How to Clean Makeup Brushes

Cleaning makeup brushes regularly is very important. This is how to keep the colors of makeup products from mixing together and get rid of acne-causing bacteria. Luckily, cleaning makeup brushes is so simple!

Table of Contents

Use soap and water

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/d/d2/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-1-Version-6.jpg/v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes- Step-1-Version-6.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d2/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-1-Version-6.jpg/ v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-1-Version-6.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Find out how often to clean your brushes. Keeping your brushes clean saves you time and effort when it’s time to clean them. Brushes that come into contact with many makeup products, such as foundation and powder brushes, need to be cleaned more often than less frequently used ones. Here is a suggested cleaning frequency for brushes: ^{[1] X Research Source}

Foundation and powder brush: once a week
Eyeshadow brush and concealer: every two weeks
Other brushes: once a month

Place the brush head under warm running water. Place the brush facing down under the tap so water doesn’t get into the metal clip on the handle and damage the brush head glue. Continue to run water on the brush head until most of the old makeup has been washed away. Make sure the brush head is tilted down under the faucet. The brush head will be damaged if water gets into the metal clip on the handle.

Do not use hot water as the heat can damage the brush head.
Move and spread the brush head while washing so that the water flows into the center of the brush head.

Pour water into a small bowl or cup, if you prefer to dip the brush in the water. You need ¼ cup (about 60ml) of warm water. Avoid using hot water so as not to damage the brush head.

You can also directly apply soap to the brush. This is a very effective treatment for very dirty brushes.

Put some baby shampoo in the water, if you choose to soak the brush. Add 1 teaspoon of baby shampoo to a cup of water and stir gently. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If you don’t have baby shampoo, you can use Castile soapy water. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Dip the brush into the mixture and rotate. You only rotate the bottom half of the brush head in the mixture so that the water doesn’t get into the handle.

If you’re not using a bowl, you can use your fingers to smooth the soap onto the brush head.

Remove the brush from the mixture, if you choose to soak. Remove makeup and dirt by gently brushing soapy water onto the brush head with your fingers.

Rinse the brush head with warm water. Continue swiping the brush head under the tap until you see clear water. Avoid wetting the brush handle.

You need to wash the brush several times to clean it. Continue rinsing the brush if you find the water is still cloudy.
The brush is still not completely clean until you see that the brush cleaner is clear.

Blot the water dry on the brush head. Use a towel to gently absorb the water on the brush. Fold the towel around the wet brush head and gently squeeze it with your fingers. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Adjust the shape of the brush head. You need to adjust the brush head if it is bent. Use your fingers to straighten, spread and pull the brush head back to its original shape.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/c/cc/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-10-Version-5.jpg/v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes- Step-10-Version-5.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/c/cc/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-10-Version-5.jpg/ v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-10-Version-5.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Dry the palm. Do not place the brush on the towel as this can cause mold. Instead, you should place the brush on the table with the brush tip on the outside of the edge of the table. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Make a brush head. When the brush is completely dry, simply brush the brush head with gentle movements. With that, the brush is ready to use.

Cleansing oil-based makeup products

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/1/1a/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-12-Version-5.jpg/v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes- Step-12-Version-5.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/1a/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-12-Version-5.jpg/ v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-12-Version-5.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Check the brush. If the brush has been in contact with oil-based makeup, the use of soap and water may not be enough to clean the brush. You need some oil to remove makeup – especially if you’ve been using the brush for a long time.

Put some oil on a paper towel. Fold the paper towel and put a drop of oil in it. You can use diluted olive oil or almond oil. ^{[6] X Research Source} Place the brush tip in the oiled position and rotate. Do not immerse the brush in oil. Gently move the brush back and forth on the paper towel to clean the stain.

Place the brush head under warm running water. You need to place the brush tilted down the faucet. Do not wet the junction between the brush head and the brush handle. This may cause the metal clip to rust or loosen the adhesive inside. Continue to place the brush tip under the tap until you have cleaned up the old makeup.

Do not use hot water as the heat will damage the brush head.

Put some baby shampoo in the palm of your hand. If you don’t have baby shampoo, you can use Castile soapy water.

Keep soap within easy reach, as you will need more. In some cases, you need to wash the brush more than once.

Rotate the brush in the palm of your hand. Dip the brush head into the shampoo in the palm of your hand. Gently rotate the brush in a circular motion. The brush head must constantly touch the skin. You will see the shampoo in the palm of your hand become dirty. This is because the dirt in the brush head starts to come off.

Rinse the brush under warm running water. Use your fingers to gently stroke the tip of the brush while you rinse out the shampoo. Again, you need to avoid getting the junction between the brush head and the handle wet. Continue rinsing until you see clear water.

If the brush is very dirty, you need to wash the brush several times. If the brush cleaner is still cloudy, use soap to clean the brush one more time, then rinse. Continue to soap and wash the brush until you see clear water.

Dry the brush head with water and adjust the shape (if necessary). When the brush cleaner is clear, remove the brush from the faucet and gently fold the towel around the brush head. Use your fingers to squeeze the water in the brush head. Remove the brush from the towel and shape the brush head (if necessary). You can do this by gently pressing on the tip of the brush, causing the bristles to spread out or gather in one spot. Try to return the brush head to its original shape.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/3/32/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-19-Version-5.jpg/v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes- Step-19-Version-5.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/3/32/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-19-Version-5.jpg/ v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-19-Version-5.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Place the brush on a flat surface to dry. Do not place the brush on the towel, as this can cause mold. Instead, place the brush handle on the table and bring the brush head away from the edge of the table.

Make a brush head. With a round brush, some bristles may stick together, even after the brush is dry. In this case, you need to pick up the brush and make the brush tip.

Store and keep your brushes clean

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/3/3d/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-21-Version-5.jpg/v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes- Step-21-Version-5.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/3/3d/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-21-Version-5.jpg/ v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-21-Version-5.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Do not leave the brush standing while it is drying. Water will run down the handle, causing rust or decay. In addition, this also causes the brush head glue to peel off. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

You can place the brush upright when it is completely dry.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/9/99/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-22-Version-5.jpg/v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes- Step-22-Version-5.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/9/99/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-22-Version-5.jpg/ v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-22-Version-5.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Do not use a dryer or iron to dry the brush. The heat of a dryer or iron will damage hairs – even if it’s a natural fiber like mink or camel hair. The bristles of a makeup brush are usually weaker than your hair. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/8b/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-23-Version-5.jpg/v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes- Step-23-Version-5.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/8b/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-23-Version-5.jpg/ v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-23-Version-5.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Hong palm in a cool place. If you dry the brush in an airtight place like the bathroom, it will be difficult for the brush head to dry, leading to a moldy condition. As a result, the brush will smell. Oh, that’s terrible! ^{[9] X Research Source}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/9/98/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-24-Version-5.jpg/v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes- Step-24-Version-5.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/9/98/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-24-Version-5.jpg/ v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-24-Version-5.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Store brushes properly. When the brush is dry, simply place the brush in a cup or neatly on the table. Do not place the brush head down, or the bristles will curl. ^{[10] X Research Source}

If you want to put your brushes in a bag, put them in a box or bag specifically made for brushes.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/d/db/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-25-Version-5.jpg/v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes- Step-25-Version-5.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/db/Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-25-Version-5.jpg/ v4-728px-Clean-Makeup-Brushes-Step-25-Version-5.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Disinfect brush. Before drying your brush, or even between washes, you can disinfect it with a vinegar-water mixture. Don’t worry, the unpleasant smell of vinegar will disappear when the brush is dry. Pour 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar into a small bowl or cup. Rotate the brush in the mixture, but do not wet the junction between the brush tip and the handle. The last thing is to wash the brush with water and dry it. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Advice

You can use a wet tissue to clean your brushes and makeup case.
Cleansing wipes are another perfect choice.
If possible, you should hang the brush to dry. You can do this by clipping the brush to the hanger with a butterfly clip or clothespin.
Avoid using cleaning products that leave a strong odor, are difficult to clean, or damage the brush (such as laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, almond oil, olive oil, vinegar, or scrubs).
Buy a brush cleaner if you want to invest in a simple cleaning solution. Although expensive, a brush cleaner will make the cleaning process simpler and easier. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Warning

Wait for the brush to dry completely before using it, especially when using makeup powders. These products may be damaged by contact with a brush that is still slightly damp.
Do not use heat to dry the brush. Let the brush dry naturally.
Do not immerse the brush in water. This will damage the glue on the brush handle.

Things you need

Water
Baby shampoo or Castile soapy water
Diluted olive or almond oil (for very dirty brushes)
Towel

Steps