How to clean your brushes
I am in awe of makeup. The ability to transform oneself with a few
flicks of the wrists (or with careful, brain-surgeon precision) is
empowering and can lift your day. However, like any artist, you can
only be your absolute best when you have the correct tools on hand. There are literally hundreds of brushes out there, but as eco-conscious consumers we only need a few of the best. What you will need
Bronzer/powder (mineral) foundation: The big, swirly, soft brushes are best at dispersing colour without tell-tale lines.
Blush:
A smaller, mid-soft brush about the size of the cheeks of your apples.
You want a little more definition that a bronzer brush. Angled if you
like to sculpt cheekbones, but with practice you can sculpt without an
angled brush.
Eye:
Two essential brushes here. A small rounded flat brush for contouring
and general colour, and a hard, slanted flat brush for lining eyes, or
for imparting colours close to the lashline.
Lip: For those days when you are wearing a highly pigmented lipstick and need perfect lines in the application Taking care of your brushesIf
you like to take good care of your skin, you want to keep your brushes
in top condition as well. Even after a week of use, millions of dirt
particles,grease and bacteria are nestling in those fibres, as well as
old makeup which has oxidized and become rancid on the brush. You
should clean your brushes once a fortnight, perhaps after applying
makeup in the morning so they have a day and a night to dry. Treat
your brushes like your hair. First, wet the bristles with warm water,
and be careful not to get the top of the bristles (where they meet the
handle) wet, as over time this will weaken the glue and the bristles
will fall out. Then drop a small 5c-sized dollop of mild shampoo in the
palm of your hand. Baby shampoo is recommended for this. Swirl your
brush in your palm, rinsing and repeating several times (without adding
more shampoo) until the water runs clear. Do a final wash with a fresh
dollop of shampoo (half the size of the first) and repeat process. Using
a clean towel, gently squeeze any excess water out of the bristles.
Slap the brush on your towel covered-hand (yes, like a dominatrix and
her whip). Finally, take a smidge of gentle conditioner and brush it
lightly with your finger over the tips of your brush. Leave for 5
minutes (continue with your other brushes), then rinse and dry as you
did after shampooing. Lie your brushes down flat on a towel in
the sun, which will naturally help kill any leftover bacteria. Never
stand your brushes on end if they are wet as the water will run down
the shaft and weaken the fibres. This is a good habit to get
into, especially if you are trying to reduce blackheads and pimples
(aren’t we all!). After all, an artist always looks after their tools!
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