Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

[DonnaLee]

I like the "baby wipes" myself. Quick and brushes are ready to reuse in a snap!

[tvbswifey]

Thanks for all of the suggestions!! I use baby wipes after each use and then brush shampoo every few days.

[VanillaGorilla]

I do a little spot clean on most of my eye brushes after every use (with the MAC Brush Cleaner).
Then use baby shampoo once every week ot two

[xxemmzxx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by perpetuallycute

this is a very good way to do it - this is how I clean my brushes, and they are perfect!

I think I will start doing it this way too

[~Princesa~]

I use baby shampoo 1x every other week for yrs now lol I have brushes that go back to the 90's that are still in great shape!

[franken_stein]

Thanks for all the tips, everyone! I do a shampoo clean every few weeks or so but in between I use the MAC brush cleanser on a tissue or small towel. It's working fine for me so far, except for the fact that the MAC bottle is a nightmare, oh man. I hate it. I'm looking for some other bottle to put the liquid into. It might just be mine, I don't know. No one else has mentioned this in this thread. Every time I pop it open, the liquid sprays out, and when I try to pour a bit out, it drools and dribbles everywhere and falls down the side of the bottle. Then when I close it again, it snaps back down and sprays liquid out again. Hahah, sounds awful, doesn't it?! Ugh. I feel like I wasted a lot of the brush cleanser here and there with each use.

[DILLIGAF]

I use the MAC Brush Cleaner to spot clean while putting on make-up and for deep cleanings I use Baby Shampoo. I spot clean by spraying a paper towel with the cleaner and wiping the brush back and forth until the color is gone. Sometimes I have to spray a 2nd or 3rd spot to get the brush clean enough. Depends on the intensity of the color.

[piccola_mela_x]

Hello everyone and thanks for your tips! I use a brush cleaner but I heard that some makeup artists use 99% isopropyl alcohol because it's antibacterial and dries quickly but I'm not brave enough to try! has anyone used this tecnique?

x

[nichollecaren]

Quote:

Originally Posted by piccola_mela_x

Hello everyone and thanks for your tips! I use a brush cleaner but I heard that some makeup artists use 99% isopropyl alcohol because it's antibacterial and dries quickly but I'm not brave enough to try! has anyone used this tecnique?

x

nope-but it does sound like it will damage your brushes...because they are made of hair! Think of spraying rubbing alcohol in your hair!

Artists use the 99% Alcohol to sterilize powder products by spraying it on and leaving them to dry. I Know Wayne Goss does that.

[malaviKat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nichollecaren

nope-but it does sound like it will damage your brushes...because they are made of hair! Think of spraying rubbing alcohol in your hair!

Artists use the 99% Alcohol to sterilize powder products by spraying it on and leaving them to dry. I Know Wayne Goss does that.

I did spritz my brushes once with 75% (or 70%, I can't recall) alcohol after I washed them. I routinely wash them with baby shampoo so I don't "kill" any bacteria that way. My brushes were no worse for wear, but I wouldn't make a habit of cleaning them with alcohol. Way too drying!

[Marlo Kitty]

This is what I don't get...

Using plain old soap, not anti-bacterial, just soap kills bacteria. Why would one need to use alcohol to clean them to "kill germs"? I can see using alcohol for in-between cleanings, but baby shampoo should be enough to kill bacteria and germs.

There is a theory that using the anti bacterial every thing is what is causing super bugs like MERSA.

Just a thought. Anyone who is a scientist is welcome to reply, as I certainly am not!

~Marlo

[fashionjunkiexx]

i use baby shampoo and water once a week to deep clean, and then spot clean in between as and when i need to

i actually like cleaning my brushes sometimes, something about its quite theraputic

[hello_kitty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marlo Kitty

This is what I don't get...

Using plain old soap, not anti-bacterial, just soap kills bacteria. Why would one need to use alcohol to clean them to "kill germs"? I can see using alcohol for in-between cleanings, but baby shampoo should be enough to kill bacteria and germs.

There is a theory that using the anti bacterial every thing is what is causing super bugs like MERSA.

Just a thought. Anyone who is a scientist is welcome to reply, as I certainly am not!

~Marlo

Your statement about MRSA is correct... over use of antibiotics and other products has definitely been the direct cause of bacterial species becoming more resistant to things meant to kill them. It's not only happening in Staph aureus (what MRSA is), but many many other bacteria, including ones that use to be harmless.

Baby shampoo products DO kill bacteria. I don't know where it came from that it doesn't? It has all sorts of lovely chemicals in it... just google "does baby shampoo kill bacteria" and you'll get results talking about the formaldehyde that's in it, LOL. A soap doesn't have to be labeled anti-bacterial for it to kill bacteria. That's just put on stuff to get the masses to buy it. It's more about technique than product. If you use antibacterial soap on your hands, and only scrub for 5 seconds, you're not doing any good. Plain ol' soap and water for minimum of 30 seconds is the running standard. (I went off on a tangent, sorry, haha. I'm a microbiologist, it happens. I love talking about bacteria...)

On another note... I use to use Sephora brush shampoo, and it seemed to leave my brushes really dry, so I switched to MAC's cleaner, and I love it! Definitely gets out the stains that some products leave, and doesn't leave my brushes dry and scratchy. I clean every week to every few weeks. It really depends on my usage and how many colors get stuck in the brushes.

[longhornsgirl]

I use Mac Brush Cleanser and when I choose to deep clean I will take two clear buckets fill them with both hot water and then wash in one bucket and in the other, let the brushes sit.

[machonesty]

hi guys,

i just washed my blending brush and i cant get the bristles to fluff up again. any recs? help?

[lauzenke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chelsea

not often enough *looks around*

I'm not gonna lie, I don't either!!! I'm washing them today.... with my M.A.C. brush cleaner. **loves it**

[Samiya]

I must be OCD, lol, I wash mine after I do makeup. I've found it easier for me. If not then, if I'm in a hurry, then when I come home and remove it, I'll clean my brushes too

I use Simple Facial Cleansing Mousse which is in a green pump bottle, is liquid but comes out as mousse. It's a brilliant makeup remover, no matter what kind of makeup (even lipstick paints) - it's off in seconds and fabbo for my brushes

I still have all my brushes (but have to buy all new makeup). I have my personal set and 5 client sets. Client sets were cleaned after each client.

hugs
Samiya

[Aimishu]

I wash my brushes once or twice a week with baby shampoo and spot clean them every use.
it depends on when i use heavy coloured eyeshadows, then i wash it after use especially on white bristles. my 217 brush was stained by handwritten

For spot cleaning, i use sephoras daily brush cleaner or just non alcohol baby wipes

[Miss Ava Marie]

I clean my eye brushes after every use. It makes it soooo much easier to keep up with. I take the MAC cleaner and put it in a spray bottle for easy access. Then I spray each eye brush I have used and swirl it around on a old piece of cloth.. if it is a fluffy brush I twirl it around in my fingers to keep the stray hairs in place while it dries. As for my face brushes I use Johnson and Johnson Head to Toe baby wash. It really is the best face wash and brush cleaner

[Kragey]

I spritz my brushes with basic brush cleaner when I'm finished making up my face. Then I mix a little gentle shampoo--I usually use V05--with some water to deep clean my brushes once or twice a month.

[Miss Ava Marie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by machonesty

hi guys,

i just washed my blending brush and i cant get the bristles to fluff up again. any recs? help?

Have you tried wrapping your blending brush in a paper towel when you dry them? brush guards also work really well too when you are drying your brushes.. brushgaurd.com