How to Keep Make-up Brushes in Good Shape

In the old days, Makeup Artists are among the few people who use brushes for Make-up application. Ordinary people usually use fingers and those little sponge-tip applicators supplied in Make up compacts.

Nowadays it is not uncommon for any of us to have a full set of brushes just for daily Makeup requirements. Brushes of good-quality are not cheap. However, well-made ones can often last a decade or more, if they are cared for properly.

Storage: Please store your Makeup brushes carefully. It could be a cup-shape container on your dresser counter, in which the end of the brushes with the hair stay on top. You can also use a brush roll or holder that include individual slots for different brushes. If you need to put all of your brushes into a Make-up bag for easy storage and travel, please use a bag made of firm material and whose length is longer than the longest brush in your collection. This is to ensure that the shape of the hair arrangement is maintained. High-end brushes are usually hand-made so that all of the hair is aligned to the perfect shape for soft and smooth application of colours. If the hairs get twisted or bent, the resulting application of products will not be even.

Cleaning: Clean-up after every use is ideal, but unfortunately not always feasible. However, do at least tap off excess products after every use on a kleenex. Then once every one to two weeks, use a brush cleaner or mild shampoo to throughly clean out all the product build-up. Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo works very well for this. Try not to wet the ferrule (the metal part that holds all the hair together) of the brushes. After rinsing with cool water, wipe off excess moisture from the hair, then lay the the brushes flat on a paper towl to air dry. Do not leave the brushes upright with the hair on the top while they are still wet, as the moisture will seep into the hair in the ferrule and loosen the glue or cause rotting inside. Once in a while, a light touch of hair conditioner or natural essential oils can also help revive the luster of brushes made with natural hair. N.B. Do not use rubbing alcohol to clean Make-up brushes that have natural hair, as it will dry out the hair over time.

If you prefer the brushes to dry quickly after each clean-up, you might like professional brush cleaners. When I work on set for film, fashion, photography, or when I do Makeup for multiple Bridesmaids and Moms in a Wedding party, I clean and disinfect all of my brushes after using them on each actor, model or client. After a few swirls in the professional brush cleaner, these brushes can be dried with a tissue and ready for immediate use. My favourite cleaner is made by Cinema Secrets, which will "clean, sanitize, deodorize and condition", "kills viruses, bacteria and removes all traces of make-up, creams, waxes and powders." They are also "environmentally safe and non-carcinogenic." Available from www.hollynorth.com.

Michelle Wong
Vancouver Makeup Artist
www.michellemakeup.com