DIY Makeup Brush Cleaner (Without Harsh Chemicals)

Whether you run an online makeup tutorial site or you’re just someone who loves applying makeup every day, you need to keep your makeup brushes in top shape, so they give you the best finish you want and serve you for a long period of time.

Cleaning your makeup brushes is very important as they can accumulate bacteria and germs. You should know that a dirty brush is one of the main reasons for acne and breakouts.

While an unclean makeup brush is a perfect ground for bacterial proliferation, using a clean brush on acne and reusing it without cleaning can also contaminate it, causing your skin to break out every time you use the brush.

Many times, cleaning a makeup brush with just water doesn’t remove all the buildup on it and using harsh soap may ruin the brush strands. You need something that effectively cleans the brushes without destroying the brush strands.

Steps to make DIY Makeup Brush Cleaner

What better way to do this than to make a DIY makeup brush cleaner!

You can make one at home without any fuss by just using witch hazel, liquid castile soap, extra-virgin olive oil, and distilled water.

You would be surprised by how effectively this cleaner works in removing the dirt while keeping the brush’s bristles intact and soft.

Things you’ll need:

• Witch hazel - ¼ cup
• Liquid castile soap - 1 teaspoon
• Extra-virgin olive oil - ½ teaspoon
• Distilled water - ½ cup

Single-Step Method: Combine all the ingredients and mix

• Pour ¼ cup of witch hazel into a mixing jar and add 1 teaspoon of liquid castile soap to it.
• Put ½ teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil and pour ½ cup of distilled water into the mixing jar.
• Whisk all the ingredients together using a hand whisker.
• Transfer the mixture into a reusable spray bottle and secure the cap.
• Label the container as a DIY makeup brush cleaner.

How to use the Makeup Brush Cleaner

• Spray wisps of the mixture on the brush’s bristles until they are wet.
• Wipe the brush using a paper towel to clean the dirt in it.
• Alternatively, you can fill a cup with enough liquid cleaner to submerge the bristles of the brush and leave it for a few minutes.
• Swirl and agitate the brush a little in the cleaner to loosen up the built-up residue.
• Remove the brush and wipe it using a paper towel.
• Hang the brushes to dry, bristles down, for 24 to 48 hours.

Some additional helpful tips

• Once you are done with your makeup, use a makeup setting spray to finish your look.
• Never forget to take off makeup before going to bed.
• If you also use a beauty blender make sure to clean it regularly too.
• For extremely dirty brushes, you may need to wipe off the suds and dip the brush in the cleaner a second time.
• Make sure you wash the brushes facing down as the bristles may stand up or become unruly. This is also to prevent water from running down the shaft of the brush.
• You can also use sweet almond oil instead of extra-virgin olive oil to make the cleaner.
• Clean your brush at least once every week if you constantly use them, and you have acne-prone skin.