Here is why (and how) you should wash your brushes and your beauty blender sponges

There is no adjective that is strong enough to describe our love for brushes and beauty blender sponges! We always buy tons of them, and as beauty addicts, we always find a good excuse to buy new ones: despite that, though, we often end up not taking good care of them. This isn’t just not less than optimal for the brushes and sponges themselves, it’s also bad for our skin, which might get exposed to bacteria and develop infections as a consequence. We are here to tell you why and how you should regularly wash your brushes and beauty blender sponges!

Why clean them? There are three main reasons. The first one is related to hygiene, and it’s about the cleanliness of our skin. A dirty brush might host lots of bacteria in its bristles, and these bacteria will transfer onto our skin. The second reason is related to makeup: if a brush has traces of a different eyeshadow from the one we are going to use on it, or even worse, if it’s got dry makeup on it, all it can do is create makeup that won’t really look good on our face, and it will also make using brushes a lot harder. The last reason is about the brushes themselves: if you take better care of them, they will last for years!

When should you clean them? Every two weeks is a good rule of thumb. If they fall onto the floor, or if they touch any dirty surfaces, wash them immediately.

How to wash them? It’s very easy. Brushes can be cleaned with dedicated brush cleansers, with soap for delicate skin, or with dedicated tools — like gloves, for instance — and cleansing milk. All you need to do is lather them well with soap, and rub them against your hand, or on whatever tool you’re using, with a circular movement. As for drying, pat-dry them with a towel, and then place your brushes in a cup, so that the bristles can keep their shape. Smaller brushes, like the ones we use for our lips and eyes, dry very quickly, while bigger ones, like the ones for your face, will need a whole day to properly dry. If you can’t wait, spray some brush cleanser on a tissue or on a tool, and rub the brush softly until the bristles are clean.

Beauty blender sponges can be placed in a container full of warm water and detergent to soak, and they should be lathered well about half an hour later. Once you do this, you can wash your sponge under running water, until your foundation leaves no trace on your tissue. Just like large brushes, sponges will need a little longer to dry… But it will be worth the wait, you’ll see when you use them next time!