Cleaning make up brushes?! help please :)?

Question

I have some make up brushes that are getting kinda gross, but they cost a lot of money so i don't want to throw them away.
I feel like I want to soak them in rubbing alcohol, will it hurt them if I do it for five minutes?
any other suggestions?
Thank you

Answer 1

Cleaning makeup brushes can be a hassle but it is necessary for them to remain in the best shape. With the following options available I know you will find one that works best for you.

Brush Cleaner: You can purchase a brush cleaner from a department store or beauty supply store. Ask the salespeople what their favorites are. My favorite is Japonesque Professional Brush Cleaner. It has a mild citrus smell and will clean all makeup, disinfect and conditions the hair of the brush as well. Just spray it on the brush and wipe clean with a towel or paper towel. The best part...the makeup brush is completely dry after you are done! It is perfect, especially when you don't have the time to wait for your brushes to dry.
Vinegar and Water: Use 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar, dip your brushes in the mixtures and rinse clean in warm water. This will disinfect your brushes so if multiple people use them, this is a great option over a brush cleaner.
For the following cleaning options I recommend putting the product into your hand, dipping the brush in a small amount of water and lathering the makeup brush thoroughly. Then rinse with warm water and lay flat on a towel to dry.

Shampoo: It doesn't really matter what kind of shampoo you use but shampoo works great for cleaning your makeup brushes. Remember, makeup brushes are hair and shampoo works great on yours, right? When I have the time, this is the option I use.
Facial Cleanser: A gentle cleanser works well for cleaning your makeup brushes. If it will remove the makeup from your face, it will remove the makeup from your brush.
How often should you clean your makeup brushes? It depends on the brush. Any brush you use on a liquid cosmetic should be cleaned everyday; such as, concealer, foundation, lip products and cream eye shadow. For other brushes I would recommend as often as once a week or at the least every two weeks.

Answer 2

I personally have a goat hair blender that cost me a lot of money.

1. Run the end of the brush under water for a couple of seconds.

2. Add just a little bit of soap to the brush and gently blend in the soap

3.Wash out the soap by gently rubbing the brush until you think all the soap is gone

4. Let it air dry on a small towel(only takes about 1-2 hours...)
Hope that helps!

Answer 3

there are some excellent suggestions on this page -- number one is by far the best and most detailed so far. here are a few things to add:

1. please NEVER use rubbing alcohol on a makeup brush. it will most certainly damage the bristles. which would be a shame, since it sounds like yours are high quality.

2. antibacterial soap is totally unnecessary. a simple lathering facial cleanser or mild shampoo will do a beautiful job. what you do with it... is just wash it like you'd wash your hair:

~wet brush
~use enough of the cleanser to create a pretty good lather (but not too much!)
~rinse

just be thorough, yet gentle. make sure to rinse well! after you're done, GENTLY squeeze out the excess water and re-shape the bristles.

3. NEVER dry your brushes with the bristles pointing up -- this could enable water to enter the ferrule (the metal part) and dissolve the glue, causing the brush to shed. also, could introduce mold growth inside the ferrule). the best way is to dry them with the bristles hanging off a flat surface (like hanging in mid-air off the edge of a desk), so that nothing touches them at all. or you could tie rubber bands around the handles and hang them (bristles downward) from a hook or something similar. again, with nothing touching the bristles -- that could contaminate your freshly-cleaned bristles, or introduce mold growth.

good luck... and happy cleaning!

Answer 4

People use baby shampoo and it works for the brushes, or I know there is youtube videos on how to make your own brush cleaner. Still, I would be scared to use anything other than brush cleanser for my mac brushes, so i think honestly you should wait until you can get more.

Answer 5

Hi,
The best way to clean make up brushes is to let them soak in warm soapy water and then leave them to dry. Im not sure if alcohol will do anything to them. They might smell after and could go hard?
Hope this has helped.

Answer 6

dont do that ok go 2 mac n buy the clenser liqid to clean all kinds of brushes that what i use 2 clean my brushes u want 2 clean ur brushes when ever they get dirty well i use them like 4 times a month n they told me jus 2 clen them 1once a month and its not that expensive n the bottle is pretty good
ok get like a lil cup n for cleanser n water then u wanna clean the brush one by one depens how dirty they are i clean then all together ones n it didnt work then like a week a go i clen one by one n they even dry faster
well i use mac clanser n mac brushes n am not sure if they have any other cleanser at some other store or brandhttp://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/products/sp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY15085&PRODUCT_ID=PROD1436

good luck

Answer 7

You must wash them once a week using some mild hand soap or shampoo. Then fold a towel and let them sit on the towel to dry over night. Once they dry, they will be as good as new! Good luck!

Answer 8

You can easily clean them in good antibacerial soap and water. just rub the brush to make sure u get the make up out real good, and let them air dry.

Answer 9

Don't fall for buying the expensive cleaners. I always clean my brushed at least twice a week with a very small amount of shampoo, rinse and then I add a very small amount of conditioner and rinse. It works every time.

Answer 10

MAC makes a fabulous brush cleaner. It is pretty cheap (under 10 dollars) and it will last forever