If you have not been cleaning your makeup brushes since you bought them, here is something to scare you: tiny creepy crawlies could be thriving in these dirty makeup tools. The dirt and bacteria in the bristles can cause rashes, spots and pimples on your skin. Worse, they can even cause dangerous infections.

Your application also tends to be spotty and your blending difficult if you have dirty brushes. You can keep your skin healthy and help ensure you apply your cosmetics without much fuss if you keep your makeup brushes clean and grime-free.

All you need to do is to learn how to clean them. Here is how makeup professionals keep their makeup brushes clean without resorting to buying new makeup brushes frequently.

1. Washing The Brush

Place each of the makeup brushes you need to clean under hot running water and then place them in a bowl to lather the bristles. There are many options for cleaning your makeup tools but many experts think that the most thorough way of cleaning them requires only water, and either soap or brush cleanser.

Make sure to use a gentle soap because regular soap formulas can damage the bristles of your brush, particularly if they are made of natural hair. If you want a DIY brush cleanser solution, you can mix one part baby shampoo to four parts water.

Many makeup artists also use their favorite face wash to clean their makeup brushes. Face wash is formulated for the skin, so it won’t likely irritate the skin as classic brush cleansers.

Rub the bristles gently with your fingers and lather them for a few minutes. Make sure to keep the base of the brush head away from the water and lather.

The bristles are often glued to the base and the water and detergent can cause the glue to disintegrate, which can result in the bristles becoming loose and shed.

For very dirty brushes, you can apply shampoo directly into the wet bristles. You can also remove stubborn foundation you find hard to remove from the bristles using dish soap.

2. Rinsing

Rinse the makeup brushes by dipping them under running water for a few minutes, making sure that the bristles are completely free of lather. Chemicals from the soap, shampoo or cleaning solution you use may leave unsightly marks on your brush.

3. Drying The Makeup Brushes

Once you are done rinsing your makeup tools, gently squeeze out excess water in the bristles using a clean towel. You can then air-dry the brushes. Make sure that you lie the brushes flat after washing so the water does not drain into the handle and damage the glue or rot the wood.

It’s not a good idea to dry the brushes on a towel because the bristles may become mildewed. Do not stack the brushes on top of each other when you dry them because this can prevent them from drying thoroughly. They could smell strange if they are not dried properly.

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Nicola is always on the lookout for the best beauty tools and skincare products. She believes in "prevention is better than cure" so she is always trying to perfect her beauty routine to avoid premature aging. Fun fact about Nicola: She owns a lot of sunscreens as she carries a mini sunscreen in each of her handbags and backpacks.