Most people clean their brushes far less often than they think they do. The honest answer depends on what the brush touches and how often it touches your face.
The short version
- Foundation, concealer and cream brushes, and sponges: once a week. These hold the most product and pick up the most residue between washes.
- Powder, blush and bronzer brushes: every two weeks.
- Eyeshadow brushes: every two weeks, and immediately if you are switching from a dark shade to a light one.
- Eyeliner and lip brushes: after each use, or close to it.
Why it matters more than it sounds
A dirty brush is simply bad at its job. Old product builds up in the base of the bristles, the brush stiffens and stops blending. Most of the time a foundation that suddenly looks patchy is a brush problem, not a foundation problem.
A clean brush also blends more evenly and keeps every shade true to color, so your makeup looks the way it should.
How to actually wash them
Wet the bristles under lukewarm water, pointing down, never up. Water that runs into the metal ferrule dissolves the glue and the brush starts shedding. Work in a drop of gentle shampoo or brush cleanser, rinse until the water runs clear, squeeze the water out with a towel, reshape the head and lay the brush flat with the bristles hanging over the edge of the counter. Never dry a brush standing up in a cup.
Air-drying takes six to eight hours for a small eye brush and can take a full day for a dense foundation brush, which is the real reason most people put it off.
The shortcut
An electric brush cleaner spins the brush inside a bowl of water and cleanser and then spins it dry, so the whole set is clean and usable in a few minutes instead of overnight. That is the whole appeal: it removes the excuse.
Our Electric Makeup Brush Cleaner & Dryer fits most brush sizes, comes in four colours and ships free from within the United States in 7 to 13 business days.
Whatever you use, put it on the calendar. A clean brush makes cheap makeup look better than an expensive product applied with a dirty one.