Cleaning your makeup brushes thoroughly and frequently is essential if you hope to create perfect, flawless beauty looks and keep your skin clear and radiant.

The importance of cleansing your makeup brushes cannot be emphasised enough. Packed with left over product and impurities, a brush that has not been cleansed properly in an extended period of time can harbour bacteria which can negatively effect on your skin, leading to blemishes and imperfections.

Makeup artists and skin experts alike reccomend that we should be cleaning our makeup brushes at least once a week in order to keep our skin clear and enhance the performance of our brushes.

Whether you’re new to cleaning your makeup brushes or need a few tips and tricks, we’ve compiled a step by step guide to help you keep your brushes thoroughly clean and in wonderful condition.

How to clean makeup brushes: Step by step

Wet your brushes with lukewarm water, facing the head of the brush downwards
Take a small amount makeup brush cleanser or a gentle soap
Swirl the bristles of your brush in the soap in gentle circular motions
Continue to swirl until all the colour has come out of the bristles
Rinse all soap and excess product away, repeat cleansing if necessary
Rid the bristles of any excess water by squeezing moisture on to a clean towel
Reshape the brush gentle with your hands
Leave the brush to air dry for a couple of hours until completely dry and ready to use

The best makeup brush cleaners

Finding the right products and tools to help clean your makeup brushes can help to speed up the cleansing process and take a way a lot of the effort that comes with weekly ritual of cleansing your brushes.

SIGMA 2X Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove

Thoroughly clean your favourite makeup brushes without damaging their shape or texture with the Sigma 2X Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove. Ideal for cleaning face and eye brushes, the glove shaped cleaning tool is comfortable and so easy to use.

With more control and grip, eahc bristle will be cleansed, removing all products and impurities with ease. With eight different textures, the Sigma 2X Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove makes cleaning your brushes a breeze.

MAC Brush Cleanser

Expertly clean, disinfect and condition your makeup brushes with the MAC Brush Cleanser. Specially formulated to effectively cleanse, prolong and enhance the performance of your brushes, the cleanser lifts away dirt and impurities, leaving your brushes completely free from product with a light scent.

Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser

If you like to use a variety of colours to create an intricate makeup look, you may need to spot clean your brushes in between shades. The Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser quickly and effectively removes colour build up on your brushes, giving you full control over your look.

Simply spray one pump of the Makeup Brush Cleanser on to each side of your brush, tissue off make-up residue, leave to dry for 1-2 minutes and your brush is ready to use.

Sigma Dry’n Shape Tower Face & Eyes

If you’re limited on space and worried about the shape of your brushes, the Sigma Dry’n Shape Tower Face & Eyes is the perfect tool to help you dry and reshape your brushes so they look perfect after cleansing.

Designed to squeeze dry your brushes upside down to keep bristles in tact and ensure their shape, the Dry’n Shape Tower holds up to 44 brushes and allows each one to dry perfectly every time.