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Experimenting with new makeup looks will always be exciting, even in quarantine when there’s nowhere to wear them. Less exciting? Cleaning our makeup brushes. I’m personally guilty of going far too long without properly sanitizing my brushes, and enough time has passed that I’m too ashamed to disclose how long it’s actually been. However, there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s past the point of acceptable, which is why I needed to find out once and for all how frequently I actually should be cleaning my brushes, and what could happen to my skin if I don’t. According to beauty experts, you should be washing them far more frequently than you think.
The scary truth is that your makeup brushes need a proper cleaning almost weekly in order to preserve your complexion and protect against contamination. “Makeup brushes and sponges should be washed at least once per week. This is a good policy for tools used in the eye area as well as other areas, particularly if the tools are used for liquid and cream-based products, which are more likely to become contaminated,” says NYC Dermatologist Dr. Hadley King. “For tools used with dry powders only, and not in the eye area, then every other week could be adequate. Dry powders are a more challenging environment for microbes to grow in.”
While once a week may sound like a big ask, ensuring that your brushes have been properly cleansed may make all the difference on the surface of your skin. “If you aren't cleaning your makeup brushes regularly then you could be spreading bacteria and yeast all over your skin. This will increase your risk for more pimples and skin irritations. It's important to wash your brushes at least once per week with warm water and a gentle cleanser,” explains King. “Using old makeup and skincare products or sponges or brushes that have become contaminated with bacteria or yeast can cause skin irritations or infections. This may show up as red, dry irritated patches or small red bumps or pus bumps.”
Now that we’ve determined that it’s likely been far too long since you last washed your brushes, this is the best way to go about cleaning them, according to Celebrity Makeup Artist and Brand Founder Jenny Patinkin. “I prefer to look for cleansers that don't have any chemicals that can leach into our waterways or soil and be hazardous to the earth. I also steer clear of soaps that use animal fat as their base (you'd be shocked how many still do). I also prefer not to have any fragrance in my brush cleanser because it can get overwhelming if you have a lot of brushes to wash, and then the scent can linger on the bristles,” she says.
Patinkin explains that your brush should soap up into a good lather in order to fully clean out the product from the bristles. “If you don't see a nice lather form, it means that you haven't broken down all the oils that have collected on the surface of the bristles,” she says. Her recommendation is the Jenny Patinkin Vegan Makeup Brush Soap because it’s sulfate and fragrance-free, antibacterial and antimicrobial which means it will be gentle on your skin.
Taking care of your complexion is just as important as the makeup itself, so in order to achieve your best looks you need to make sure that you’re washing your brushes nearly every week so as not to contaminate your skin, causing breakouts and dermatitis. If you wouldn’t apply makeup to your face with dirty hands, you certainly shouldn’t be doing it with dirty brushes. Take this as a sign to go give yours a scrub!
