How to clean your makeup brushes properly

The main reason to clean your makeup brushes is to remove the bacteria, oil and debris that can build up in them over time. How often you do it depends on how much you use them, the types of products you use, and which areas of the face the brushes come into contact with. Makeup artists clean their brushes after every use, but that’s just not realistic, or necessary, for the rest of us. With many of us now wearing makeup less frequently, it’s important not to let your dirty makeup brushes languish in a drawer or makeup bag, where bacteria can thrive. Get them out, wash and dry them properly before storing them away again. “You should clean your eye brushes most often, at least every other week, since they are being used in the most sensitive area of the face,” says Chanel Temple, global makeup artist at Hourglass. “If you have blemish-prone skin or tend to be more sensitive, you may want to clean them weekly.”

Every week or two is a good start, with more frequent washing sometimes needed in the case of oil-based products. The type of brush you’re using is also a factor. Hourglass brushes are made from synthetic fibers, meaning you can get away with not washing them as frequently as you might a natural-bristle brush, such as those from Burberry Beauty or Rae Morris.

Artis Brush’s artistry lead, Lindsey Jackson, recommends a light cleanse using the brand’s Premier Brush Cleaning Pad. Sweep the brush along the antimicrobial surface to remove dirt, or boost its efficacy further with the Artis Brush Cleansing Foam. When you’re doing a deeper clean, try Beautyblender’s Liquid Blendercleanser. Alternatively, Jackson suggests a pea-sized amount of dish soap in combination with warm water, or you could use a bar of hard soap in place of a liquid cleanser. “Gently lather the fibers and rinse until the water runs clear and there are no more bubbles,” she advises. In general, you’ll need to treat natural-bristle brushes more gently than synthetic ones, so be careful not to get the ferrule (where the glue holds the bristles to the handle) too wet, otherwise you may notice some shedding.

“After a deep-clean using soap and water, dry your brushes on a microfiber towel,” advises Jackson. “With Artis brushes, you can leave them lying face down – this helps the towel absorb some of the excess moisture. If you wash them in the evening, they should be dry and ready to use by the morning.” Natural-bristle brushes might also need reshaping after washing, which you should do before you dry them. With particularly fluffy or large brushes, get as much moisture out as possible before leaving them overnight, as this will prevent mildew from forming. Smaller brushes, such as lip brushes, will dry much more quickly.

Avoid storing makeup brushes in the bathroom, as the damp environment will encourage bacteria to spread. Lilah B.’s Let’s Face It Brush Set comes complete with a case, while Rae Morris’ Rae Frame offers an elegant storage system that you’ll happily display on your dressing table. Failing that, Temple has the smart idea of recycling old candle jars to store brushes in. “After you’ve used the candle, clean out the wax and you have a great container to store your brushes that allows you to see all your options,” she says.