Over the years have you perfected your skincare routine, spent both time and money on it but still breakout every time you apply even a little concealer or blush? The culprit in this situation might be the tools you’re using. When you’re using grimy brushes laces with bacteria, on your skin, you’re just involuntarily push-pressing those same bacteria into your face every time you use your makeup brush or sponge. The same goes for your hair too. Oil or product left behind in the bristles of your hairbrush may leave your hair looking weighed-down and greasy rather than voluminous and squeaky clean.
According to a survey by Huffington Post, only 61 per cent of women are cleaning their makeup brushes once a month, if at all. About 39 per cent of women cleaned their brushes less than once a month, with 22 per cent admitting to never cleaning them at all. Right now, being stuck in a lockdown might be the perfect time to give your beauty tools a deep cleanse.
How to clean makeup brushes and sponges
For deep cleaning
A simple mix of water and a few drops of unscented soap or baby shampoo is an easy way to shampoo your brushes. For brushes with a lot of residual product, add a few drops of olive oil to help break down any stubborn grime.
Give the brushes a thorough rinse and let them dry on a flat surface. You should never leave your brushes soaking in water or let a lot of water settle at the base of the bristles. This damages the glue in the brush and causes the bristles to shed. Makeup sponges however can be soaked for two to five minutes and then rinsed to ensure no product or grime is left behind.
For daily disinfecting
If you use makeup products frequently, in addition to shampooing your brushes, you can also use a disinfecting mist for an extra boost of cleanliness in between uses. There are a few disinfecting brush cleaning sprays available in the market for instant cleaning.
How to clean heat tools and hair brushes
Make a habit of cleaning your hairbrush regularly to remove entangled hair and other products.
Remove any leftover hair from the hairbrush and soak it in a large dish filled with water and disinfecting hand soap. After soaking for 5 to 10 minutes, take a toothbrush and clean the bristles to remove any leftover grime.
Your blow dryer or other hair styling tools like curlers and straighteners might not seem like they need a deep clean, but they definitely do. The dust that accumulates in the blow dryer’s fan can cause the tool to overheat. To clean out the built-up dust, use a pair of tweezers to pull out as much s you can, and then wipe along the grid with a damp washcloth. As for any other hair styling tool that involves heat, first, ensure it’s turned off and completely cool before trying to clean it. Use warm water and gentle soap to get all the build-up off. Use alcohol-based wipes afterward to ensure that the tools are completely cleansed.