As we abandon the lengthy, chilly nights of winter and begin to bask in the slowly warming days of spring many of us are likely to partake in our own private episodes of ‘Hoarders’. This is more commonly known as Spring Cleaning, but is often just as boring and scary. I quite enjoy Spring Cleaning, or at least the first two or three tasks I undertake in the name of seasonal tidiness. Usually, my first mission is to clean the stuff I use frequently because if I’m honest I forget to most of the time. Take makeup brushes for example: the digital equivalent of an elderly grandmother filled with wisdom Google informs me that cleaning my make-up brushes once a month is fine. However, I don’t think I’ve cleaned my brushes since autumn last year?
After spending 15 minutes crying about how disgusting I was, I decided to show you guys how I clean my makeup brushes when I’ve left them caked in make-up for months and months just in case you are also a bit lazy and gross. The best thing about my method is that it’s simple, quick and you only need one product!
You Will Need:
- Johnson’s Baby Shampoo
- A Bowl (I used A Tupperware Bowl)
- Lukewarm Water
Step One
Although there are various brush cleaning sprays and balms available on the market, many people just use Johnson’s Baby Shampoo because the formula is apparently extremely similar to the specialised products’. All you need to do is add some to your lukewarm water and you’ve made the equivalent of a high-end brush cleanser.
Step Two
Before you begin to clean your brushes, you need to set up some sort of drying station so you’re not just soaking all your other belongings in the process. I just lay a flannel over a canister, in this case it was hairspray, and prop the brushes diagonally on top so water drips down the bristles rather than settling in the glue.
Step Three
Dip your brushes in the mixture but try to ensure the metal remains as dry as possible, this will help keep the glue intact for longer. I often rub the brushes into the palm of my hand between dips to make sure the water is reaching every bristle. I continue this until the water runs clear.
Step Four
Because I hadn’t cleaned my brushes in a while, I refilled my bowl with clean water and rinsed my brushes but this isn’t always necessary. Before placing your brushes on your drying station gently reshape the bristles to ensure they don’t dry into a shape that resembles a monkey puzzle tree. Leave your brushes to dry thoroughly, and enjoy fresh, clean brushes the next time you put your war paint on.
Hope you’ve had a great weekend and remember to clean your makeup brushes more frequently than I do!