How to clean your makeup tools

Brushes Let’s begin with the most obvious one, in case you need a reminder. You should wash your brushes at least once a week. You will need an antibacterial soap or a gentle cleanser such as baby shampoo, preferably unscented, so as to not irritate sensitive skin.

Dispense a few drops of cleanser into the palm of your hand, and gently massage the dampened bristles to break down built up product. Rinse until no more makeup or lather comes out.

If you can’t find the time to wash your brushes, you can sanitise them between uses, particularly the ones you use to apply cream or liquid products, as these tend to harbour more bacteria. To do this, you need 90-99 percent isopropyl alcohol, or rubbing alcohol.

Dampen the brush’s bristles with alcohol and rub gently on a paper towel until they are clean.

Since alcohol can be quite drying, I still recommend periodically shampooing your brushes to keep bristles soft and conditioned.

Always lay brushes on a flat surface to dry. If you normally store them in a cup, ensure they are fully dry before standing them upright.

Otherwise, this can cause moisture to seep into the ferrule, which will break down the glue that holds the brush together.

Makeup Sponges

Reusable sponges should be cleaned before each use. This shouldn’t be an issue since you are supposed to use them damp for best results.

Use an antibacterial cleanser and warm water; saturate the sponge with water and work any makeup out of the sponge with your fingers, then rinse until the water runs clear. Squeeze your sponge in a clean towel to get excess water out before use.

Eyelash Curler

If there’s old eyeliner build-up or waterproof mascara on your eyelash curler, you may want to apply an oil based makeup remover first, to break down the makeup before wiping clean with a cotton bud dipped in rubbing alcohol. Ideally, you should clean your eyelash curler once a week to avoid eye infections and hard to remove build-up.

Tweezers

Always sanitize tweezers before each use.
Sebum, bacteria and makeup can actually weaken the grip on your tweezers and transfer germs to your face. To clean, swipe the tips clean with a cotton round soaked in rubbing alcohol.

Other Metal Tools:

Spatulas, Eyebrow Scissors & Eyelash Applicators Since these tools come in contact with your skin, they should be wiped down before each use with rubbing alcohol on a cotton round.

Pencil Sharpener

You should use different sharpeners for you eye and lip pencils, to avoid contamination. Try to clean your sharpeners at least once a week. To do this, empty any shavings out of the sharpener, and wipe the inside of the sharpener as well as the outside of the blade with a cotton bud soaked in rubbing alcohol. Do this frequently to avoid old makeup build-up.