3 Reasons to Clean Your Make-up Brushes NOW!

If you’re like I use to be, cleaning your make-up brushes is one of those things that is always on your lists of things to do but rarely gets done.  If you have a large collection like myself it takes a good chunk of time and if you wear make-up pretty much every day like I do, when is the perfect time to do it!?  Well I don’t have the answer to the last question, I do have some reasons as to why you should make it a priority moving forward as well as some gadgets that will make the process a lot quicker and much more enjoyable.

3 reasons why you need to drop everything and clean your brushes NOW!

1.) Acne- Dirty make-up brushes, tweezers, even your make-up bag can be the culprit for those annoying break outs that seem to happen more often than we’d like.  By not cleaning your brushes you’re creating a breading ground for bacteria.  Those beautiful brushes you spent a pretty penny on deserve some cleaning at least once every two weeks, ideally once a week.  They harbor things such as dead skin cells, germs from being sick, toxins from sweat, dust, oil, and dirt… need I say more?! Yuck!!!

2.) Ruins Your Brushes-  Washing and reshaping your brushes actually helps with the longevity of your brushes.   Whether you have spent a little or a lot, money does not grow on trees ladies! Cleaning your brushes on a regular basis will help maintain the shape and keep them soft.

3.) Application- using a saturated or dirty brush can create a poor application.  I find this to be especially true when it comes to foundation.  If your brush is saturated in product it begins to go on streaky, can be hard to blend, and can almost create a muddy look- not cute!  Also, if your brushes are not clean the intended shade will not show up on your skin its’ true color. Blending, especially when it comes to eye shadow or contouring, becomes nearly impossible as the build up of product often leaves you looking spotty…let’s face it if you’re gonna take the time to contour (bravo!) the last thing you want is to end up looking like a dalmatian… WOOF! (haha, see what I did there?!)

Okay, so now we’re at the part where you KNOW how important it is to clean your brushes but I haven’t solved the problem of when and how to make it more enjoyable… enter Sigma Beauty.  You all know my love for their brushes, well I love their gadgets just as much!  My two personal favourites are the Dry n’ Shape Tower and the Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat. Because my brush collection is slightly out of control, the tower and mat help make the job faster and much more enjoyable.   The tower helps with the “when do I wash my brushes?” issue as it cuts the dry time in half.  It also takes up little counter space… bonus!  This tower is definitely not necessary for those with small collections but for those who have a lot, it’s totally worth it!

The Spa Cleaning Brush Mat has 7 different textures to help get your variety of brushes clean. I love the mat because it cuts the cleaning time in half and I use much less cleaning solution!  The different textures allow for a deep clean with much less elbow grease!  The textures also help create a great lather causing me to reach for much less solution. This mat comes in a mini version for those with smaller collections!

Speaking of solution! I have tried manyyy different brush cleaners and my favourite, by far, is olive oil and Dawn dish soap (you can also you baby shampoo).  Cheap and it works!!! 1/2 teaspoon of each, mix them together and voila, the cheapest/best cleaner (in my opinion) out there!

Tell me about your brush cleaning routine! When do you do it and how do you make it more enjoyable?!

Happy Cleaning!!!

PS. Sigma is having a sale today and tomorrow! Save 30% when you spend $200 or more, 20% when you spend $100 or more, and 15% when you spend over $75 or more!