Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know' - Page 16

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

When you dilute the MAC brush cleanser...do you do 1/3 cleanser and 2/3 water? Lolz...because I usually just use the full on cleanser without dilluting it but I go through the bottle oh-so-quickly

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

^^^ i'm not exactly sure what amount to of brush cleaner to dilute with water... but my MAC ma told me to just dilute it until it reaches a good amount of the brush and just let it sit for 5-10 mins... my guess is probably 50/50 of both... but then again 1/3 brush cleaner and 2/3 water seems to waste less brush cleaner...

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I was just wondering how best to clean new brushes. I am embarrassed to admit that I have never cleaned brushes before their first use, so I wasn't sure if others clean them with just a brush cleanser (I use the Clinique brush cleanser) or use the deep-cleaning baby shampoo method. I also just bought 2 Loew Cornell brushes from Michael's to try with eye makeup (and those, of course, are just loose brushes that I'm sure people are constantly touching...).

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I use a drip or two of MAC brush cleaner after each use and then use an old towel to wipe off the excess makeup. If I used a darker colour I might do this again (especially on white bristles where you can see the residue). Every once and a while (usually once a month) I'll deep clean my brushes with shampoo and then lay them flat to dry.

I like to clean them every time I use them just because I don't want to mix colours on my brushes, like if I use a brush with a darker colour it might make a lighter colour look muddy.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I have a question for all of you. :-) I am about to do makeup for an event where I will be doing many people's makeup. There will not be enough time for me to wash my brushes and have them dry and ready (since that takes a day and I will only have a few minutes in between).

How can I go about disinfecting the brushes between clients? This will be my first time working on more than one person, so not sure how to go about using brushes.

Thanks!

Oh, and P.S. to add to this discussion...I use Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo :-)

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I was used to never wash my brushes! eeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwww! I know, i know...

But in 2007 I got a severe acne reation to mac foundation combined to hormonal stuff so I learnt to wash my brushes everytime I use them (i don't use make up everyday). So I started with antibacterial hand soap (Dial), but now that my skin has heal, I changed for no reason to baby shampoo and it works fine also. Then I let them dry over and a few hours later they're ready to use.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

Same here!!! I clean my brushes after every usage!! Every night religiously LOL

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I use antibacterial soap and hot water in a Dixie cup,lol.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I always wash my brushes at night so it gives them enough time to dry and are ready for use the next day.

I usually use Jergen's soap (typically with an antibacterial in it) I find this stuff is gentle enough and gets veryyy sudsy which cleans them very well. If I'm in a rush, I spray my MAC brush cleanser, let them sit for a few seconds them brush them on a clean, dry towel.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

You should use the MAC brush cleanser. Gather up all the brushes you used, and while you're chatting with the next person who's makeup you'll be doing about what you're gonna do, pour a little puddle of brush cleanser onto a paper towel and clean all your brushes. I like to keep mine in a little travel spray bottle in my kit and keep the big bottle at home. I dont mean to sound like a commercial, but its the best 10 bucks you'll ever spend and it'll totally extend the life of your brushes. I go through a lot of em, and the fact that you can back-to-mac the bottle is an added bonus.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

Well... I may as well chime in, I'm doing the baby shampoo thing about once a week. Dampen, dip in shampoo, swirl on my hand, rinse repeat, til it swabs clean on a white sponge or wash cloth. Most of my of my better brushes are relatively new (some mac, some sephora, but some loew cornelle) so I can't say how well any of these hold up to this treatment. I'm using the mac brush cleanser in between when I have time or when I decide its best to use a different brush for a different product. But then again, I am working on neutral looks for work so that typically means 'this size/texture for this color/formula on this spot right here.' That is to say I'm not switching around a lot like green vs. purple for the lid...if you follow me... Since I apply cake liners with visine, its easy to rinse the brush off immediately with water. If its a liquid or gel product I use the mac cleaser then rinse.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I bought Inglot's brush cleaner (the one in the spray bottle) and so far it seems to be great. It dries quickly. The ones that you wash the brushes with aren't any good whilst you're out on a job because you need them dry and usable again soon.
I saw another at Priceline called "Beauty Pro" in a white bottle... has anyone tried this? If anyone can tell me what it's like I'd really appreciate it. Thanks

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

Thanks everyone!!!

Re: Brush Cleansing Techniques

Hey,
New to the forum and loving it Thanks for all the great advice!
A friend told me after cleaning brushed you could also use some gentle hair conditioner (and rinse it out well!) to maintain your brushes.
Thought I'd share...

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

This video is really helpful. I really like the MAC cleanser for quick cleaning adn then I deep clean mine like he says about every other week.

YouTube - Cleaning Brushes Basics

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

A couple of questions for the brush experts out there:

Is it normal for there to be a little bit of dye runout when you first wash new black-haired brushes?

Also, why do some brushes smell? I have one that smells the way my male cat does when he get wets in the rain... (no, my female cat never smells, lol... must be a boy thing) It makes me not want to use it again... Has anybody else had this problem?

And a tip for everyone else if it hasn't been mentioned already:
You can use dishwashing detergent (ideally something gentle like Palmolive) to clean foundation, concealer, lip gloss etc. from synthetic brushes. You can buy antibacterial dishwashing liquid too, which makes it more hygenic and skips a step! (Plus it's cheap!)

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I've had this happen with my 182 brush. It was brand new and my first and only MAC brush. It was washed with some baby shampoo prior to first usage so I was appalled when, as I was powdering my nose, I caught a whiff of something distinctly animal. I wondered whether I didn't let it dry properly (which I did, hanging off my table with a fan directly in front of it) or that the goat smell just couldn't get off the hairs.

It took me a good 3 or 4 months to wash the smell away. I don't know if it's a good thing or not, because 3 months is a long time to put up with the stench. The upside is that the smell does go away with regular washing.

A tip: try not to wash with strong smelling solutions. In my experience, goat and strawberries don't make a good combination.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

Thanks. That last tip:

I know the hairs are from animals, but they shouldn't resemble real animals, in the olfactory sense or otherwise, once they are in brush form.

(So I guess there goes my plan to shear my male cat and make some ginger-and-white haired brushes. Lol.)

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I read somewhere that using shampoo with sulfate in it dries and/or damages the bristles? The baby shampoo I use contains sulfate (I think).

Is this true??

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

i was wondering how often do people use evoo (extra virgin olive oil) to clean their brushes??

i actually purchased a bottle and tried it on my brushes and it actually did remove all those stains on my brushes back to their white bristles! but does it matter if i use it daily? or just use it during my deep cleaning??

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I remember seeing that the EVOO can be used on things like the lip brushes regularly but deep cleaning should be done fortnightly.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I use MACs Gentle Off Eye and Lip remover to clean fluidline and lipstick of my brushes after each use. MAC cleanser on my eye/face brushes to spot clean each day as needed. And an organic, no soap, no sulfate baby shampoo to deep clean each week. It also has chamomile in it so the washing process is rather pleasant smelling.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

Purpose face wash is great because it is soap free and really gets the job done. Also its 1/2 the price of mac cleanser. For fluidline brushes and lip brushes I use olive oil beforehand to clean out the wax buildup.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I apologize if this is a stupid question, but can daily cleansing (with the shampoo and everything) damage the brush somehow? Since I don't have any brush cleanser ( I should buy one, I know), I have to wash them this way, it doesn't bother me, I just worry if it might hurt the brushes? Thanks.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I think it depends on the type of shampoo you use. If it is mild and moisturizing, it shouldn't be that damaging. Perhaps you should use conditioner every so often. Some brush cleaners contain this helpful ingredient.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

I am very anal when it comes to protecting the huge investment I've made in my brushes. First MAC brush cleaner is not meant to immerse your brushes in. While it will remove the makeup it will also leave behind a residue inhibiting the performance of that brush. Brush cleaner is used to clean brushes in between uses. I personally have mine in a spray bottle. I fold a tissue into quarters and use it as a backdrop to my brush which I then spray with brush cleaner. Gently move the brush back and forth over the tissue (never mashing it) and watch all the color come out. The brush will be sanitized, dry very quickly and be ready for use again. The brushes I use for any type of wet or cream product I wash with a gentle foaming face wash after each use. Anti-bacterial soap is not recommended as it can dry the brushes out and baby shampoo won't always remove everything. If you wouldn't wash your hair with it don't wash your brush with it. I personally wash all of my brushes I use daily. I use brush cleaner when freelancing to have clean sanitized brushes available when going from client to client. Baby wipes as well as MAC wipes tend to leave a residue and not recommended either. Brushes should always be dried flat and never standing up. You never want water entering the feral of the brush. In the case of a buffer or kabuki I like to tip the end of these so they are drying on a slight downward slant. Angled liner brushes and foundation brushes should be pinched into shape to keep them from become fluffy.

Take good care of your brushes. They are the tools to help you achieve many beautiful looks. If you do you will have them for many years to come.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

Wow, Thanks for the tissue tip.

Other than that, it looks like this newbie is on the right track. I actually had an old soap dish that I would put just a touch of the cleaner in and gently clean the brushes daily, but the tissue sounds like a good idea

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

So I can use this for spot cleaning? How long does it take for the brushes to dry? I have heard that spot cleaning with the brush cleanser will damage the brush in the course of time...

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

Heres what I was told by a MAC Counter Associate and I tried it and was surpirsed to see how clean my brushes came.

I bought the MAC Brush cleaner

I pour a little into the palm of my hand I then rub the brush around in it wipe it across a paper towel and you can actually see all the old yucky make-up come out of your brush. Then I reshape my brush and lay it on a flat surface to dry.

Re: Cleaning Brushes 101 'Everything you need to know'

Just found this on bellasugar.com

I have never thought about using dry shampoo methods on my brushes too