Spring Cleaning: Cleaning Makeup Brushes

When you put on your makeup, oil and bacteria can get trapped in the bristles of your brush. Cleaning your brushes on a regular basis can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores. Since makeup brushes are such a huge part of getting a beautiful application with your makeup, we spend quite a bit of money on them. When they are treated properly you can keep your brushes for over 10 years, so you definitely want to protect them!

1. I like to start the process by using a high concentration of alcohol to get most of the makeup out of my brushes. I spritz it on a tissue, and blot the makeup out of my brushes. This step is optional, but I especially recommend it for foundation and gel eyeliner brushes.
2. Next you want to wet the brush hairs with warmish water with the hairs pointing downwards. You want to keep the metal part of the brush, or wherever the hairs are glued on as dry as possible.
3. You want to use a mild shampoo, baby shampoo if you have it, and apply gently to the hairs, massaging the product out until the water runs clean.
4. When all your brushes are clean, gently fluff out some of the water and lay them down to dry on a towel. To prevent splaying of the hairs, reshape them to what they should look like. NEVER stand your brushes upright to dry as the water can run down and loosen the glue holding the brush together.
5. Let your brushes dry completely before using, drying time depends but if you do it in the morning after using them they should be dry by tomorrow morning to use them again.

Ideally everyone would clean their brushes after every use, but I know this is not reasonable. Try cleaning them once every 2 weeks or so(especially ones you use with a liquid or cream) and your face will thank you!

How often do you clean your makeup brushes?

xoxo

Spring Cleaning Series

How long has it been since you've cleaned out your makeup drawer or bag? If you're like most women, you may not be able to remember. To help with the clean up, I've put together a list of products and their suggested expiration dates. Keep in mind these are all suggested use within dates- you probably won't get an infection using your eye shadow from high school, but you will most likely have more breakouts using a three year old foundation.

Foundations: 1 to 2 years

Water based foundations are only good for one year, and oil based foundations are good up to two years. Using an expired foundations could cause breakouts and irritation.
Concealer: 1 to 2 years
Liquid concealers are only good for a year, where as stick or powder concealers can be used up to two years. Concealer is used to cover up blemishes, not create them!

Setting powder, powder bronzer and powder blushe: 2 years

Liquid bronzer and cream blush: 1 year

Mascara: 3 months
Mascara is definitely the product that we need to be the most careful with because as the brush is taken out, applied and placed back in the tube it takes with it any bacteria. Lingering bacteria can cause itchiness and redness, and even pink eye and sties. 

Eyeliner: 2 years

Lipstick and lip liner: 2 years

Lipgloss: 1 year

Moisturizers and other skincare: 2 years

Brushes: When properly taken care of they can last years.
Watch out for part 2 of my spring cleaning series to find out how often and how to clean your brushes!

Why to hire a professional makeup artist and what should you consider.

With wedding season quickly approaching I wanted to provide you with a guide to picking a makeup artist who is perfect for you and why you should hire a professional makeup artist for your wedding day.

You could just do your makeup yourself, why should you hire an artist?

1.     Knowledge is power. A professional makeup artist is trained on how to highlight and contour in just the right places, bring out your best features and cover up that blemish that showed up the night before your big day. Did you know that wearing a foundation with an SPF in it can actually make your face appear several shades lighter on camera?

2.     Your wedding party will be picture perfect. Does your sister love thick black eye liner and a light pink lip? Does your best friend prefer the no makeup approach? A professional makeup artist will take everyone’s opinion and personality into account to create a uniform look for the entire party.

3.     You deserve it. You spend so much time planning and a lot of money on your venue, the flowers, the dress, why skimp on your beautiful face? Although you may look beautiful on a day to day basis with your mascara, blush and gloss, for that big day hire someone who specializes in makeup for photography.

How to choose the makeup artist that is right for you.

1.     Ask around. Have you recently been to a wedding where the bride looked absolutely stunning? Let her know and find out who did her makeup!

2.     Review several makeup artists in your area including those recommended by others. Look at their portfolio and see if their makeup style matches your own. Watch for things like skin tone matching and attention to detail- do not ignore what looks like a red flag.

3.     Education and Sanitation. For me, the two go hand in hand. Are they educated on how to properly sanitize product or are they redipping mascara wands, putting dirty brushes in with the clean ones, etc.

4.     Personality. You will be spending the entire morning of your wedding with your makeup artist. She will most likely be in the room with you getting ready and will be one of the first people to see you in your dress, giving you that last swipe of gloss. Make sure she is someone you are comfortable with.

I hope you found my first post helpful and feel free comment with any questions.