The Cheapest Way to Clean Makeup Brushes

The Cheapest Way to Clean Makeup Brushes using Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap
The Cheapest Way to Clean Makeup Brushes using Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap
The Cheapest Way to Clean Makeup Brushes using Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap

shop my: make up cleaner // make up brushes // my makeup // clear makeup holder // hand towels

Ok so it’s noooo secret I have a little OCD, and especially when it comes to taking care of my skin. Like any another girl though, I’ve never been one to build a routine around cleaning makeup brushes after every use (does anyone actually do that?!?) and sometimes the makeup tends to build up and they can be hard to wash.

About a year and a half ago, I had the brilliant idea to use Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap (you can buy the kind I use at Sprouts or here) in place of those annoying and tiny $25 bottles of  “brush cleaner” from Sephora and it is LIFE-CHANGING. Plus, you can dilute it and use it to clean just about anything: floors, counters, dog bowls……you know. More about that below.

Cleaning makeup brushes usually falls at the bottom of my to-do list, but once I learned that the brushes can harbor bacteria and that cleaning them with the wrong cleaner can cause even MORE build-up… I was like, no thanks. I feel like when I was using other brush cleaners from places like Sephora, I would have to clean, rinse, and wash each brush like 7 times before I got all the gunk out. This soap is so strong I only have to do it once!

The Cheapest Way to Clean Makeup Brushes using Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap

Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap is gentile and versatile enough to wash your face, your floors, or your dog with lol. Plus it is certified organic and contains no synthetic foaming agents, thickeners, preservatives, fragrances, dyes, or whiteners. But it IS super concentrated, so remember to only use a small amount and to dilute it with water. I’ve had the bottle a little over a year and I haven’t even used a fourth!

The Cheapest Way to Clean Makeup Brushes using Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap

How I Clean My Makeup Brushes:

  1. Wet the brush
  2. Put a *tiny* drop of Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap on it
  3. Roll the brush around in the palm of your hand with the sink running until makeup comes off brush
  4. Rinse it (and enjoy watching all the gross make up wash off in the sink!!)
  5. Lay the brush on a paper towel to dry overnight

THAT’S IT. Sooo much gunk comes out right away and I only need to do it once for each brush! If I’m ever in a hurry to clean them, you can also just dry your brushes off with your blow dryer. Works like a charm and the brushes don’t feel film-y or stiff the next day 🙂

Let me know if you guys try this OR if there is a soap out there that does it even better! More links to the soap in different scents below. I like lavender!

Photos by the amazing Karlie Colleen Photography!

xx- @bbooks

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