Not too long ago, my Canon D500 was stolen at a bridal fair. It
was my husband's Mother's Day gift to me, and my heart bled with the loss.
Looking for something to comfort me, I though to myself, "I would rather
have the camera stolen than my brushes." Of course, that sentiment
wouldn't be shared by my photographer friends. My point is, at least, I could
wait and save up for another camera. Losing my brushes would mean that; A)
Business will stop for a while, B) I would go bankrupt recovering the cost of my
brushes and C) I would never be able to forgive myself. As much as I am makeup
obsessed, I am also brush obsessed. I go through phases and in the process,
have collected almost a hundred pieces. A DSLR would cost me around Php 40k -
but that will only bring me to around twenty pieces of brushes, on the
average.
This post is about taking care of your brushes - synthetic,
natural hair, cheap or expensive. I'll discuss my brush collection in another
post :)
So, how do I take care of my brushes? I've placed a rundown of
brush cleansing rituals I observe below.
DEEP CLEANSING
What I mean about deep cleansing is washing your brushes with
either a fragrant shampoo or body wash. I think as long as you love the scent
your shampoo leaves on your hair, it would be the best thing to use on your
brushes. But, should you really want to be anal about it, use clarifying
shampoo.
What you need:
- Shampoo/liquid soap
- Running water
- Towel
- Rack
- Soiled brushes
1. Squirt a tiny amount of your cleanser of choice, dampen your
brush and use it to lather on the palm of your hand. I like to use my hands and
not into containers because, like your hair, you know when you've thoroughly
cleaned and rinsed your brush. It also makes sure you avoid capillary action to
happen to damage the ferrule.
2. Rinse thoroughly. Like the hair on your head, you wouldn't want
any residue to build up on the brush once it dries.
3. Have a towel dedicated to your brushes. I recommend white
because you can see the stains if you weren't able to clean them well and you
can bleach the towel afterwards for any stains.
4. Have a tray or a drying rack handy to lay your brushes on. I
got mine at Daiso and it's meant to be used on plates. You can get it at Japan
Home also at only P88!
5. Once all washed brushes are done, squeeze all the excess water out of each one. Wrap the towel around the brush and gently squeeze.
6. Leave on the drying rack in a way that the bristles/hair are suspended. Place the brushes in an airy area.
If done correctly, your brushes will smell great and will look
great! Once dry, gently stroke the brushes so they retain the shape. Sometimes
a strong stream of air will make some strands stray, but this will do the
trick! I clean my brushes this way all the time and hardly rely on Brush
Cleanser. Why use wipes when you can wash your face, right? Oh, just in
case you still can’t get the color out of those brushes? Try good old
dishwashing detergent before shampooing!
QUICK FIX
I use brush cleansers to disinfect and quickly clean brushes in
between jobs (or even with a number of entourage heads). I've used MAC, Parian
Spirit (Japonesque carries this) and as of late, my good friend Angelo's own -
named after him and his string of salons here in the South. I've fallen in love
with Angelo's brush cleansers and I don't think I'd use any other anymore.
Here's a lowdown of the three.
1. MAC
Price: Approximately P700 for 233ml
Pros: Available at all MAC stores, no scent, disinfects and cleans
brushes generally well. The empty bottle is eligible to be returned for
the Back to MAC program as well (outside the Philippines).
Cons: Need to decant into a spritzer to economize, quite
pricey.
2. Japonesque by Parian Spirit
Price: Approximately P850 for 128ml
Pros: Smells so good! The scent is like citrus cologne. It also
cleans oil based makeup better and faster.
Cons: Expensive!
3. Angelo Falconi III
Price: Php 480 for 250ml
Pros: The cheapest and most effective in my book. It has two
variants, Extra Strength and Regular Strength. Extra Strength is for synthetic
brushes and oil based makeup and is excellent for those lip brushes we detest!
I use the Regular Strength to sanitize my already washed brushes and for those
I just use powder with.
Cons: It is available only at Purbeauty Serendra and Angelo
Falconi III salons.
The quick fix verdict? Angelo’s cleansers deliver and are
worth every penny. Brushes dry quicker, and are thoroughly cleansed even
without water and shampoo. Another tip, use the Regular Strength to spritz onto
pressed powders, eyeshadows and blush to disinfect them quickly. I kid you not,
I have used these cleansers on clothes and tables stained with makeup and they
have come off! And, no other brush cleanser in the market can take out the
lipstick on the lip brushed quite as well as the Extra Strength.
I am a skeptic, and at the same time, stingy. Believe you
me, Angelo’s brush cleansers are not only the most affordable in the market, it
is also the most effective. Read my tutorial on how to use his brush cleansers
here.
At the end of the day, you have to consider if you use your
makeup brushes for a living or just for yourself. We makeup artists deal with
different faces each time, and it is a must to observe hygiene at all times.
Don’t worry about the hair falling off your brushes. If you follow the steps
for deep cleaning, you’re actually helping their longevity – thus adding value
for your well-spent money.
So how do you clean your brushes? Let me know how you do it,
or if you’ve tried what I’ve shared!
