It is important to distinguish your synthetic makeup brushes from your natural makeup brushes. Synthetic brushes are made from different types of fibers, such as nylon and taklon, while natural brushes are made from various animal hairs, including horse, squirrel, and goat.

To properly cleanse both types you can simply purchase a good quality makeup brush cleaner. You can find various types online or at your favorite makeup store. This type of product is ideal for cleaning both natural and synthetic makeup brushes because they not only remove the dirt, makeup, and bacteria, they also disinfect and condition the bristles. This preserves the condition of your brushes, allowing for a longer shelf life.

Another way you can clean your brushes at home without spending money is to fill your sink with a mixture of mild shampoo with warm water. Dip in only the bristle part of the brush and shake it back and forth until the shampoo creates foam on the brush. Then rinse with warm water until all the shampoo is removed. Next, gently squeeze the bristles to remove as much excess water as possible and use a towel to squeeze out the remaining water. When your brushes have been thoroughly cleaned, rinsed and dried, place them on the edge of a counter – with the bristles hanging off the edge – until they are completely dry.

Of course makeup brushes aren’t the only beauty tools that need to be cleaned regularly. One quick way to clean beauty tools such as eyelash curlers, nail tools, curling irons, and other items made of steel or types of metal is to take a cotton ball and soak it in vinegar or rubbing alcohol and gently wipe down the surface and dry them. To clean your blow dryer use an old toothbrush to clean out the dryer’s grill and clean any detachable parts in a sink full of warm water and a touch of bleach. Never submerge a blow dryer or curling iron in water, even if it is unplugged.