Let’s get real.
How many of you ACTUALLY clean your make-up brushes on the reg? Umm… well I don’t, & honestly- it’s sick. Think about it, those brushes sit on your make-up counter day after day soaking in disgusting bacteria/ dead skin cells/ dirty old make-up/oils.
Then you proceed to rub them all over your pretty face.
Not cleaning your make-up brushes = asking for pimples.
I used to be a huge fan of the Beauty Blender Brush Cleaner, but a while ago I ran out, which means it’s been a while (not even going to tell you how long. it’s bad.) since my brushes have had a good shampoo. Plus, the Beauty Blender cleaner always seemed to strip the color from my Beauty Blender sponge, which made me think it could possibly be a little bit harsh.
So, I decided to make my own… going a more au naturale route. This little creation kills any other store bought brush cleaner I have ever used. No joke. My brushes look BRAND new, smell fabulous, & are softer than when I bought them.
All you need is two simple ingredients::
+ Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap // I love love love this stuff. It’s pure/ organic/ uses all fair trade ingredients/ & is made locally here in San Diego. IMO, the peppermint is the best!! It smells so clean. I use it to wash my hands, clean my veggies, shampoo the dog, etc.
+ Avocado Oil // I chose avocado oil cause I had some on hand & needed to put it to use, but you can also use JoJoBa oil/ Coconut oil/ or Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
++ Simply mix two parts Dr. Bronner’s soap & one part avo oil.
++ Swish your brushes around in the mixture & rinse them with warm water. Chances are you may have to repeat the process, esp. if you’ve waited way to long to clean your brushes (ehh, I had to rinse & repeat 3x).
++ Pat dry gently with a towel & let air dry.
++ Examine the filthy water left behind & promise yourself you will never wait that long to clean your brushes again. Please.
xx, E
Ah my god. Am I glad I found this page. I seriously have had “to clean makeup brushes” on my perennial to do list for FOREVER. I was even figured I’d have to go out and buy a store brand cleaner. BUT this recipe works great and I literally had these ingredients on hand which made it super simple. && geez you weren’t kidding, you will forever be grossed out by your brushes. Clean regularly ladies!
So glad it helped you!!!
We are totally on the same page! I just took a picture of my brushes for a future post on cleaning them with Dr. Bronner’s (which I LOVE!). I add water, apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil; hadn’t thought to add oil. I’ll have to try that.
Hi Erica,
This might be a stupid question and if so, sorry : ) I’m new to the oils world and was wondering if it makes a difference if it’s cooking oil or like skincare oil? I got cooking oil, but then saw the other later…
Coconut oil for cooking will work just as well!
So amazing article! I had no idea that I can clean in such a way my make up brushes. Thanks a lot for sharing! Bowes Park Carpet Cleaners Ltd.
I use coconut oil for hot oil treatment and makes my hair supper soft. I figured if it works good on your hair why not on your makeup brushes? So I started using it to clean my beauty blender, makeup brushes and I also use it as my makeup remover. Its my holy grail cleanser, my brushes are so soft after I dry them using the Magik Drying Pro Brush Drying Tree (I think it I got it for less than $20 at amazon.com), I use to dry them by sitting on the counter but I heard it’s bad for your brushes. Anyway, my face get acne or breaks a lot if I don’t wash my brush once a week.
Hi,
I was wondering if I cannot find the soap you are using where I live, what would you recommend me to use instead, I do have avocado oil btw. Thanks ! :)
If you can find it online, I’d order the same soap!