When (and how) to wash your makeup brushes

A quality set of makeup brushes can last for years, but only if you take good care of them and this means giving them a good wash. But how often do you need to wash them? The short answer, according to makeup artist Tamryn Jefferies, is more often than you think. 

A bacterial breeding ground

It’s not just makeup that gets trapped in the bristles, but oil and dirt from your face too. In fact, studies have shown that a single makeup brush, if used and not washed for a month, can end up becoming a funhouse for more bacteria strains than researchers can count! Then, once your brush has become a cesspool of germs, continuing to use it on your face is the fast track to irritation, allergic reactions and breakouts. 

Pimple causing bacteria aside, you could also end up with a dangerous bacterial infection like E. coli or Staphylococcus. Can we get an “eek!”? 

Coming clean 

Tales of terror aside, let’s get specific. Tamryn recommends you wash your makeup brushes once a week and suggests you pick a particular day, like a Sunday, so that it becomes a ritual you don’t forget. 

“A very simple way to do it is to use an antibacterial face wash and warm water, rinsing until the water runs clear. It’s important that you don’t use boiling water. This could dissolve the glue that bonds your bristles and cause your brushes to shed,” she says. 

Another way to do it is to use a brush cleaning pad and brush cleanser that’s specially formulated to remove makeup and bacteria. Pop the textured mat into your basin and squirt a little of the cleanser onto it. Run the tap and wet your brushes then swirl them in the cleanser. The pad’s texture helps to massage out the makeup and dirt. Repeat the process and once the water runs clear, you’re all done. 

IMAGE CREDIT: shutterstock.com