It’s a tale as old as time; Saturday rolls around and plans for the night are locked in — dinner at the new restaurant I’ve been eyeing and dying to try followed by drinks at the usual joint. After a week in the office, the getting-ready ritual is calling to me and it looks something like this; 

Outfit: Laid out on my bed. 

Purse: Packed. 

Eyeshadow palette: Open on the bathroom counter. 

Makeup brushes: Stained with the sparkling powder remnants of night’s long past.

When was the last time I cleaned them? A week ago? A month ago? Maybe I can’t remember — though it’s more likely I shudder at the thought of how long ago it was. It’s even a little embarrassing. But I’m not the only one cursed with the bad habit of letting makeup brushes fall to the bottom of my cosmetic case, dirty and long forgotten.

It’s the dreaded chore at the bottom of every makeup user’s to-do list. Somehow, a task that should only take minutes is put off for weeks — even months. But love it or hate it, it’s a step you need to start crossing off on the regular for your own good. In this edition of Beauty Basics, we’ll be running through everything you need to know on how to clean makeup brushes and sponges at home.

Let’s get into it!

First things first — why it’s important to clean makeup brushes

It might not seem like that big of a deal. After all, It’s just some coloured powder. Sure, the concealer and foundation seeped into the sponge is hard to look at, but it’s harmless. Right? 

Well, that’s where you’re wrong.

When you regularly use beauty tools to apply makeup, it’s completely normal for makeup residue, sebum (oil), dirt, and dead skin cells to collect on your brushes and sponges. But that’s not the only thing building up on them. This combination creates the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive. Using dirty brushes on your face can irritate the skin, lead to clogged pores, breakouts, and rashes, and aggravate underlying skin conditions like acne. When used over an open sore or cracked skin, the bacteria can lead to an infection.

Doesn’t sound so harmless now, does it?

Regularly cleaning your makeup brushes and sponges removes the build-up of product, sebum, dead skin cells, and dirt that can become a breeding ground for bacteria.

Not only is cleaning makeup brushes important for hygiene reasons, but it also plays a pretty important role in the performance of these beauty tools. Keeping your brushes clean and well-maintained is an easy way to ensure they last longer, keep their shape, and perform at their best. When you use a clean brush, you’re more likely to get a smoother, more flawless application with a true colour payoff.

How often should I clean my makeup brushes?

As much as I’d love to say (and you’d probably love to hear) every few months, that just isn’t going to cut it. While there’s no number set in stone, as a general guide, you should be cleaning your makeup brushes at least once a week, or every seven to 10 days, at a minimum. For makeup sponges, you should clean them twice a week or even daily depending on the amount of product used.

What to clean makeup brushes with

At some point during your nightly TikTok doom scroll, you’ve likely seen a bunch of makeup brush-cleaning gizmos and gadgets. From the simple silicone makeup brush cleaning mat to the feat of engineering that is the electric makeup brush cleaner, it’s only natural you start to wonder what to clean makeup brushes with.

The good news is, you don’t need anything fancy, or expensive, for that matter. The best way to clean makeup brushes requires just a gentle soap and some water. So while it’s tempting to buy the brush cleaning spray, shampoo bar, and specially formulated cleansers, you’ve likely already got everything you need to clean makeup brushes with at home. Some common household products you could use include;

Liquid dish soap

Dish soap is great at cutting through the cosmetic oils and silicones used in makeup that can sometimes be tricky to get out.

Baby shampoo

Gentle and free from harsh chemicals, baby shampoo works just as well at cleaning makeup brushes and sponges.

A regular bar of soap

Last but certainly not least, you simply can’t go wrong with a gentle soap bar. Easy, affordable, and effective, it’s a good old faithful for a reason.

How to clean your makeup brushes at home

Step 1: Pre-cleaning prep

It sounds like common sense but there have been dozens of times when, in the rush of getting the job done, I’ve forgotten to take out a makeup brush or two, or haven’t laid out a towel to place my freshly cleaned makeup brushes on to dry. That’s why step one is to make sure you’re prepared before you clean.

You’ll want to make sure you’ve got everything you need set out and easy to reach. Take out every makeup brush and sponge you plan to clean and place them on the bathroom counter, have your makeup brush cleaning mat or glove handy, set out your soap bar, gentle shampoo, or makeup brush cleanser, and lay out a towel to place clean brushes on to dry.

Step 2: Run the bristles under warm water

Rinse the tips of your makeup brushes under lukewarm running water to wash residual makeup off the bristles. Make sure you don’t submerge the entire brush because lukewarm water can dissolve the glue holding the brush head and handle together.

For makeup sponges: Submerge them under running water and squeeze them gently in the palm of your hand several times so they soften and expand as the water is absorbed.

Step 3: Lather, swirl, and massage

Use your choice of gentle shampoo, soap bar, or makeup cleaning cleanser and lather the soap in the palm of your hand or on a makeup brush cleaning mat. Once you’ve created the lather, swirl and massage the brush bristles to loosen makeup residue.

For makeup sponges: Lather the soap in your hands or apply it directly to the sponge. Using small, circular motions, massage the sponge in your palm to work the lather in.

Step 4: Rinse

Rinse the bristles thoroughly under running water.

For makeup sponges: Place the sponge under running water to rinse out the soap, gently squeezing it until the water runs clear.

Step 5: Repeat the process

Continue to repeat this motion, lathering, swirling, and massaging the brush tips using your choice of cleanser and rinsing to remove all soap and makeup residue until the water runs clear and there’s no colour on the bristles.

Step 6: Squeeze out and set to dry

After washing your brushes, squeeze out excess water with your fingers, starting at the top of the bristles and working your way down. Lay the brushes flat on a clean, dry towel with the bristles hanging off the edge of the bathroom counter as they air dry.

Finding the best way to clean makeup brushes

Whether you invest in a brush cleansing glove and liquid cleanser or stick to a trusted bar of soap and the palm of your hand, the best way to clean makeup brushes is to just do it. Remember — set a schedule and stay consistent. Soon enough, cleaning your makeup brushes will become a self-care step you won’t be able to skip.