I’m 16 and I live with my dad. I’m home-schooled because we live in the bush. So I want to start wearing makeup more often, but it makes me break out. I heard that you can wash brushes and sponges and that helps cut down on pimples. Can you show me how to clean a makeup brush?
Allison
You’re right, if you know how to clean a makeup brush properly, you can help keep acne away. Generally, you would want to wash sponges and brushes at least once a week.
It sounds like you live where it might be hard to buy makeup cleansers or silicon scrubbers for brushes. In that case, you can mix up your own formula at home.
If you use water-based makeup, all you need is water and a small amount of baby shampoo. It also helps to have a microfiber cloth handy.
Mix up a teaspoon of baby shampoo in a quarter-cup of lukewarm water. Rinse the brush under running warm water first, gently working any makeup loose from the bristles. Then dip the brush into the mixture you made. Swirl it around until it lathers up well. Then rinse it. If the water runs clear, you’re done. (If not, repeat the step with the shampoo.)
Use the microfiber cloth to pat the brush dry. Wrap it around the bristles and squeeze gently to get out excess water. Reshape the bristles and lay the brush flat to dry.
If you use oil-based makeup, you’ll also need olive oil along with the baby shampoo. This article has the details on how to wash a brush used for oil-based foundations: https://www.tipsbulletin.com/the-ultimate-guide-on-how-to-clean-makeup-brushes/
You’ll dip the bristles into a little olive oil to thin out any makeup in them. Then wipe off the oil with a paper towel. Now you can wash this makeup brush just like you would any other.
Finally, if you need to wash makeup sponges, it’s easier with a makeup cleanser. If you don’t have that, soaking them in soapy water helps. Since you can reuse sponges for up to three months, it makes sense to clean them, too.