Makeup Brushes

Today's topic might seem like something that's tedious, but it's actually something extremely important. When we think of beauty we tend to think of the fun stuff like picking out our favorite makeup style and getting dolled up, but if you don't wash your makeup brushes on a regular basis then you are setting yourself up for clogged pores and those pesky pimples.

Now do I have your attention? This is why you want to just add washing those makeup brushes to your normal beauty routine. When you use bits of makeup then oil, dirt, and even bacteria get trapped into the bristles of the brush which can cause the breakouts and clogged pores. Not only is this regular habit good for your skin, but it can protect the brush's longevity which can save you moneyon those high-quality, expensive brushes.

So rather than go on and on about why you should wash your makeup brushes, another important feature is how often and how. If you look at various sources, you will see different answers. Dermatologist Ellen Marmur says “at least once a month” while fashion designer and lifestyle blogger Lauren Conrad says to make it a regular part of the beauty routine. So a light wash daily with a deep clean once a week is what Lauren recommends.

In my opinion, once a month doesn't seem thorough enough because considering that most of us apply our makeup on a daily basis, that means that for 30 days until that cleaning we are opening ourselves up to that bacteria to react with our skin. Now I agree more with Lauren Conrad. I typically try to wash my brushes once a week. Unless you are using a liquid foundation, I don't think that a daily wash is entirely necessary because I feel like the ingredients you use to wash will also interfere with the glue keeping the brush in tact.

When it comes to how to wash the brushes, there are a variety of different methods. Right now there is a debate about soaking them white vinegar. Some say it thoroughly cleans the brush while others say it's too harsh. There are also special brush shampoos and deep cleaners that you can buy. Honestly, I haven't had a problem using soap and water. I'll just squeeze a little soap onto the brush, make sure it gets in the crevices where the makeup gets, and then run it under hot water. After that I usually sit it on the edge of the counter and let the bristles hang off so it can air dry. I'll usually do this before I go to work or before I go to sleep so it has plenty of time to dry before my next use.

Since we talked about protecting the brushes longevity and since they can be relatively expensive, I figured I would offer some advice into which brands to invest in. I have heard that Sephora makes amazing brushes...professional quality. Now if you can't afford to spend the money on those brushes, I have some lower budget options. Most of the brushes in my collection are e.l.f. It's a brand that is found in Target, but you can also purchase them online at eyeslipface.com. They are great for the average woman to use. I've had mine for a couple years now and they are still in tact. They spread the makeup well and work great. If you sign up for the e.l.f email list, they occasionally send coupons including one to get the entire brush set for $.33 (I think you have to spend $30). I also have a couple of the Ulta brushes that I got for free with a purchase. I really don't use the blush brush (too small), but they eye shadow and blend brushes are another great investment.

Now recently I was sent the essential brush set from makeup artist Elaina Badro (she will be on my show mid-April). This set includes a foundation brush, contour bronzer/blush brush, shader eye brush, blending brush, synthetic angled liner brush, and the smudger brush. The foundation brush is smaller than I'm used to but what I do like about it is that when it comes to covering up blemishes, it gives more attention that my e.l.f one. For bronzer I was using a Sonia Kashuk, but this one has a little more focus on the cheek bones and jaw line. Then I love the fineness of the material used for the eye brushes.

The final thing I want to leave you with is that the quality of the brushes you pick is really based on your opinion, but please make sure to help take care of your skin by washing those brushes and getting rid of any of that old oil, dirt, and bacteria.