Makeup Brush Hygiene 101

Washing your makeup brushes, whilst it might seem like a chore, it's an absolute must! The more often you clean your brushes, the better, here’s why...

1. Over time, brushes accumulate bacteria. The more you cleanse them, the less acne-causing bacteria you’re spreading on your skin.
2. Besides bacteria, brushes also accumulate dead skin cells and oil, which can clog your pores and lead to dull or potentially broken out skin. Even with jane iredale makeup, which is skin-loving makeup, nasties can breed on your skin and may cause damage to your skin.
3. Clean brushes apply makeup better! Even good quality makeup, like jane iredale, can become streaky and patchy when applied with a dirty brush. Clean bristles will assure a smoother application.
4. Regular cleaning keeps bristles soft, and that means they’re less irritating to your skin.
5. Brushes that are cleaned well last longer. This will maintain the integrity of your brushes and you’ll save money by not needed to replace them as often. Good brushes are an investment so look after them!
6. Clean makeup brushes are part of a healthy home environment and skincare routine, and they are worth the time it takes to make this happen.
7. In a professional environment brushes should be cleansed daily. At home brushes should be cleansed weekly.

Luckily, it’s not difficult to keep brushes clean using simple things that you may already have at home.

Spot cleaning your makeup brushes

Use the jane iredale Botanical Brush Cleaner to sterilise brushes in between uses or for Makeup Artists, in between clients. Do not us this as the only form of cleansing brushes as it will only lightly remove surface makeup and sanitise, but not deep clean. Spot clean your brushes in one simple step:

1. Spritz a tissue with the jane iredale Botanical Brush Cleaner and gently clean your brushes in a back and forth motion to remove all the excess makeup.

Giving your makeup brushes a thorough clean

1. Use warm water to thoroughly wet the brush hairs.
2. A cake of laundry soap (such as Sard Wonder Soap) can be used or place a pea-sized amount of mild shampoo into the palm of the hand.
3. Work the brushes into the soap, making sure to gently move the bristles in different directions so that the soap fully permeates each bristle from all sides.
4. Then, run the brush under lukewarm water and gently push the soap and water out of the brush using your fingers.
5. Run the brush under water until all the soap and makeup has come out, and then gently press the bristles of the brush together until all the excess water has come out.
6. Place on a towel and lay flat to dry or on the edge of a table or bench to allow the air to get under the brushes.
7. If you do this at the end of each day, they should be dry and fresh for you to use your makeup in the morning.

Brush care

• Never soak the brushes or allow them to dry in an upright position. This will loosen the glue that binds the brushes and lead to hair loss.
• Never place brushes in a Steriliser or autoclave; this will permanently damage them.

Explore our range of makeup brushes and tools here.