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How To Clean Your Makeup Brushes – Trust Us, They Need It

If you wear makeup, chances are there are a fair few makeup brushes in your drawer. Whether you have a trusted favourite or a collection of many, can you remember the last time you washed them?

Me either. It’s a chore you forget about, one that’s easily pushed to the bottom of your to-do list. And you’re not the only one – a 2019 study by the Society for Applied Microbiology found 93% of beauty blenders hadn’t been cleaned, 90% were contaminated with bacteria, and 64% had been dropped on the floor but continued to be used. Gross.

Lurking beneath the bristles lie a build-up of product residue, dirt, oil, and dead skin cells, explains Dr Zainab Laftah, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson. “They’re a breeding ground for microorganisms,” she says. Bacteria and fungi in particular thrive in wet conditions, so your foundation brushes may accumulate bacteria faster than dry powder brushes, she adds.

“Putting off cleaning your brushes can have serious consequences for your skin too,” says Dr Laftah, leading to congestion, acne breakout and severe skin infections like E.Coli. Contaminants on your brushes may also speed up the ageing process, as they’re not giving collagen and elastin – the two fibres that keep your skin plump – the best environment to thrive.

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So how often should you clean your makeup brushes?

Cleaning your makeup brushes regularly will put a stop to the build-up of dirt on the brushes. Simple.

Dr Laftah recommends doing this every seven to 10 days – yep, that’s basically once a week. And this includes everything from your eye makeup brushes, to beauty blenders, foundation brushes and blusher brushes.

If you use your brushes less frequently, they still need a wash every now and then – think of how much dust they’ll pick up when...

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