Dirty Makeup Brushes and Acne: How to Prevent Breakouts
When it comes to your face, how often do you clean your tools? The ugly answer for most of us — especially when it comes to dirty makeup brushes and acne — is not even close to enough.
According to HuffPo:
- 61% of us clean our makeup brushes once a month
- 39% clean them less than that, and
- 22% never clean them at all.
People! We have got to do better. Our skin demands it. Here’s everything you need to know about dirty makeup brushes and acne — from why they’re connected to how you can break their bond.
Why dirty makeup brushes and acne are connected
Every time you use a dirty makeup brush, acne gets a chance to set up shop. Unwashed tools breed bacteria and trap dirt. Each time you “put on your face” with a dirty brush, you’re putting all the old makeup and little microbes that live on your skin back where they don’t belong. (If that doesn’t give you the willies, I don’t know what will.) This can also trigger your skin’s defense mechanisms, which will try to fight off bacterial overload. That can clog your pores and oil glands.
In extreme cases, you may see a rash or blisters, but for most of us, it will surface in the form of plain old acne. What’s worse: if you don’t know dirty makeup brushes are the cause of your breakouts, you’ll just continue the cycle perpetually. Over time, that can lead to infections and can make you more prone to wrinkles. (Don’t even get us started on sharing makeup brushes and all the horrors that causes.)
Why clean brushes are better
Cleaning your brushes regularly keeps their fibers soft and prevents bristles from getting gunky. Don’t forget: clean tools, flawless application. When you’re working with a clean brush or blender, your tools will work better, which means a better application. You can also apply less makeup to your face, which is good for your skin and your wallet. Makeup brushes and sponges are an investment! A little elbow grease and the right tools are all it takes to protect them.
How to clean dirty makeup brushes
Blendercleanser Solid cleansers are made to turn dirty makeup brushes and sponges back into the tools you love. While our lavender solid smells lovely and our original is perfect for travel, we recommend our charcoal solid for heavy cleanup jobs. It’s 5 times bigger than the original and it’s infused with charcoal to pull out any stubborn impurities or stains, so it’s the perfect weapon for cleaning multiple blenders and large brushes.
Here’s how you do it:
1. Wet your blender.
2. Rub it on the solid cleanser to lather, making sure to work it into all sides of the Beautyblender.
3. Use the silicone scrubbing mat (which comes with the cleanser) to massage out the product and stains. The textured material will help you avoid rips and tears, but be sure not to dig your nails in as that can damage your blender.
4. Squeeze out any excess soap, pushing product out of your blender.
5. Rinse until blender is clean.
6. Give it one last squeeze in a clean, dry towel and let it air dry in an open space.
And there you have it! No more microbial mayhem for you. You can also snag some liquid Blendercleanser for when your sponges need a spa day, as well as Instaclean dry cleanser for waterless, instant spot cleansing between washes.
Want a few more resources to keep you clean and covered?
