[HOW TO] Clean your makeup brushes!

Hello beautiful.  For today's post, I wanted to share something that should be a part of your regular beauty routine, but for most may not be ---- cleaning your makeup brushes! 

Over time, our brushes collect bits of makeup, oil from our skin, dirt and possibly even bacteria.  If not cleaned, dirty brushes can lead to clogged pores, breakouts, and streaky makeup.  Your face will thank you for keeping your brushes clean and so will your wallet (brushes are not cheap!).

I love having options so I wanted to share two methods with you. They're pretty simple and only take a few minutes (depending on however many brushes you have).

Before we get cleaning there is just one more thing to note!  Your brushes will take a few hours to dry so be sure to clean them once you've applied your makeup for the day. I typically clean mine in the evening so they can dry overnight. 

Method 1: Baby Shampoo

What you'll need:

• Johnson's baby shampoo (or something similar)
• A bowl
• Your sink
• Paper Towels 

Steps to take: 

1. Begin by running your brushes under warm water, rinsing out any makeup currently on them. Important note: Focus on the actual bristles and try to avoid the part of the brush where the handle meets the head. Over time the glue can loosen if cleaned. 
2. Fill your bowl with warm water and a tablespoon of shampoo (more if needed)
3. Gently swirl your brush tip in the water. You'll want to work up a lather, so if needed, swirl the brush in the palm of your hand. 
4. Rinse the brush tip under running water. Repeat steps one and three until your brush is clear of all makeup. Q: How can I tell when they are clear? A: By the color of the running water and/or if you blot your brush on a paper towel and it leaves no makeup behind.
5. Reshape the bristles as you go
6. Once fully clean, lay your brush flat on a dry paper towel

 Method 2: Dawn Soap and Olive Oil  

What you'll need:

• Dawn Dish Soap (the blue kind)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (sorry about my oil pictured above - I didn't save the original bottle)
• A bowl or plate
• Your sink
• Paper Towels

Steps to take: 

1.  Combine equal parts dish soap and olive oil (I use one tablespoon of each). Combine the two until it turns into a thick green solution.
2. Dip the head of your brush into the solution.
3. Wet your hand with some warm water and begin to rub the bristles of the brush into your now wet hand.  This helps work out the makeup.
4. Rinse your brush under warm water (Reminder: focus on the bristles and avoid the area where the handle meets the head.)
5. Repeat steps two through four until your brush is clean
6. Reshape the bristles as you go
7. Once fully clean, lay your brush flat on a dry paper towel 

I find using this method softens the bristles in a nice way.  There are so many women around the world that use olive oil for their face care routines -- why not on our brushes too! Also, if Dawn Dish Soap is safe and gentle enough to clean animals caught in oil spills, then it's good enough for me too!

So how often should I be cleaning my brushes with either of these methods you ask? The experts recommend once a week, but let's be honest, some weeks we just don't have the time! If that's the case, let's try to clean them every two weeks or less. 

See.....cleaning your brushes wasn't so hard, right?!  Did I mention that they'll smell great too. I hope you notice a positive difference the next time you apply your makeup. Happy cleaning! xo