Best Way To Clean Brushes!

Feb 9, 2011

Elizabeth T.

I have a variety of different brushes and some say clean with water, some you have to use the brands brush cleaner (Clinique) and some no alcohol based cleaners. Does anyone know of ONE way to clean all of your brushes? Thanks :)

Feb 9, 2011

Amanda K.

id just buy an alcohol free makeup brush cleaner, or use baby shampoo which is basically just water anyway.. the concept of brand loyalty is generally just a way to make you buy more of their products with no actual reasoning behind it.. 

Feb 10, 2011

Ning C.

I use baby shampoo too. The concept of brush cleaner is that you don't have to actually saturate the brush with water to clean it. You just mist on the cleanser and wipe off the brush with a tissue. The brush is immediately ready to use. This is good if you're a professional makeup artist and can't wait for the brush to dry from shampooing. But unless you're in a big rush, shampooing your brushes at least once a week with baby shampoo or even facial cleanser should be fine. 

Feb 10, 2011

Lauren F.

baby shampoo

Feb 10, 2011

Amanda K.

yep.. unsure if you have quo there. but they make a spray that you wet the brush first, then spray the stuff, lather it, then rinse off and reshape rather than getting sticky tissue bits.. worth a shot.

Feb 10, 2011

Shelly T.

Smashbox brush cleaner for spot cleaning. Shampoo for deep cleaning.

Feb 10, 2011

Elizabeth T.

Thanks for the all replies ladies!
Looks like the majority said baby shampoo. I will be picking some up soon :)

Feb 10, 2011

Louise-Lesley J.

Getting in there late but I use baby shampoo but also a little extra virgin olive oil for my tougher brushes like eyeliner and lip brushes.

I also use a baby wipe after each time I do my make-up and literally wipe the brushes on there for a quick clean.

Feb 10, 2011

Elizabeth T.

Thanks Louise! That is a great idea since I move from color to color with the same brush. Thanks for your imput :)

Feb 11, 2011

Kristen A.

I use CVS's Essence of Beauty Brush Cleanser for spot treatments and regular Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo for deep cleaning. I don't believe water by itself would clean your brushes. You wouldn't wash your dishes with plain water, would you?

I don't feel you need to use a company's cleanser. They have them for convenience, but they aren't necessary. MAC cleanser can work for any brush and baby shampoo can work on MAC. Ya know?

Hope this helps! :D

Feb 11, 2011

Vivian L.

Gotta go with most of the girls here and say - BABY SHAMPOO!
So far, my brushes are all okay, hardly any shedding issues and they are definitely clean! I usually soak my brushes for a bit before lathering them up in shampoo. 

Feb 11, 2011

Kristen I.

I use hair conditioner, gets the job done for my brushes :)

Feb 11, 2011

Yasmin K.

Mona Lisa brush soap. It's made to clean artist brushes. it's non-toxic and safe for cosmetic brushes. LOVE it. Keeps my brushes soft.

Feb 11, 2011

Jamie Lynn P.

Baby shampoo to "deep clean" but generally use Parian Spirit to "spot clean". Pour a little on a paper towel and swirl the brush in circles until it comes out clean. Parian Spirit dries super fast too so it's perfect on a gig.

Feb 11, 2011

Jamie Lynn P.

Oh, and one of the seasoned makeup pro taught me to use saddle soap to clean stained white brushes. Just make sure to wash it all out because it can be a little more oily than the others.

Feb 15, 2011

Jessenia P.

I also use baby shampoo because of how gentle it is. It doesn't make my brushes hard after washing it.

Feb 15, 2011

Christine R.

baby shampoo in palm of hand, swish brush around. rinse (making sure not to get water in to the par of the brush where the metal joining thing is, keep the brush facing down) repeat, until water runs clear. Lay flat to dry. WAHHLAA! clean brushes :)

Feb 17, 2011

Yasmin K.

@Jamie Lynn - I've used saddle soap only once on my brushes simply because I had some stubborn stains. Like you mentioned the brushes needs to be rinsed out really well since Saddle Soap is oily (since it's meant to hydrate a saddle while washing it).

As I stated above I use Mona Lisa brush soap, to be specific I use the Mona Lisa Pink Soap. It works just as well as saddle soap except without the oil. I bought the 1 oz bottle from Hobby Lobby using a 40% off coupon which made the total, after tax, only around $1.60. Would have bought the larger bottle except they were sold out. That little bottle has lasted me almost two months now I use it once a week on my brushes. I do a daily clean with a normal brush spray.

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/search/default.aspx?searchTerm=Mona+Lisa+Pink+Soap

Feb 25, 2011

Elizabeth T.

Thanks Yasmin! I will have to make a trip for the Mona Lisa Pink Soap :)
Thanks everyone for the responses! 

Feb 26, 2011

Hazel E.

i just use my purity cleanser!

Feb 27, 2011

Ebony B.

olive oil and shampoo works and moisturizes your brushes so you dont leave them dull

Feb 27, 2011

DJ M.

Baby shampoo seems to be a good choice, especially for real hair brushes. 

Feb 27, 2011

Elizabeth T.

@Yasmin K
I just bought the Mona Lisa Pink Soap and WOW it's amazing!
It pulled so much makeup out of my brushes.. my foundation brush looks brand new now! Thanks for the reccommendation! I will def spread the word about this amazing soap! 

Feb 27, 2011

Yasmin K.

You're welcome! :D And a little does go a long way. Like I've said before it's not expensive, if you can find it at Michaels or Hobby Lobby use a coupon to score it for less. The nice thing about it you'll find once your brushes dry it will be soft.

Here's another of my tips.

To dry your brushes I recommend going to a dollar type store or Target's $1 section and buy a metal basket. Remove the handles and flip it over onto a towel. Put your brushes through the holes upside down from the top (so the water from the bristles drip down to the towel) and allow your brushes to dry. You can take a wire cutter to cut away pieces of wire for fatter brushes and a needle nose pliers to squeeze other areas if the holes are too large for the brush.

If you can't find wire baskets you can use a large old coffee can (plastic or metal) and punch holes on the top and along the bottom rim (for ventilation) and hang your brushes just the same way.

Glad you found the Mona Lisa Pink Soap to work well. I just it myself. :D

Feb 28, 2011

Andrea C.

to deep clean my powder brushes i use baby shampoo and for my brushes i use cream products with i uses olive oil and then i use baby shampoo. i also make my own spot cleaner all you need is a spay bottle water, baby shampoo, and a little bit of rubbing alcohol then shake it up and ur good to go