How to: Clean Your Makeup Brushes

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So I am going to follow up with the "dip 'n swirl" technique in response to other's methods on here. I am going to take brush cleaning a step further... By using used brush cleaner to clean a couple of brushes in these pics. Parian Spirit is the only brush cleaner that you can do this with and still get clean brushes that will also be conditioned, sanitized and dry.

 
If you use other brush cleaners like Cinema Secrets, Monda, RCMA, and Ben Nye in this manner, (used in a jar), the pigments will be suspended in the solution and they never settle, or if they do settle, they will get mixed right back up when you disturb the cleaner and the brushes will soak up the pigments back into the bristles. That's why these brush cleaners only come in spray bottles (and refills).

 
 Having said that... I clean my blush and powder brushes with Parian Spirit in a spray bottle. Typically I use two paper towels to get one blush brush clean, as there is a lot of pigment transfer to get rid of. The spray technique takes about three minutes max. And the brush is ready to use right away.

First off,  white paper towel is perfect to dry your brushes on. Why? Any pigment transfer onto the towel shows you that your brushes still has pigments still in its bristles.

Remember, any pigment transfer means a dirty brush. A clean brush never transfers pigment onto a clean white towel.

The cleaner in these pics is about two weeks old and I've cleaned about 300 brushes in the same cleaner in that time. I just added more Parian Spirit to top up the jar within that time. 

Based on my usage, I usually clean out my cleaner around the two week mark, this is when I usually see a bit of product / pigment transfer on a clean white paper towel.

As you can see, Parian Spirit is clear. The tub on the right is used Parian Spirit. 

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You can see the settled pigment on the bottom.

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As you can see, despite the cleaner looking dirty, you can still see the screen, as the pigment will always settle to the bottom no matter how you swirl or agitate the cleaner.

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I am using an 8 year old white-bristle brush (MAC 239) for the purpose of this demo, as we all know, white bristles are very difficult to keep white. 

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I am going to use MAC Carbon (a very rich matte black powder) to clean.

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I deliberately transferred a quick swatch onto the paper towel to show how dirty the bristles are.

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As I dip the brush, you can still see how black the bristles are...

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Now I just give the brush a couple of quick swirls on the screen and the brush is now clean.

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Now I am drying the brush next to the swatch I made earlier. Notice, no pigment transfer.

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As I drag the brush slightly lower on the paper towel, there is still no pigment transfer, which proves the brush is clean, dry and white and ready to use right away, despite that I just cleaned it in a jar of used brush cleaner. Also the brush is sanitized due to the ingredients.

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Now I am going to clean a concealer brush in the same used cleaner, notice that I also made a foundation swatch before I dipped the brush in for comparison when I dry it.

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Comments and questions are always welcome.

 
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So I am going to follow up with the "dip 'n swirl" technique in response to other's methods on here. I am going to take brush cleaning a step further... By using used brush cleaner to clean a couple of brushes in these pics. Parian Spirit is the only brush cleaner that you can do this with and still get clean brushes that will also be conditioned, sanitized and dry.

If you use other brush cleaners like Cinema Secrets, Monda, RCMA, and Ben Nye in this manner, (used in a jar), the pigments will be suspended in the solution and they never settle, or if they do settle, they will get mixed right back up when you disturb the cleaner and the brushes will soak up the pigments back into the bristles. That's why these brush cleaners only come in spray bottles (and refills).

Having said that... I clean my blush and powder brushes with Parian Spirit in a spray bottle. Typically I use two paper towels to get one blush brush clean, as there is a lot of pigment transfer to get rid of. The spray technique takes about three minutes max. And the brush is ready to use right away.

First off, white paper towel is perfect to dry your brushes on. Why? Any pigment transfer onto the towel shows you that your brushes still has pigments still in its bristles.

Remember, any pigment transfer means a dirty brush. A clean brush never transfers pigment onto a clean white towel.

The cleaner in these pics is about two weeks old and I've cleaned about 300 brushes in the same cleaner in that time. I just added more Parian Spirit to top up the jar within that time.

Based on my usage, I usually clean out my cleaner around the two week mark, this is when I usually see a bit of product / pigment transfer on a clean white paper towel.

As you can see, Parian Spirit is clear. The tub on the right is used Parian Spirit.

1.JPG

3.JPG

You can see the settled pigment on the bottom.

3a.JPG

As you can see, despite the cleaner looking dirty, you can still see the screen, as the pigment will always settle to the bottom no matter how you swirl or agitate the cleaner.

3b.JPG

I am using an 8 year old white-bristle brush (MAC 239) for the purpose of this demo, as we all know, white bristles are very difficult to keep white.

4.JPG

I am going to use MAC Carbon (a very rich matte black powder) to clean.

5.JPG

6.JPG

I deliberately transferred a quick swatch onto the paper towel to show how dirty the bristles are.

7.JPG

As I dip the brush, you can still see how black the bristles are...

8.JPG

Now I just give the brush a couple of quick swirls on the screen and the brush is now clean.

9.JPG

https://www.makeuptalk.com/f/public/style_images/MakeupTalk_Mobile2/attachicon.gif 10.JPG

https://www.makeuptalk.com/f/public/style_images/MakeupTalk_Mobile2/attachicon.gif 11.JPG

Now I am drying the brush next to the swatch I made earlier. Notice, no pigment transfer.

https://www.makeuptalk.com/f/public/style_images/MakeupTalk_Mobile2/attachicon.gif 12.JPG

As I drag the brush slightly lower on the paper towel, there is still no pigment transfer, which proves the brush is clean, dry and white and ready to use right away, despite that I just cleaned it in a jar of used brush cleaner. Also the brush is sanitized due to the ingredients.

https://www.makeuptalk.com/f/public/style_images/MakeupTalk_Mobile2/attachicon.gif 13.JPG

Now I am going to clean a concealer brush in the same used cleaner, notice that I also made a foundation swatch before I dipped the brush in for comparison when I dry it.

https://www.makeuptalk.com/f/public/style_images/MakeupTalk_Mobile2/attachicon.gif 15.JPG

https://www.makeuptalk.com/f/public/style_images/MakeupTalk_Mobile2/attachicon.gif 16.JPG

https://www.makeuptalk.com/f/public/style_images/MakeupTalk_Mobile2/attachicon.gif 17.JPG

https://www.makeuptalk.com/f/public/style_images/MakeupTalk_Mobile2/attachicon.gif 18.JPG

Comments and questions are always welcome.
You're an angel! Thanks for sharing, this was really helpful.

 
[SIZE=9pt]Now I know I shouldn’t be cleaning my make up brushes with home dish soap. Been using this ever since and didn’t think too much of it. You’re right .  This could be harsh on my face. [/SIZE]

 
Depending on how you have your brushes sitting ect in a tin, glass jar or even in a jar with a lid.
Dust particles & little nasty bacteria & germs lay all over them. So much bacteria is stored on these brushes from touching your face everyday to sitting in the open. You should also keep your brushes in the best condition possible so they can be used for months (even years) & prevent your skin from having any breakouts.

Be careful not to get too much soap or water however near where the bristles are attached to the brush. This can loosen the glue over time, ruining your brushes. I usually add a bit of water to a small shallow glass, a bit of cleanser (or gentle shampoo), then just swirl the brushes in it. Then rinse holding the brushes, bristles down til the water runs clear. Depending on how dirty your brushes are you will probably have to change out water and the cleanser in the cup a few times. Works like a charm! Reshape bristles and lay flat.

I use hand-soap from the bathroom and do the 'swirl on the hand' method. Works fine every time! Also I wash my face with olive oil and would never ever go back to any other 'cleanser'. It works great and is cheap plus you have to buy product which have covering bag in packing. tinyurl.com/professionalmakeupbrushset is giving very good instruction about saving the brushes from damage along with lovely packing along with amazong stuff

 
Hey everyone! It's been so long since I've posted here (5 or so years?) and I usually just lurk but I'm so excited to post this quickie today. I HATE washing my makeup brushes. Absolutely HATE it. I typically do the EVOO + baby shampoo or Dawn dish soap method. I'm involved in a few beauty groups on Facebook and saw someone that had used Zote laundry soap to wash their brushes and they absolutely raved about it. What caught my attention is how quick she said she got all her brushes washed. So I decided I would try it and needless to say, this stuff is AWESOME. Bristles that I haven't seen white since they came out of their package were looking brand new again.

All I did was wet the bristles, swirl the brush on the bar, and rinse. It breaks up the makeup so quickly and easily - I was amazed! Once I washed all my brushes with Zote, I put some Dawn Pure Essentials in a small cup, dipped them in, and did one more quick rinse to get any build-up that may have been left behind. A little goes a long way with this stuff, I barely made a dent in the bar for 52 brushes so I'll have this bar for a long time!

Did I mention the best part? This only costs $.97. Less than a whole dollar for a huge bar. There are pink, white, and blue variations of the bar but the only difference is the dye added which will not affect the bristles.

Zote was tough enough to cut through the makeup but gently enough to keep my brushes intact. I saw NO bristle fallout whatsoever - which was my biggest concern.

I apologize for how jumbled this is - I just wanted to get it up quickly :)

Will you try this? What is your current method for washing your brushes? I'm always looking for new ways. :)

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I've not heard of that brand of soap. I wonder if it's similar to Fels Naptha which is also around .97 at Walmart.

I use hotel facial soap bars. I hate bar soap, but it's great for cleaning makeup brushes and it's free. I travel a few times a year for work and always take a couple of bars home with me. 

 
These are great tips!  I was wondering if the Parian Spirit in the jar method is safe for all brushes, cheapo drugstore brushes, cosmetic store brand "deluxe" brushes, and higher end super-soft brushes alike?

 
These are great tips!  I was wondering if the Parian Spirit in the jar method is safe for all brushes, cheapo drugstore brushes, cosmetic store brand "deluxe" brushes, and higher end super-soft brushes alike?
Yup, all brushes. I've been using Parian Spirit since 1995.

 
I have to say, I am pretty excited right now. I finally, finally ran out of my MAC brush cleaner so I bought the Parian Spirit jar + cleanser + spray bottle yesterday. Ha ha, it's ridiculous how excited I am to try this method to clean my brushes! :w00t:

 
You should buy good brushes. The initial investment is worth it because they will last, and clean up much better. You won't have the hairs falling out after you clean them. When you do clean them, use a very mild shampoo, and a VERY small amount; run the water over the brush with the brush hairs pointed downward; don't run the water thru the brush. So easy to clean them!

 
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Normally, I take a plate and put a good amount of some dishwashing soap and extra virgin olive oil. I then take each of my brushes and swirl it around on the plate, then rinse them in the sink using water from the tap. After that I towel off most of the moisture and let them air dry horizontally, as I have heard drying your brushes wet with the bristles upwards causes some of the glue or adhesive to become less effective. Hope this helps! xoxo

 
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The best way to clean makeup brushes at home is t Place a teaspoon of shampoo in a cup with 1/4 cup of warm water, and mixed it properly and later massage the down part of the brush again put it in the warm water at last Use a clean dish towel or face towel to gently remove some of the moisture.

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MAC provides a brush cleaner along with a set of makeup brushes. I love that kit and will recommend all the readers to try it.

 
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