The Beauty Editor | Amway

Okay, admit it, you never look at your makeup brushes until they are all frayed, missing half the bristles and are dispensing an unusual color much like mud no matter what color you are trying to use.  You mention to a friend that your are having "brush issues" and they ask you if you have ever cleaned your brushes.  You blush and in your mind, you ask, "I'm supposed to clean my brushes?"  I am here to help!
First, let's list all of the reasons why you need to clean makeup brushes.  They are a great place for bacteria to hide and grow, they change the color that you use and they stop working like were designed too.  When you use them it seems like there are more bristles on your face then there are left in the brush.
 
Makeup brushes are made of different natural and synthetic composition, depending on their intended product use so you need to treat them much like you would your own hair.  Start with a bowl of warm water and a mild antibacterial soap.  You only need several drops of antibacterial soap in the bowl of water.  Swish the brush bristles in the soapy water, trying not to get too much water under the farrol ( the metal part) on the brush.  Gently massage the soapy water into the bristles themselves.  Holding the brush handle pointing up, rinse the bristles with warm water, avoiding water getting under the brush farrol. Repeat this step until the water rinses clear.  Squeeze any excess water out of the bristles and lay flat on a counter with the bristles setting over the counters edge.  This will help with even drying and prevents the brush head from becoming misshapen.  Be prepared to give them adequate time to dry.  Some larger brushes can take 8 hours to dry completely.  Don't try to hurry the drying process by using a blow dryer, that can ruin the brushes shape and texture.
 
How often you clean your brushes depends on how much makeup you wear and your skin type.  If you have oily skin, you will want to wash your brushes a couple times a week.  If you have dry skin, you may only have to wash them once a week.  The same thing goes for the person that wears more or creamy texture makeup, you may need to wash them more often.
 
What are the benefits of cleaning your brushes?  You are no longer spreading bacteria, your color stays true, they work as they were intended, and they last much longer.  Makeup brushes are a major investment and they are like an artist's brushes, you get used to them and they are like old friends that are always there for you. Some makeup brushes are designed to last as much as twenty years or more.  There are some products designed to do a light, daily cleaning.  I find them a little drying  but if you are using your brushes on multiple people, you will want to use a disinfecting brush spray that is fast drying.  Of course, after a day of doing many makeovers, you definitely will want to deep cleanse them as I have described above.
 
So if you take good care of your brushes, you will get many years of use and great results.