Keep make-up brushes in good nick

With more than a quarter of British women having never cleaned their make-up brushes, Sam Wylie-Harris reveals how you can care for your prized collection

THEY’RE an essential piece of beauty kit we can’t do without. Much as make-up artists love to wax lyrical about blending, dabbing and smearing with your finger, nothing beats the precision of a brush.

Their soft, dense bristles and balanced handles help us sculpt, shape and swirl to ensure our make-up looks flawless.

But according to a survey by Cosmetify, much as we love to use them daily, we’re not always sure how to care for our brush collection.

Indeed, searches for “how to clean make-up brushes” are incredibly popular according to Google trends, and research by the brand suggests 26 per cent of British women have never cleaned their make-up brushes, and 68 per cent have shared them with others.

Hands up if you’re guilty of one or both of the above...

Top reasons for our slackness with the soap dish were found to be: “I didn’t know they needed cleaning,” (39 per cent); “They didn’t look like they needed cleaning,” (28 per cent) and “It’s too much effort” (19 per cent).

To help give your make-up brushes the treatment they deserve, Isa Lavahun, beauty expert at Cosmetify, shares her top tips on how to clean, dry and prep them for a perfect makeover...

WASH THEM ON A WEEKLY BASIS

“Make-up brushes should be cleaned once every week - you most certainly wouldn’t leave the same layer of make-up on your face for a week or longer, so don’t let it sit on your brushes either,” says Lavahun.

“Not only will the brushes be softer on your skin, you’ll also be reducing your chances of clogging your pores and causing acne breakouts and dermatitis.”

USE A SPECIFIC MAKE-UP BRUSH CLEANSER

“If you can’t find one or don’t have the time/finances to do so, you can use a shampoo or soap you have in your home. This will work temporarily but it may not be as effective at cleaning your brushes and removing the make-up residue [as a proper make-up brush cleanser would be].”

INVEST IN A MAKE-UP BRUSH CLEANING MAT

“Brush cleaning mats have a number of different textures, levels and layers that will help clean even the deepest of bristles. All areas of the mat should be used with the cleaning of each brush,” said Lavahun.

“Once you’ve wet your brush, apply the cleanser and massage this around the palm of your hand to create a lather, then you can then rub the brush around the different levels of the mat – watching as the make-up residue rinses away.”

She adds: “The one rinse may not be enough, though. Once you think you might be done, rinse the bristles and see if the water is running clear. If not, repeat the process.”

PREPARE BRUSHES FOR DRYING

“Before putting your brush out to dry, ensure you squeeze out all excess water and pat dry with a towel. You can then either lay your brushes down flat on the towel to dry, or you can invest in a make-up brush dryer which will hold your brushes in place,” says Lavahun.

“Just ensure not to let your brushes dry standing up as the bristles may fall and bend, making them less effective when putting on make-up.”