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DIY Makeup Brush Cleanser

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WVWC chapter.

Hello, gorgeous collegiette! Quick question for you: how often do you clean your makeup brushes? Once a week? A month? Never? Believe it or not, there’s excess makeup hiding on your brushes, but aside from that, there’s bacteria! Think about where you set your brushes and what they go through day-to-day.

You may feel a bit grossed out now, but never fear! All you need are three simple things, and after that, you can clean your brushes with ease and increase their lifespan by keeping the bristles in pristine condition. 

 

Brush shampoos are so expensive!  I have tried a few for myself to see what the hype is all about, but after trying this home made formula recommended by a friend, no price point is worth it to me.  Are you intrigued to learn more? Here’s the recipe:

1. You need three basic items, some of which you might already have:

  • A container of some sort—this can be glass, ceramic, Tupperware, anything really.
  • Dish soap—any brand or scent will work just fine. I prefer Dawn because it does a fantastic job of removing the oil from the bristles.
  • Olive oil—I know what you’re thinking: Anne has gone off the deep end with this idea! But I’m telling you, it works wonders! You don’t have to buy anything special, and it doesn’t matter if it is extra virgin, light, fat-free, etc.

2. Mix your soap and olive oil in your container.  For every one part olive oil, add two parts soap. For example, if you add one tablespoon of olive oil, add two tablespoons of dish soap.  

3. Take the brush you are starting with and wet the bristles with warm water.  Dip the bristles into the mixture and stir the contents of the container. You should see some of the makeup coming out of the bristles almost immediately.

4. Once your brush is saturated, rub the bristles lightly in the palm of your hand. This helps ensure that the solution gets dispersed evenly to all parts of the brush.

5. Rinse your brush thoroughly with warm water again and squeeze out all of the cleanser. Lay flat or upside down on a towel or wash cloth to dry. 

And there you have it! I recommend cleaning brushes either weekly or biweekly.  Depending on how many brushes you have, it typically only takes about ten minutes. Cleaning your brushes will benefit you long-term by making them last longer, and also short-term by helping keep your face clean by avoiding less dirt and bacteria. 

If you have any questions, feel free to tweet me @anneleigh306. Stay gorgeous!

I love makeup and caffeine.
Maty recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC), and she couldn’t be more excited to return to the Her Campus family as a member of the Community Team.  Maty’s passion for writing has guided her through most of her adult life, and it eventually brought her to to the Her Campus Chapter Network as a Style Blogger for Her Campus WVWC. Maty would go on to become Campus Correspondent of her chapter, as well as an intern for Her Campus National and a Chapter Advisor.  Through her different roles at HC, Maty quickly fell in love with the mission and purpose of the Her Campus Chapter Network—and in her new role, Maty has the rare and coveted opportunity to do what she loves on a daily basis by working with a growing network of 360+ college chapters.    When Maty isn’t at the office, she’s usually out exploring, cooking some random recipe she found on Pinterest, or cuddling with her adorable corgi, Winnie.  Follow Maty on Twitter and Instagram !