Thursday, March 5, 2015

Snowed in??? Clean your brushes!!!!!!!

Snowed In??????????

While this winter hasn’t produced much as far as snow accumulation, it has caused quite a few days full of ice and nasty weather, resulting in lots of time at home with my little guy without much to do. 

A perfect idea for what to do on a spontaneous day off if you don’t have cleaning to do or little ones to entertain, or if they have gone off to their naps and you are searching for something to do on your own, is to clean your makeup brushes!!!  


Lots of people think this is something that should be done only if you practice makeup professionally, but in truth you should be cleaning your own makeup brushes, or at minimum sanitizing them on a weekly basis.  While sanitizing them will remove the bacteria on your brushes, cleaning them will actually remove the built up makeup and oils that have sunken in over time.  And trust me, after just one cleaning, and seeing the amount of makeup that comes out of your brushes, you will never go an extended period of time again without making sure you clean them good.

So how exactly should you go about cleaning your brushes? I like to use baby shampoo for mine, because it is gentle enough on the hairs of the brush, while cleaning and providing a fresh scent as well.  I always start with a bowl of lukewarm water mixed with a teaspoon or two of baby shampoo.  Next take each brush and begin by running it under some warm water and swirling it on your hand to loosen up any residual or built-up makeup that is on or in the brush.  Be careful to avoid the part of the brush where handle meets the actual brush.  Over time this can loosen the glue and cause the brush to fall apart.  But don’t stress if it gets wet.  We will discuss proper drying of the brushes shortly so that any moisture that does get in there will drain properly.


Next, take the brush and swirl the tip around in the water/shampoo mixture.  This is where you will begin to see the magic!!  Haha, you will be surprised at the amount of makeup that will come out of the brush, and if this is your first time cleaning your brushes maybe even a little bit shocked.  Make sure that the entire “swirling” process in the soapy water is only for about 10 seconds top so that the water doesn’t begin seeping up into the brush handle.  When you are done, run the brush under some water while swirling it in the palm of your hand to remove the soap.  If necessary, and if some time has passed in between cleanings, repeat the steps above until the water runs clear.



Take the clean brush, squeeze out the excess water with your fingers, reshape it as best you can and lay it, bristles down, on a slanted surface or brush stand.  I have an old crib wedge that I had used for my son that I lay a soft towel over and lay my brushes on that.  You can also just roll a towel and use that as seen below.  I also give it a gentle swipe or two on the towel before leaving it to dry.



Repeat all steps with each brush until all of your brushes are clean.  After about 24 hours, I leave mine for 48 if I have the time, your brushes should be dry and softer than before you washed.

Now keep in mind, while baby shampoo is great for cleaning, you should also antibacterialize your brushes often to avoid transferring any bacteria from the brush to your face.  This is especially important if you use your brushes on anyone other than yourself.  GloMinerals has a great brush cleaner that you can simply spray on your brushes and wipe on a soft towel or clothe. 



For more information, or to purchase a bottle of glominerals brush cleaner contact Ruthie’s Eyes studio at (610)724-3808!

-Sheena

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