Budget Beauty: Brush Cleaning | How To:

I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that brush cleaning is literally THE BANE of my life! I know it's not a difficult task by any means but it most certainly is a tedious one.

I often get asked what brush cleaner I use and to be completely honest, I don't use one - not anymore. I have tried them in the past but in my opinion, they are a complete and utter waste of money!

Makeup brushes are an investment and can be quite pricey so it is really important to take care of them. Along with being an investment, they are also a breeding ground for bactericia. If they are not cleaned on a regular basis they get clogged up. What you will end up doing is spreading this bacteria along with old makeup, dead skin cells and your skins natural oils around your face (Eww I know). So whether you are acne prone or have noticed a breakout you would not normally have, ask yourself - When was the last time I cleaned my brushes? 

I don't wear makeup everyday so I personally give my brushes a good deep clean every two wekeks. I used to do it weekly until I discovered Micellar lotion (I'll explain in more detail further down).

What you need: 

• A sponge
• Baby shampoo

How to:

1. Take your sponge and wet it with warm water - not too hot (think of your brushes like a baby, if its too hot for a baby its too hot for your brushes)
2. Wet the brushes bristles
3. Squeeze a drop of baby shampoo onto the sponge and swirl your brush around it in circular motions to cleanse deep into the bristles
4. Rinse the bristles until you can't see anymore suds and the bristles no longer feel slippery
5. Squeeze any excess water from the brush, shape the brushes and lay flat on a clean towel to dry over night (NEVER use a hairdryer)

If you are struggling to remove things like lipstick, gel eyeliner or heavy duty concealer - repeat step 3 replacing baby shampoo with baby oil and rinse thoroughly again.

As for the Micellar Lotion. What is it? Micellar Lotion is a facial cleanser used on the go as it does not have to be rinsed off. You simply cleanse and apply your makeup and you are good to go. There was a lot of hype about Micellar Lotions earlier in the year and they were almost an "it" product. I picked up the La Roche Posay - physiological micellar solution.

As a facial cleanser I thought it was useless but after paying almost €17 for it I wasn't going to just bin it. Instead I have started using it to give my brushes a quick clean i between uses.

I soak a cotton pad in it and swipe my brush across it a few times and it's clean and ready for it next use. It also works wonders for brushes you don't use regularly to wipe away any dust etc from them sitting on the shelf for weeks on end.

My Top TIP: Be vigilant when cleaning your brushes - do not soak them. Where the metal meets the bristles is never and I mean NEVER to be submerged in water. This is where the glue is. If the glue gets wet your bristles loosen and eventually the brush is ruined. You can thank me later!

So there you have it. My budget friendly brush cleaning tutorial. I hope it helped.

Have you got any brush cleaning hints or tips? I'd love to hear them if you do!