Cleaning your makeup brushes helps skin stay clear and healthy while also increasing the longevity of your makeup tools, when done correctly!
Okay, let’s be honest, when is the last time you washed your makeup brushes? No judgement here, I won’t be able to actually find out how long it was but really think about it. If it has been longer than two weeks it is time to wash them again! I KNOW that seems crazy but hear me out….
Washing your brushes is important for quite a few reasons! First– makeup brushes harbor all sorts of funk. By “funk” I mean, bacteria, viruses, fungus, pollution (picked up from your skin!), oil, dead skin cells, and the list goes on. Yeah, if I haven’t convinced you to wash your brushes on this paragraph alone, I’m not sure what else to do! Basically, you have all this funk on your face and your brushes pick it up and spread it all over your face when you apply makeup. Woof. If you are constantly breaking out and not washing your brushes–that *might* have something to do with it!
Second– washing your brushes helps them actually perform the way they should! Have you ever used a foundation brush that hasn’t been washed in a bit, then wash and use it!? GAME.CHANGER. Same goes with your blush, eye shadow and makeup sponges. They ALL need to be washed so they stay light, separated and fluffy so your makeup applies beautifully!
Lastly– if you wash and take care of your brushes correctly (and they are of decent quality!) they will last you forever. Like actually forever. I have had most of my brushes for YEARS and they are just as great as the day I picked them up. With a little TLC you won’t have to replace them for a long, long time!
So, let’s get into it! Keep in mind this is how I wash my personal makeup brushes, I have additional steps for sanitization as a professional makeup artist! 🙂
In my opinion, these are really all of the “tools” you need to correctly wash your makeup brushes! A clean towel, makeup cleaning mat (I have this one and LOVE it but it is more expensive this is a less expensive option but I haven’t tried it), makeup brush drying rack, bar of soap (I love this safer, inexpensive option from Dr. Bronner’s) and this Everyone 3 in 1 soap for tougher foundation brushes. Ps. our kids use the Everyone 3 in 1 wash and it’s great– the bottle is MASSIVE!
Wet your brush and rub on the bar soap. 
Gently scrub using the makeup mat.
Rinse the brush, at an angle to avoid getting water into where the bristles meet the handle. 
Shake the excess water out of the bristles.
The most important part is to try to keep as much of the water out of the ferrule aka where the bristles are glued into the handle. If water gets into that space it will loosen the glue that holds the bristles/hairs in and they will start to fall out. It will compromise the integrity of the brush and those little hairs will be alllll over your face and that’s no fun. If you keep the water out of the ferrule you will dramatically increase the life of your brush! NEVER fully submerge your brushes in liquid to wash them. Never. Ever.
Fully soak your makeup sponge. 
Rub it on the bar of soap or use liquid soap. 
Keep gently rinsing and squeezing until the water runs clean.
Makeup sponges can be easily cleaned and, if I am being honest, they are super satisfying to clean. Just keep running water on the sponge, adding soap and gently squeezing it out until the water runs clear. The general rule of thumb is that makeup sponges/beauty blenders should be replaced every 3-6 months. My absolute favorite makeup sponge (and I have tried them all!) is this one. It’s three-sided and blends like a dang dream!
To dry I LOVE using this drying rack. It is an actual game changer! As you can see the brushes dry with the bristles/hairs down to avoid the water coming down into the ferrule! They dry super quickly as there is air circulating around each brush. For my overflow brushes I always lay them down on a clean towel, over the edge a bit so they also have good airflow. For my makeup sponges, I simply lay them on the clean towel.
I hope this helps! If you have any questions please let me know!
Cheers to squeaky clean brushes!
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