The Importance of Sanitizing

Before we even begin to talk about makeup we must talk about the importance of keeping your makeup clean. Think about it. You're makeup is something that comes into direct, prolonged contact with your skin which is, as we all know, the largest organ of the human body. If you aren't cleansing your brushes and disinfecting your makeup on a regular basis you are spreading bacteria and goodness knows what else all over your face...every single day. That's just gross! Keeping your brushes and cosmetics clean is actually very simple and affordable.

Here's how:

To clean brushes you will need antibacterial dish soap, olive oil, a dish and a towel.

1. Pour a small amount of both the antibacterial dish soap and the olive oil in a dish. A plate or bowl will work. The soap disinfects while the olive oil conditions the hairs of the brush.
2. Swirl brush in the soap & olive oil. Gently brush the hairs of the brush across the palm of your hand, working the cleanser into the brush.
3. Wash the brush under warm water. Make sure to avoid getting water onto the handle or above the ferrule (the metal piece above the hairs) as this will loosen the glue. Repeat until water runs clear and soap is gone.
4. Gently pat the brush dry with towel and lay brush on its side to dry or put on a brush guard and tip upright in a glass with hairs pointing down.

Do this once a week, at least. To keep your brushes clean in between weekly cleanings, wipe off your brushes on a baby wipe and/or spray them with a brush cleanser. Here's the one I use.

To clean your cosmetics (powders, creams, etc) you will need either 99% alcohol or a professional makeup sanitizer. 99% alcohol does the job but it tends to dry out and alter your makeup over time. The professional makeup sanitizers contain emollients that prevent your makeup from becoming dried out.
If you use the 99, simply put some into a small spray bottle. Hold it 6 inches from your makeup and spray. If you'd like a professional sanitizer I highly recommend Beauty So Clean's Cosmetic Sanitizer Mist. If you buy the large bottle it will seriously last you forever. Also, you can use a tissue to wipe off the surface of your shadows, cream products, etc. to help remove bacteria in between cleanings but a disinfectant is the only way to guarantee that you're killing those ucky germs.

If you follow these steps and make cleaning your beauty products a habit, your skin will be clearer and cleaner, and your makeup and brushes will last longer and work better. Do it. Do it now!