MakeUp Brush Guide Part Two: How To Spot Clean Your MakeUp Brushes

'I love cleaning my makeup brushes'.
Said no one ever.
Let's face it, makeup brush cleaning is no one's favorite job. It's time consuming, mind numbing, and repetitive. However the benefits far outweigh the negatives: your brushes have a longer life, makeup application is easier, and the risk of bacteria transfer is lessened. No more mini civilizations living in your brushes!

I have two ways of keeping my brushes lovely and clean: spot cleaning and deep cleaning. In this post I'm going to give a rundown on spot cleaning, as it's an everyday job that doesn't take much time, and does so much good in the long run.

To clean your brushes you'll need:
- brush cleaner (MAC, No7, Crown Brush, Cinema Secrets, MakeUp Forever, Bobbi Brown, BateMonerals. Do NOT use plain rubbing alcohol*)
- towel, kitchen paper, or a face cloth
- small cup with 20ml water
- drying rack or something to keep your brushes vertical/ at an angle
*rubbing alcohol by itself will just dry out your brush bristles and handle over time

For powder products and small to medium brushes: 
Start off by using your chosen brush to apply a product. 
Once you've used a brush, simply squirt a small amount of cleaner onto your clothes or kitchen paper. 
Gently rub the brush back and forth to remove any leftover product. 
Pop your brushes into your drying rack and leave to dry.

For cream/ liquid products: these are definitely a bit trickier. I found MAC cleaner to really under perform in removal when using the powder technique, especially with my 187 foundation brush. 
What I do now is add a squirt of cleaner to the water in your cup, and swirl it around. You can also press it against the edges but be careful to not get liquid high up in the brush so the fibres don't loosen. 
Gently press into the cloth to remove and water, and repeat if necessary. These will take a little longer to dry but it definitely helps prevent product build up.

So that's it! If you clean as you go, it takes absolutely no time at all and can easily be built in to your everyday routine. The best bit? Make up cleansers contain isopropyl alcohol, so dry almost instantly, meaning you can use the same brush again after a few minutes. Winner!

I hope this has helped some of you anyway! Let me know below if you have a different method, or can recommend another brushe cleaner. I've got my eye on the Make Up For Ever one but would love to hear any suggestions!

Claire x

MAC Soft and Gentle Review

Today I've decided to review the latest addition to my collection; Soft and Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish by MAC.

To me Soft & Gentle is a bit of an apple pie; Everyone knows it and most people love it. So I'm really feeling a bit late to the party on this one. It works well on most fair to medium skintones as a basic highlight, although darker tones may prefer a more bronze toned highlight. I think MAC's claims of a "gilded peach bronze" may be a tad ambitious. I have (untanned) sallow skin, and swatched I could see champagne and white gold tones, with a light peach frosted sheen. Again, it's definitely at the lighter end of the spectrum.

Now I had originally believed that application would be the easiest thing ever (it's a powder, not rocket science. I can handle it), however I honestly was pretty frustrated during the process. I used my Paul & Joe all over face powder brush (natural tapered bristles), and I don't know if it's the brush or the skinfinish, but I found it really difficult to judge the amount of product I was picking up. I know that sometimes on first use MAC products can seem to have a film over them that needs to be removed before the full effect comes through (Wash & Dry collection I'm looking at you) so I did give it a rub over with a tissue. Even still, I found that until you begin to apply it you can't tell how much you're working with. So in my opinion this something that needs to be built up in light layers. I suppose the plus side to this is being able to create a slight glow and also a very strong highlight. 

At the end of the day I'm not surprised to see so many people absolutely loving Soft and Gentle. It works on most skintones, it's not over the top and yet can be brought up to a more intense finish, and it's a product that gives a natural glow as opposed to something totally artificial. On the other hand it is a very generic highlighter, and didn't blow me away at all. I'd recommend it as a reliable part of any kit, but it's not something I'd reach for first.

Have you tried Soft and Gentle? I'd absolutely love to hear your thoughts!
Claire x