How to Clean Makeup Brushes Naturally
Cleaning your makeup tools is never an urgent thing to do, but it is very important. I will show you what’s the best soap to use to wash makeup brushes naturally, and how to dry them. It all happens in 5 quick steps.
I am really good at keeping up with homemaking chores. For example, things like laundry, meal planning, vacuuming, dusting, and changing sheets, are chores that seem to be on autopilot. I don’t have to think about them, I just execute them.
Cleaning my makeup tools and brushes, however, seems to slip my mind more often than not. And, we should clean our makeup brushes more often than we think. It’s so easy and fast, too!
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What Is The Best Soap to Wash Makeup Brushes?
We all want what’s best for our health, and the soap to use to clean our makeup tools is no exception. There are plenty of soaps in the market specifically created to clean brushes and blenders, so I will let you be the judge of which one is best.
Since I was looking to clean my makeup brushes naturally, I resorted to my favorite soap, Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap. I always keep a bottle of castile soap in my cleaning rolling cart. The big bottle is good for refilling soap pumps in the bathrooms or my homemade cleaners. I also like to have a travel size.
You do not necessarily have to use this same soap to clean your makeup brushes. But if you want a chemical-free soap that will cut through the grease, dust, and dirt accumulated in them, Castile soap is a great choice. The bristles in my brushes came out very clean and soft.
Makeup Brushes Soaps and Cleaners
I have used baby shampoo before, but I actually prefer the results I got from using the Castile soap. Here are other soap options for cleaning your brushes and blenders:
- Liquid Blendercleanser. Made with coconut and sustainable palm oils. It is also lavender scented and free of paraben, phthalate, and sulfate.
- Brush Bath Purifying Makeup Brush Cleaner by IT Cosmetics. It is gentle on natural and synthetic bristles. This cleaner is alcohol-free, and it contains lavender, lemon, and orange peel oils.
- Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser. Clinique is a reputable brand of beauty products. The first ingredient in this cleanser is water. However, it does contain alcohol.
- EcoTools Makeup Brush Cleansing Shampoo. Made with plant-based ingredients and is free of parabens, phthalates, and petroleum-based ingredients.
If you find yourself in a pickle, here’s a tip; dishwashing soap such as Dawn works well, too, cutting through the grease and dust that makeup leaves on your brush bristles and blenders.
How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes
Time needed: 10 minutes
Now that you know a bit more about what soaps to use to clean makeup brushes, here’s how I did it naturally with Castile soap.
- Dilute Soap
Dilute Castile soap in a small tub with lukewarm water. I used one squirt in two gallons of water, and it worked just fine. However, if you want to be more exact in the dilution, use this cheat sheet for Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap for reference.
- Mix
Swish the water with the brushes until foam forms and the water starts to get murky. This is a good sign!
- Soak
Let the brushes soak in the mixture for 5 – 10 minutes. Then, pull the brushes out of the tub one by one, starting with the smallest first.
- Lather
Lather each brush with 2 or 3 more drops of Castile soap. Massage gently in the palm of your hand for 10 seconds. Rinse under running water, and repeat until the water runs clear.
- Squeeze and Reshape
Squeeze and reshape the bristles of each brush. Then, lay the brushes flat on a towel to dry.
How to Dry Makeup Brushes?
For best results, allow your makeup brushes to dry before using them again. So, make sure to wash your brushes on a day you know you are not gonna need them.
Once you have washed the brushes, gently squeeze the water out, re-shape them, and lay them flat on a towel. Let them fully air-dry.
Other Things You Can Clean with Castile Soap
Castile soap is very versatile, so do not limit its uses in the bathroom to just cleaning makeup tools. This is why I like to have a travel-size bottle of Castile soap in my vanity drawer. Here’s a list of other things you can clean with Castile soap. Hint: it’s not only things!
- Remove your makeup. Wet your face, and then massage a few drops of Castile soap into the skin.
- Make a foot bath. Dissolve 1/2 tbsp in a small tub with hot water. I like to use the Peppermint Castile soap because Peppermint is a good analgesic and muscle relaxer. Learn more about the benefits of Peppermint oil here.
- Shave. Use 3 drops for shaving underarms and 1/2 tsp. for shaving your legs. Rub to a lather on wet hands and then apply to the area you wish to shave.
- Clear Congestion. Add 1 tbsp of Peppermint Castile Soap to a bowl with steamy hot water, and breathe in the mist. Drape a towel over your head and the bowl so you can keep the vapors contained.
See you soon,