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How to Clean Makeup Brushes at Home (and Dry Them Without Ruining Them)

“A clean brush makes your makeup look better before you've changed a thing. Foundation goes on smoother, blush blends instead of sticking, and that muddy eyeshadow suddenly finds its color again. Ten minutes on Sunday is the easiest upgrade you'll ever make.”Her take

How do you wash a makeup brush, step by step?

All you need is lukewarm water, a mild soap and a clean towel. Gather your brushes first and start with your eye brushes, since they're the smallest and quickest to do. Work on one brush at a time, and keep the head pointing down under the running water.

The critical detail is the ferrule, the metal band holding the bristles. Water that gets in there can loosen the glue and cause shedding, so wash the bristles and avoid soaking the rest of the brush.

• Wet the bristles under lukewarm water, with the head angled downward.
• Put a small drop of gentle shampoo or dish soap into your palm.
• Swirl the brush in your palm until the color lifts out, about 15 to 30 seconds.
• Rinse with the head pointing down until the water runs clear.
• Gently squeeze the bristles in a clean towel to remove excess water.
• Reshape the head with your fingers and move it to your drying spot.

What is the best soap for cleaning makeup brushes?

Gentle shampoo works well for most brushes, particularly natural hair ones, because it treats the fibers like hair. Dish soap cuts through long-wear foundation and waterproof products more effectively, which makes it useful for dense nylon-bristle brushes used with creams and liquids. Rinse thoroughly with either, since leftover soap can make bristles feel stiff.

A dedicated brush cleanser is convenient but not required. Micellar water can loosen light powder between washes, and a quick spray cleanser helps when you're switching colors, but neither replaces a real wash. Avoid leaving brushes to soak in a cup of soapy water, because that sends moisture straight into the ferrule.

How often should you clean your makeup brushes?

Every seven to 10 days is the usual guidance from dermatologists, and about once a week for brushes used with foundation, concealer and cream products, which collect oil and leftover makeup quickly. Powder and eyeshadow brushes can go a little longer if you use them lightly, but two weeks is a sensible limit. Washing after every single use isn't necessary and can wear a brush out faster.

Your brush will tell you when it's due. If the color looks muddy, the foundation drags or the bristles feel stiff, wash it. Never share brushes, and clean anything that has touched a friend's skin before you use it again. If you've had a breakout or a skin concern, follow your dermatologist's guidance on cleaning more often.

How do you dry makeup brushes the right way?

Lay brushes flat on a clean towel with the bristles hanging just over the edge of the counter, so air can get all around the head. This keeps water from running down into the ferrule. Standing brushes upright in a cup is the most common mistake, because gravity sends moisture straight to the glue.

Give them time. Small eye brushes may be dry within a few hours, while dense foundation and big powder brushes can take up to a full day. Don't use a hair dryer on high heat, which can warp nylon bristles and bend the head out of shape. Wash them in the evening so they're ready by morning.

How do you clean a makeup sponge?

Wet the sponge fully so it expands, then work a little gentle soap into the stained areas with your fingers. Squeeze it repeatedly under running water, rather than twisting it, until the water runs clear. Press it in a clean towel and let it air dry in an open spot, not inside a closed bag.

Since sponges stay damp, clean them more often than brushes: at least a spot clean after each use with liquid foundation. Replace a sponge that has started to tear or that still smells stale after washing, or if it stays discolored in a way that doesn't lift after several washes.

How do you make brushes last longer?

A good brush can last for years with basic care. Wipe it on a clean tissue after each use to remove extra product, store it upright in an open holder only once it's fully dry, and keep it out of damp bathrooms if you can. Check that bristles aren't bending in a crowded makeup bag, since a bent brush rarely fully recovers.

Replace a brush when it sheds repeatedly, smells musty after washing, or no longer holds its shape.

Questions people ask

The takeaway

Lukewarm water, a drop of gentle soap, head pointing down, and dry flat over the counter edge. Do it weekly and your makeup will look better immediately.

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