Make Up Brush Care 101

Make up brushes are an investment and as such with the proper level of care you can prolong the life of your tools. I'm not for one moment suggesting that you re-mortgage your home nor sell a kidney to afford the priciest brushes out there, rather make the most of what you already own. The past few years have been a learning curve for me (if only you could see my old make up brushes), let me share a few, simple tips I have picked up along the way, which may just see you clutching on to your trusty foundation brush for a few more years...

Deep Cleanse Your Brushes with Care
First of all chose a non-drying cleanser that foams and removes even the toughest of foundation (and eye liner) stains with ease - I personally rely on either baby shampoo, Dr.Bronner castile soap or Carex moisturising hand wash (you can find more of my favourite options within this post). Ensure that you massage the brush bristles rather than using scrubbing motions, never use overly warm water and gently squeeze out any excess moisture with a soft towel, before laying flat on a separate towel to allow completely. For the sake of hygiene (no-one wants to use a brush with a month of product gathered within the bristles) I would aim to deep cleanse your brushes at least once a week.

Go Easy
I've watched Youtube tutorials and of course seen other people apply make up on the go; every now and then I am gob smacked by how hard some are on their tools (and face). Make up brushes, sponges et al are there to allow for easier application, there is really no need to push a brush so firmly onto the skin that the bristles splay. Not only will you ruin the brush but you could cut or damage your skin in the long run. 

Store Your Brushes Correctly
Splayed bristles are the main cause for brushes piling up on the beauty graveyard for this reason alone I suggest storing up right. Don't worry about pretty storage, simply find a container large enough for you needs and pop them in and feel smug in the knowledge that you are taking care of your brushes. For on the go brush storage it may be wise to invest in a brush roll, rather than my old method of having brushes and excuse the pun, rolling around in the bottom of my bag. I would also avoid popping brushes into zip make up bags - I've lost and damaged so many brush bristles due to zip closures.

I know what you are thinking, glue? Due to washing, wet make up products and daily wear and tear, at some point a brush head may pop off your favourite brush. Rather than admitting defeat, why not try gluing the brush head back on and seeing if it can live to survive another day?

Hopefully it goes without saying that the above tips are of course mere guidance, if you find something else works better for you, of course continue as normal. As a matter of a fact if you have any further tips or pointers please feel free to weigh in via the comments.