Step By Step To Clean Your Makeup Brushes

Are you guilty of neglecting your makeup brushes? Letting the powder and cream formulas build up on the bristles for weeks? Using more than one color without cleaning in-between? GASP! It's time to spend a few minutes each week getting the gunk out! Here's a step-by-step guide to cleaning your makeup brushes, plus some of our favorite brush cleansing formulas.

* Get your brush completely wet using lukewarm water.

* Once your brush is saturated, swirl your brush onto a bar of soap until it lathers, or apply shampoo to a sponge and simply swirl your brush on the sponge until you create a nice lather. It’ll totally gross you out when you see all of the makeup colors coming out of the brushes.

* You may have to rinse the brush and continue the same swirling technique a few times to clean all the old makeup off your brush.

* Once you think all of the makeup, oils and gunk have been removed from the brush, rinse it in lukewarm water. If the bristles feel slippery or slimy, then you’ll need to continue rinsing to ensure all of the soap or shampoo has been removed.

* If your brushes have a metal band on them, try not to get this area wet. It can lead to rust and eventually may destroy your brush.

* Give your brush a gentle squeeze to remove the excess water and leave to dry flat on a clean towel. Your brushes should dry in about 6 to 8 hours, so cleaning them before you go to bed is the ideal time.

* If you notice that your brushes are feeling a bit stiff over time, try massaging a tiny bit of hair conditioner into the bristles and rinse in warm water. Dry them flat as you normally would to bring back that soft, luxurious feel.