Cleaning makeup brushes is an important task to maintain good hygiene and prevent the buildup of bacteria, oil, dirt, and makeup residue that can cause skin irritations, infections, and acne breakouts. Here are some tips on how to clean makeup brushes:

1. Rinse the tips of your brushes under lukewarm, running water to remove residual makeup. Only rinse the tip, as submerging the whole brush head will eventually dissolve the glue that connects the brush head to the handle.

2. Use a gentle shampoo or clarifying shampoo to clean your brushes. Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and add a tablespoon of shampoo. Swirl each brush in the mixture, gently pushing it across the bottom to clean.

3. Rub a small amount of warm olive or almond oil into the brush to help dissolve any oil clinging to the bristles. Then, rub a natural soap into the bristles to dissolve the oil. This helps deep clean the brush but doesn’t disinfect it, so then use a brush cleaner recipe to disinfect.

4. Use a brush-cleaning glove or pad made of soft silicone with small raised bumps to help loosen the solidified makeup on your brushes.

5. Rinse the brushes under running water until the water runs clear.

6. Squeeze out excess water from the bristles using clean, dry paper towels. Then, lay your brushes flat to dry on a towel with the tips hanging off the edge of the counter. Do not dry your brushes upright in a container, as this will cause the water to run down the brushes, loosening the glue that connects the brush head with the handle.

It is recommended to clean your makeup brushes every 7 to 10 days.