Okay, admit it. How often do you really clean your makeup brushes?

I do it weekly, but would notice that there was still build-up on the brushes even after using soap and water to clean it. And then I found the SECRET. Soap and water alone wouldn’t remove the dirt, grime and oil build-up from my skin. WHAT?! Why not?

Well, that’s because over time your makeup brushes accumulate dirt, grime, oil from your face, and makeup, of course. Water and soap alone may not get everything out. So what’s the secret? Oil.

Wait, what?!!! Yes, carrier oils like almond oil or avocado oil help to get rid of most of the oil and makeup build-up from your brushes. That’s because oil attracts oil – similar to the idea behind the oil cleansing method (OCM).

So how do you clean those brushes with oil and soap? There’s a method to it that I’ll explain below…

DIY Makeup Brush Cleaner

Clean your make-up brushes weekly with this gentle, yet clarifying technique to remove the dirt, grime and oils that build up on your brushes.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp almond oil (or other carrier oil)
• 1 tsp liquid castile soap
• 1 drop lemon essential oil (where to buy)
• 1 drop tea tree (melaleuca) essential oil (where to buy)

Directions

1. Use almond oil or avocado oil to remove the dirt, oil, and grime from the make-up brush. Massage the carrier oil into the bristles and wipe back and forth on a washcloth or small bowl.
2. Once most of the make-up has been removed, wet the make-up brush under warm water. Use castile soap and essential oils to create a lather and gentle clean the bristles of the brush. Go back and forth and squeeze out excess water and add more clean water as needed. Keep doing this and add more castile soap as needed until brushes no longer have make-up.
3. Rinse brush out thoroughly.
4. Let brush air dry for a day, and then starting using again.

Video Tutorial

Let me show you how to clean your makeup brushes. Watch this DIY Makeup Brush Cleaner tutorial in action.

Photo credit: Bigstockphoto.com / manera