best way to wash makeup brushes review
Best Way to Wash Makeup Brushes Review
Quick Scoop: The most consistently recommended method is to wet only the bristles, use a gentle cleanser or shampoo, massage the brush in your palm or on a cleaning mat, rinse until the water runs clear, reshape, and dry flat.
[1][5][6]What works best
Across beauty guides and user discussions, the simplest hand-wash method comes out on top because it cleans well without roughing up the bristles. Professional-style advice emphasizes lukewarm water, gentle circular motions, and keeping water away from the ferrule so the brush glue does not loosen.
[5][6]For the cleanser, gentle shampoo or castile soap is the safest mainstream choice, while some users also like mild dish soap for tougher buildup. Forum comments are more cautious about dish soap because it can dry out bristles if used often.
[2][3][1]Best cleaning methods
| Method | Pros | Cons | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand washing with gentle shampoo | Cheap, effective, low risk to bristles | Takes a few minutes per brush batch | Most makeup brushes |
| Cleaning mat or glove | Helps lift packed-on product faster | Extra tool to buy and clean | Dense foundation or concealer brushes |
| Dish soap | Strong on heavy makeup | May dry out fibers with frequent use | Occasional deep cleans |
Beauty writers and makeup artists often recommend a cleaning mat because its texture helps dislodge pigment faster, but it is more of a convenience upgrade than a necessity. If you do not want another product, the palm-of-hand method still gets the job done well.
[6][5]Best practice steps
- Wet only the bristles with lukewarm water. [6]
- Add a small amount of gentle cleanser to your palm or a mat. [5][6]
- Swirl the brush gently until makeup breaks down. [1][5]
- Rinse thoroughly and repeat until the water runs clear. [3][9][6]
- Squeeze out excess water, reshape, and lay flat to dry. [9][6]
A useful rule from both guides and forum advice is to avoid soaking the whole brush in water, because that can loosen the glue over time. Drying flat or angled downward also helps prevent water from seeping into the handle.
[7][9][6]Review verdict
The **best overall way** to wash makeup brushes is still the old-school hand wash with a gentle cleanser, followed by careful rinsing and flat drying. It is the most balanced option for cleanliness, brush longevity, and cost.
[1][5][6]If you want faster cleanup, a textured mat is a solid add-on, especially for dense face brushes. If you need a tougher deep clean, a small amount of dish soap can work occasionally, but gentler shampoo is the safer regular choice.
[4][5][6]TL;DR
- Best overall: gentle shampoo or castile soap, hand-washed. [3][6][1]
- Best tool upgrade: a cleaning mat. [10][5]
- Avoid: soaking the ferrule or drying brushes upright. [7][9][6]
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
[2][3][7]