Dirty Girls~ Keep It Clean: Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

Recently, I've been seeing the tools that people use to apply their makeup.

It's not a pleasant experience....
I've seen sponges that have been used for far too long (and look like there are things growing out of it) and brushes that have never been washed (and have almost a hard texture because there's so much product and oil caked on). 

It scares me...

Ladies, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take care of your tools!
I always emphasize that you should invest in good makeup brushes and tools. It really does make a difference in your makeup application.
Even if you don't want to invest in brushes, AT LEAST take care of the ones you use.

Bacteria can build up on makeup brushes and sponges. Clean or replace them on a regular basis to avoid spreading bacteria onto your skin. Dirty makeup brushes can be a problem if you have an open sore or crack in your skin where bacteria can start to create an infection.  Makeup brushes can pass infections between people. To help maintain healthy skin, keep your brushes clean and don’t let anyone else use them.

My brush cleaning routine is tiring and long (since I wash them every time I use them on a new client), but very thorough and it works for a germ-o-phobe like me.
If you wear a lot of makeup, I would recommend this routine every 1-2 weeks.
1.  First, I wash with a bar Soap  (Usually Dial)
2. I rinse and lather with slightly watered down Johnson's Baby Shampoo  (Other baby shampoos don't seem to work as well)
3. I rinse, take off the excess water by quickly rolling the brush between my two palms, and laying flat to dry on a towel

For people that never wash your brushes/sponges, I recommend at least 1-2 weeks, but even once a month will do.
1. Wash brushes with Johnson's Baby Shampoo until water runs clear
2. Rinse, Roll the brush between palms to take off excess water, and lay flat to dry on a towel.

There are lots of makeup brush cleansers on the market, but I don't like to use them unless I'm in a pinch (i.e. multiple clients after another) and even then, I usually just clean with baby wipes and hand sanitizer.
- I especially don't like the ones that you can't wash off... but other makeup artists seem to like them.
Honestly, I find that baby shampoo (or Dr. Bronner's Castille Soaps) works well... but it doesn't matter what you use to clean them as long as you're keeping those tools clean!
Keep it clean, ladies.  Keep it clean. 

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*