15
June
How Do Makeup Artists Clean their Brushes
Let’s ask the question, nobody wants to answer. When was the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes? If you don’t wear makeup regularly or are new in the business then it’s acceptable to say last month. But if you want to become a professional makeup artist or, for your purpose, wear makeup routinely, then your answer should be yesterday.
Makeup tools touch our faces every single day. That’s why the skin-care sector is one of the most important. Cleaning dirty brushes means there is no ground for bacteria that can damage your skin.
Why Do You Need to Clean Makeup Brushes?
A renowned dermatologist, Dr. Shereene Idriss, stated the facts about what kind of infections a person can have when they use the same old dirty makeup brushes. She talked about herpes, break-outs, and acne flare-ups, as these breakout-inducing bacteria can easily build up and spread these infections. You can also find these stories on some of the popular social media platforms like Instagram. When you see a model or a celebrity popping up with their damaged skin, only then it feels real.
Whether makeup is organic or contains chemicals, it’s never advisable to keep makeup on for longer hours. So, people are using numerous products to take it off. Then why not also take good care of your beauty brushes? If you have cleaned your face and used the same brush sets the next morning, what’s the point of a skin-care routine? Makeup brushes contain not only your past makeup but also contain your dead skin cells. During makeup application, do you want your old skin cells right back on your skin?
How often do you need to clean brushes?
If you are busy with work or study, it’s quite likely that you clean your brushes daily. However, it is strongly recommended that you clean your brushes once every week. This cleaning process depends on what brush type you are using. If you wear less makeup, then it’s okay to clean once a week, but if the makeup becomes intense, it's necessary to wash them every day.
Los Angeles-based makeup artist Allan Avendaño throws away his makeup sponges after every 10 uses. Even though he has a regular cleaning routine he doesn’t like to take the chance of spreading infection from one client to another. Renowned makeup artist Georgi Sandev, who works with supermodels points out the fact that, for liquid products and cream makeup, the cleaning process needs to be intense. Another fact both pro-makeup artists and dermatologists talked about is that brush cleansing routines depend on eye-area brushes and lip brushes. If the eye-area brushes are not being cleaned thoroughly, bad eye infections can cause huge damage.
It is noticeable to see how much artists love their brushes. But they also do like to replace them in a few years as washing, and reusing are not always the solution. They also believe that while washing if the brush bristles fall out easily, it’s time for them to be replaced.
How Do Makeup Artists Clean their Brushes
Mostly it depends on how often you use your brushes. If you're a regular makeup artist and get a lot of clients daily then it is important to keep your tools clean to prevent the spread of bacteria. Make your brush cleaning quicker between clients by following easy steps.
For a short and quick cleansing, you can follow these steps,
-Use alcohol wipes or spray to sanitize the brushes for spot-cleansing
-Then, take another clean & dry wipe or towel to gently pat it
-Use a blow-dryer to dry, but never use harsh heat that way, the quality might reduce
This is a simple and strict hygienic process to follow between clients to avoid any kind of skin irritations and to ensure flawless makeup. You can also follow this routine daily depending on your busy schedule.
However, it’s essential to follow a cleaning routine that contains more than just wiping things out. Cleaning, in this case, is important to make sure the quality of the brush bristles remains the same. FYI Diploma of Beauty Therapy course will develop your skills in know-how manners, adroit hand works, fashion senses, styling, and knowledge of beauty products, skincare, a broad range of beauty therapy, and infection control standards.
Step 1: Set up
Properly organising the station and deciding what to clean is the first step, because not all brushes need the same process. Brushes used for precise work need a thorough cleaning, foundation brushes need more time to clean and natural-bristle brushes used very often need more products to clean because they contain more germs. Similarly, synthetic brushes and natural-haired ones need different cleaning because they are two different beauty products.
Step 2: Cleansers
Depending on your usage, artists use different makeup products. For gentle cleansing, products include Fairy Liquid soaps or dish soaps, organic bar soaps or vegan solid soaps, gentle liquid cleaners, etc. For more intense cleansing, artists use known products that are mainly built for cleaning brushes, such as ole alcohol or 70% isopropyl alcohol, Beautyblender Blendercleanser Solid, London Brush Company Pure Goat Milk Solid Brush Shampoo, Beautyblender's Liquid Blendercleanser, Parian Spirit Professional Makeup Brush Cleaner, different conditioners, etc.
Step 3: Wet and Swirl
Now that everything has been set up, it’s best to start with clean water. Celebrity makeup artist Monika Blunder states that it’s better to start cleaning the brushes by simply applying water. She also mentioned being careful about the brush handle. If the handles are made of wood rather than plastic, then it is better not to damp them in the water. Simply wiping the handle with any makeup-cleansing wipe will do.
After applying any of the above-mentioned cleansers, brushes should be swirled at a gentle pace either on hand or on some scrubbing tools like - Sigma Beauty 2X Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove or Moda's Heart Scrubby Cleaning Pad because they help dissolve the product from the bristles.
Step 4: Rinse and Repeat
Makeup artists usually use lukewarm water to rinse. Mai Quynh, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist gently uses her finger while rinsing as it helps push the products out of the brushes. She uses separate ways to clean both synthetic and natural-haired brushes. She recommends using a conditioner after the whole rinsing process so that the brushes remain soft. It is necessary to keep rinsing until the water becomes clear.
Best Ways to Dry Makeup Brushes
According to makeup artist Troy Surratt, first shaking out the excess water and gently patting the bristles with a clean towel will take half of the moisture from the brushes. He also shapes the bristles with his finger so that they remain in their natural form while drying. He also suggested that to use them again the next morning, put them in a cookie sheet padded with a Silpat baking mat as an extra layer of protection, and stick the tray in a gas oven to dry them overnight.
Makeup artist Blunder strongly suggested never to sit the brushes upright to dry, as the moisture can seep down into where the bristles are and potentially compromise them.
To dry the brushes it is best to use a dry spot with a proper ventilation system. Any kind of extra heat can cause damage so room temperature is better than a radiator.
What about Storing Makeup Brushes?
After all the hard work, now it is time to store it in a way that next time you would feel confident about using it. To increase the lifetime of the brushes give them space. Unless you are a regular traveler it is suggested to keep them upright in a brush bouquet or a proper drawer organiser to avoid dust. If you want to use a kit bag, you must sanitize it now and then.
Makeup brushes are the most important part of doing makeup. If you are willing to take on the role then you should know all the details. But if you have the passion, why not make it a profession?
If you are interested in becoming the next pro makeup artist then Makeup School Sydney's Cert 3 in Makeup course is the best choice for you. It will help you to build your passion and take your career to the next level. Makeup School Sydney provides courses that will help you decide what you want to do next.
FAQ
How long does it take to clean makeup brushes?
Answer: To clean give your brushes at least fifteen minutes to soak in the water. While you don't want the water to boil warm water helps to break up any makeup and start to eliminate bacteria.
How often should you replace makeup brushes?
Answer: Every three to five years. Makeup brushes tend to last longer if they are well-cared for, but because various brushes have varying degrees of quality, it is recommended to replace them every three to five years.
Is it possible to disinfect makeup brushes?
Answer: Yes! Vinegar and lemon make an excellent disinfectant. You can also apply dish soap on a sponge and clean your brushes with it.
Is it necessary to buy pricey makeup brushes?
Answer: Not really but if you buy cheap ones, the majority of them are of poor quality, and using them makes your skin uncomfortable due to how harsh they are.