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

Makeup Brush Guide Part 1: Choosing Your Brushes

As Philoctetes in Hercules said: 'A hero is only as good as his weapon'. That being said, a make up artist needs good tools. Brushes are an essential part of any good kit, however, with so many to choose from, it can be difficult to know what you need. The right brush will give you the best finish and maximise the quality of the products you're using. 
Until I learned what brushes different brushes were used for, and what I actually needed, I would mindlessly buy more and more and still find them to not really be right. So I decided to compile this little guide to help you figure out what you need and when you need it.

The Basics

Anatomy of a makeup brush
Almost every makeup brush is made from the head (bristles) and body (ferrule and handle).
Bristles can be natural or synthetic, and the handle can be wood or plastic. The ferrule is the connector between the bristles and handle and is usually metal.

Natural or synthetic?
Choosing between natural or synthetic bristles does make a big difference, believe it or not. Synthetic brushes are slightly more suited to liquid or cream products compared to natural brushes, as the hair is smoother and has less naturally occurring blemishes and doesn't trap products as much. 
Natural bristles are fantastic to use with powder products as they blend them so well, and give a beautiful finish.

Natural: pony, goat, squirrel, sable, horse, badger
Synthetic: acrylic, taklon

Types of Brushes

Makeup brushes can be divided into two main categories: face brushes and eye brushes. 
Eye brushes are an extensive category but can include:
Definer
Smudger
Blender
Pointed liner
Angled liner
Crease blender
Basic eyeshadow
And all can be small medium or large but I think my fingers may fall off if I try to list them all.

So hopefully this has helped break down the endless selection of brushes available for you. If you have any suggestions or comments please leave them below.

Claire x