My makeup brushes receive a good washing about as frequently as the inside of my car – 9 times out of 10 I would be embarrassed if you took a peek at either. I really do think about cleaning them but it’s usually while I am using them which is not ideal (both brushes and car). Knowing that the buildup of makeup, dirt and oil is not good for my skin or eyes I did some research on homemade cleaners. It seems like Dawn and vinegar solve a lot of household problems and I must say they certainly worked wonders on my brushes.
Homemade Brush Cleanser
- 1 part regular Dawn dish soap
- 1 part distilled white vinegar
- 4 parts warm water
Mix all ingredients and dip/swirl brushes one at a time or together, depending on how dirty your brushes are. Rinse with warm then cold water, shake excess out a bit, reshape brush and lay flat to air dry on the edge of a sink. If the cleanser becomes incredibly discolored, or you notice makeup residue during rinse step, dump the cleanser and make a new batch. Don’t worry about the vinegar smell, once the brushes are dry it will fade away.
This concoction is not the only player in the homemade brush cleaner world. Many recommend much the same process with one part baby shampoo and 4 parts warm water. I am also incredibly intrigued by this rubbing alcohol technique which dries faster and would be perfect for in a pinch cleaning.
Store dry brushes upright in a pretty container to avoid picking up more unwanted makeup that may be hiding inside your makeup bag. As far as how many times one should clean their brushes it really depends on who you ask. I am going to go with Bobbi Brown’s recommendation of twice a month for all eye brushes, once a week for foundation tools and once a month for all others. That seems doable especially knowing I have the ingredients I need on hand. And now that my brushes are clean, soft and looking new I am wondering why on earth I did not do it more often in the first place. Happy cleaning!
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