make up brushes

[woodhill]

Was told recently that you should bin them as despite washing them, they are full of bacteria. How do you care for yours and how long do you keep them. I must admit some of them are over 10 years' old but going strong.

I still have some from the BodyShop when they did white handles and combed the hair from ponies

Most of mine are 5-20 years old (some predate my DS)

I don't wash them often but if I do it's in Aveda shampure or baby shampoo and lie on a towel.

My DD has some Real Technique, she wears make-up every day, I don't.

I have no idea if they do harbour bacteria.
I'm quite brutal with mascara at 3 months, it goes.

Other make-up I smell or see if it's gone manky.

My brushes stand in a glass on my dressing table. Any random bacteria could be anywhere?

My first set (from cosmetics to go in the 90s) lasted me 10 years, then upgraded to gap (& odd laura mercier/bobbi brown). They last makeup artists 5-10 years, so expect mine to last me rest of my life...

they do harbour bacteria though...so as a spotty teen i made sure to cleanse mine.

Mac do a makeup brush cleanser for £8 which is overpriced, but you could use once in a while (esp good for foundation/gel eyeliner/cream eyeshadow which can be difficult to remove otherwise), or sterilise with alcohol. I wash mine every few weeks ... with shampoo, handwash or facewash

My mac cleanser has run out after 2 years so now planning to spritz the washed brushes with alcohol (spray bottle of vodka, also good for deo stains on armpits of clothing apparently) and let dry on a towel.

The main way to keep the brushes going is to NEVER soak them: if really dirty mix shampoo in your hand & massage in before rinsing

I would not buy special products to clean, but the most effective from memory are S'by white hand wash, & Neutrogena pink grapefruit

I know far too much about this .. makeup artist in the family!

i get mine from body shop and a nice close eyeliner one from space NK

i wash them in bog standard soap

i am not ming infested

btw.. I don't mean GAP sorry, MAC... the sets they sell at Xmas are better value per brush, but depends how many you use.

You might also look into paint brushes (crown & newton water colour from an art shop) for almost identical brushes you can use for eyeshadows/liners - made of same type of bristle, much cheaper. I have not found a dupe for powder/blush in the art shop, but if I could, I would

I have a fear of makeup brushes for this reason. I have big brushes for blusher and bronzer - dry things - but always use fingers for foundation and concealer, and just little disposable cotton buds to apply eyeshadow.

I spot clean mine after every use and wash with shampoo once a month. Some are 10+ years old

My blusher brush is 25 years old! I give it a wash every so often in shampoo then blot it on a towel and let it dry without any heat. There are bacteria everywhere anyway

Powder products don't harbour bacteria... its the wet products that are the problem, so mascara as it touches lashes, and anything that you put your fingers in

I was told this info by an expert but tbh I have washed them in disinfectant and shampoo not soaking then put them on towel with heads air drying. I am satisfied.

Also cleared out make up and sharpened eye pencils.

I have two sets and wash them every Sunday in baby shampoo. Mine are the Real Techniques ones. I do bin mascara after three months though.

I wash my foundation brush with soap after every use. Foundation applied with fingers just doesn't look as good IMO.