For most women, makeup brushes are a very important part of everyday beauty regime. Despite this, the proper cleaning and maintenance of the brushes are more or less overlooked. When this happens, the brushes tend to accumulate all the natural oil from the face, dust, and dirt and become a breeding place for bacteria. Using the same brush over and over again would not only lead to a quicker damage but also affect the skin health. Since the brushes are more like an investment, it should be considered a priority to have them properly maintained. Given below are the reasons why brushes usually get damaged.
- Not cleaning regularly
With use, makeup brushes tend to accumulate oil, dead skin cells, cosmetic layers, and dirt. Depending on the type of makeup used or the frequency of use, makeup brushes need to be cleaned at least once a month if not every week. However, if you are using thicker and creamier cosmetics, it is necessary to have them cleaned more often. Since it is not practical to have them cleaned after every use, you should at least make it a point to clean them using quick clean spritzes and then wipe away with a towel or a napkin. This will instantly sanitize the bristles, thus making them ready for the next use.
- Ignoring the handle
While cleaning makeup brushes, the handles generally tend to get ignored. This is a grave mistake as the handles are the ones that mostly come in touch with all the oil and dirt. Therefore, while cleaning the brushes, it is important to have a thorough cleansing, without leaving out the handles. You should also remember to clean the handles with a clean wipe after every use.
- Using the wrong brush cleanser
Since there a number of products for cleaning the brushes, people often tend to find themselves confused and therefore end up picking the wrong option. The brushes should only be cleaned with a very mild cleanser or the bristles tend to gradually lose their softness and flexibility. You should never use soap as they dry out the fibers, making them brittle. You need to be even more careful if you are using organic fibers or natural hair. The brushes should always feel soft on your face, irrespective of the number of times you have washed them.
- Not drying properly
Most people leave their brushes on a container by leaving them to stand vertically. This, however, is a great mistake as the moisture tends to seep into the handles, thus damaging them in the long run. Blow drying is also not ideal as it would dry out the bristles leaving them rough. The best way to dry the makeup brushes is by leaving them flat on a folded towel and let them get air dried.
- Improper storage
The way you store your brushes also has a lot do with the lasting. Simply throwing them into a makeup box would damage the bristles thus rendering them almost useless. Makeup brushes should only be stored in roll-up kits which also have specific compartments for storing different brushes.