Brush Washing Tips

Makeup brushes are an investment and I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t want to protect their investments. But here’s the thing, if you show your brushes lots of tender loving care they’ll last you for decades, and the best way to do that is by washing them regularly. I know. I know. It’s literally the last thing people want to do and is always being pushed down the to do list but I’m here to help with a few handy tips.

Firstly, find a date that works for you and tie your brush washing ritual to that date. Make it something that happens regularly, like the day you pay your rent or the first day of your period. That way every time that rolls around a little Pavlovian bell goes off in your head, a little reminder that it’s time to clean those hard working beauty soldiers. 

There are just a few things to remember and they’ll last for years. Wash them regularly. Use warm water and a soap that’s made for washing brushes. Lay them flat to dry so the glue that holds the handle and the ferrule (the metal ring between the hair and the handle) together doesn’t get damaged and that the glue adhering the hair to the ferrules doesn’t either. 

I prefer to lay them on a clean hand towel on a counter with the heads of the brushes laying over the edge to increase air flow and promote faster drying. They should be totally dry within 24 hours so if you need them for the next day, best to wash them in the morning. Sometimes if it’s really chilly they’ll take longer so if you need them to be dry faster, find a warm sunny area and lay them out there.
 

As far as technique goes, it’s pretty simple. I run the brush head under the warm water and then swirl it directly onto the soap, rinsing, swirling, rinsing, swirling until the water/soap runs clear. Then I give it one last rinse so there’s no soap residue, gently squeeze the hairs and lay it flat to dry. Easy peasy. I promise if you show your brushes love they show it right back by lasting a life time.