushes air dry. DO NOT blow dry them. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have brush cleaning sprays, you can always use spirit. But don’t make this a habit as it makes brushes brittle. You can also use hair conditioner on your natural hair brushes once in a while, if you wash them very often.

Make-up brushes aren’t the only beauty tools that need regular cleaning. Read this to know the other beauty tools that need attention.



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