Caring for your skin doesn’t stop at a fastidious regimen. No matter how consistent you are with your cleanser, serum, face cream, and eye/lip cream, your products can only work as hard as the rest of your lifestyle. In other words, if your daily habits aren’t matching the energy you’re putting toward your skincare routine, you’re not going to reap maximum benefits.
While we know washing our linens frequently, maintaining a balanced diet, and sweating it out regularly are all essential for a healthy, clear, and radiant complexion, there’s an important one you may be forgetting — after all, a staggering one in four women do. That is: not washing your makeup brushes.
If that sounds like you, don’t worry, you’re not alone. But this small fix could have a big impact on your skin. Here’s why and how.
Why & How Often Should You Clean Your Makeup Brushes
Like your bedding and towels, dirty makeup brushes harbor bacteria that can clog pores, cause breakouts, and lead to skin irritation. Beyond them having such a visible impact on your complexion, American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) underscores the effect they have on overall health, too. In fact, in worse cases, they can cause infections like fungus, E. coli, or even staph.
To prevent all of the above (and more), the AADA recommends washing your brushes every seven to 10 days. Plus, they add that it’s best not to share them with anyone else — not even your sisters and besties.
How to Clean Dirty Makeup Brushes
Though it’s another seemingly tedious task to add to your to-do list, it’s thankfully easier than it seems. Simply put, here’s what you’ll do.
- Run lukewarm water through the bristles to remove residual makeup.
- Softly massage gentle shampoo or makeup brush cleanser through the bristles to wash thoroughly. Our founder, Nancy, personally loves this one by EcoTools.
- Continue rinsing and massaging until the water runs completely clear, with no soap or makeup to be found.
- Gently dab excess water using a paper towel.
- Reshape and smooth bristles so they’re straight while drying.
- Lay flat to dry on a fresh, dry paper towel.