GUEST POST Spring Clean Your Makeup Brushes Using This Expert’s Advice and Beauty Hacks

The onset of Spring isn’t just a prompt to deep-clean your home, it’s also an essential seasonal reminder that giving makeup tools a hygienic reset too may be long overdue.

According to beauty influencer and makeup artist, ByLucinka from Glow & Restore, keeping your beauty tools – and especially your makeup brushes – clean, is essential, not only for a smoother, flawless makeup finish but also for keeping breakouts at bay! Purging trapped oils, bacteria and old product build up is a vital part of any beauty routine.

However, let’s be honest, no one gets excited about washing their makeup brushes. According to a survey carried out by Beauty Pie, 45% of Brits have never cleaned their foundation brush, only 15% give their makeup brushes a weekly clean, and more than a third never wash their blusher brush.

But – and it’s a big but – you could be wreaking havoc on your skin by ignoring this crucial ritual.

“If you’ve noticed an increase in spots, blemishes, or patchy, uneven makeup application, chances are your brushes and sponges might be the culprit,” says Lucinka.

“Product-clogged brushes and unwashed tools can harbour all sorts of oil, grime, and bacterial nasties that can cause irritation, acne breakouts, and even infections like impetigo. Each time you use beauty tools like makeup brushes, facecloths or even facial rollers, bacteria, dead skin cells, and leftover makeup product are transferred over from your skin which, over time, creates the perfect environment for germs to thrive. Then, every time you reuse the tools, you unknowingly reintroduce thousands of microbes back onto your skin.

“That’s why as makeup artists we clean brushes after every use, and why choosing quality brushes that can be cleaned frequently is essential … for everyone.”

How often should you clean your makeup brushes?
Think an annual, or even seasonal, spring clean is enough? Think again.

✅ Powder brushes – once a month
✅ Foundation & concealer brushes – every week
➕ spot cleaning with an isopropyl alcohol spray

While powder brushes for personal use can go a month between washes, Lucinka recommends cleaning brushes for cream/wet products every week. If that sounds a bit too much to fit into your busy schedule, even a fortnightly deep clean, combined with regular spot cleaning with an isopropyl alcohol spray, will reduce bacteria levels and make a significant difference to your skin and makeup finish.

I’m a Makeup Artist: Here’s My Expert Guide to Spring Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

1. Quick & Easy Spot Cleaning:
Giving your brushes a speedy once-over between uses keeps them fresh between deep cleans, as well as removing some of the makeup build-up – not unlike using dry shampoo on your hair in between washes.
➡️ For spot cleaning, dampen a piece of kitchen roll with a quick-dry brush cleanser, swiping brushes back and forth until the makeup residue has disappeared.
Spot-cleaning solutions tend to have a high alcohol content, meaning your brushes will dry in a matter of seconds and can be used again almost immediately.

2. The Full Deep Cleaning Detox:
To give brushes a regular deep clean and to banish bacteria:
➡️ Angle the bristles under a mix of warm water with brush cleanser, gently massaging the brush head on the palm of your hand or cleaning mat until the water runs clear. Squeeze out any excess moisture with kitchen towel, reshape the bristles, and lay out to air dry on kitchen paper/clean towel or hanging off the edge of a table. Finally, swirl the brush head on a dry towel every few hours to get rid of any remaining water and help reset the brush shape.

Lucinka’s top cleaning tips and hacks

👀 You’ll know it’s time to clean your brushes when they start to lose their softness and there’s a visible build-up of leftover product.
🫶 I also recommend squeezing rather than rubbing brushes when cleaning them; it’s kinder on the brushes and will almost certainly make them last longer.
⏰ Allow time for your makeup brushes to air dry naturally. Glow & Restore’s GR11 foundation brush, for example, needs around 24 hours to dry thoroughly.
💪 Keep on top of cleaning your brushes and always finish off with a spritz of antibacterial brush cleaner like IsoClean.
💄 While you’ve got your cleaning materials out – take a few moments to give your entire makeup collection a wipe down including palettes, lipsticks, and compacts.

Avoid common mistakes …
❌ You may have heard that vinegar, olive oil, or baby oil do the trick for cleaning brushes. While they may break down product residue, they run the risk of leaving you with greasy brushes – or even worse, brushes that smell like a chip-shop dinner! If you haven’t got a dedicated brush cleanser to hand, baby shampoo with a drop of antibacterial tea-tree oil is a great gentle and purse-friendly alternative to formulated brush cleaners.
❌ Try not to let water get to the ferrule (the metal part of the makeup brush where the bristles meet the brush handle) as this can loosen the adhesive and damage the brush.
❌ It’s not just a five-minute job. A proper deep clean does takes a bit of time. Rushing the job won’t remove all the bacteria and buildup (it’s a small investment of time for healthier skin and flawless makeup application).
❌ Don’t dry brushes with a hairdryer or on a radiator which can lead to the glue disintegrating and the brush shedding.

Lucinka’s final words of advice: “Cleaning your brushes shouldn’t be a chore – it’s a small habit that makes a huge difference. I’m a bit of a perfectionist with my kit, so I spot-clean my brushes after every use and deep-clean them weekly to prevent bacteria buildup.

“With the right technique, decent brushes and a little effort, your tools will last longer, and I can promise you that your makeup finish will look smoother!

“If you can’t remember the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes, take this as your gentle nudge to give them a spring clean!”

For more expert beauty tips, visit www.glowandrestore.com and follow on Instagram.