Makeup Brushes Pt 2: How I clean my brushes

Hello everyone! Today's topic of discussion is how I wash my makeup brushes. There are lots of different ways that you can do this, but I find this to be extremely easy- requires no mixing of any ingredients and costs about 99 cents! 

I use Johnson&Johnson Baby Shampoo to clean my makeup brushes. It is mild, and washes out really nicely. You can get one for 99 cents or less in the travel-size item aisle at Wal-mart or Target. I put a very tiny amount in the palm of my hand and run the brush that I'm cleaning under some lukewarm water. I swirl it around and wash until the water runs clean. I do this with each brush I need to clean. Obviously, depending on the size it takes more or less soap/water. 

I generally clean my brushes once a week to once every two weeks (depends on how much I use them during that time). Face brushes need to be cleaned more often because dirty brushes can cause breakouts-- I learned this the hard way. 

I just got this product a few weeks ago from Sephora. It is a daily brush cleaner that you can spray on your brushes to sanitize them and clean off the most recent bit of producy. I really like this spray. It can prolong the amount of time you go between major washes as well as give you a clean surface for working with each day. I bought this in a small size to try it for only 6$. You need 1-2 sprays per brush, depending on the size.

Now, this is a product that is totally not necessary for drying your brushes, but I got it just for the fun of it. Normally, you can just lay down your brushes on their side on a towel or paper towel (never dry them straight up and down since excess water can settle and cause mildew...emphasis on the "ew"). This product called the "Dry 'n Shape" from Sigma Beauty not only dries your brushes faster (4-6 hrs, normally they will take all night to dry) but it also dries them so that your nice big fluffy brushes don't lose their shape. Like I said, not necessary, but cool if you're interested :) 

These are some of my tips and tricks...hopefully you will find some of them helpful! Do you have any that you use on a regular basis for cleaning your makeup brushes? Share in the comments! Next time, I try out a recipe for Portabello Mushroom Pizza! 

Makeup Brushes Pt 1: DIY Makeup Brush Organization

Let me start of by saying that if you know me at all, you know that I am not organized in any way, shape, or form. When I come across an organization tool that sticks...well, I just have to share it. If it can work for me, it can work for anybody. I first got this idea from seeing the brush displays at Sephora (aka my heaven on earth). Then, when Pinterest came out (aka heaven on the internet) I was inspired to try. This little "project", if you can even call it that because it is so easy, is cute, cheap, and displays your brushes in a fun way while also making them accessible.

First, you'll want to get a small glass candle holder/glass container (I got mine from Wal-Mart for 2.50-ish). You want it to be small enough so that it will make the depth of the beads enough to hold your brushes totally upright (the first time I did it I got a glass container too wide at the bottom). The beads/mini-pebbles are from the home-decor section at Michael's craft store. Obviously, you could get these from anywhere they sell this type of thing, and in any color to match your own decor. I've heard of even using coffee beans, but that might be more fragrant (and not as pretty). I used one package of the beads (I believe they were 5.99). Dump the beads in the glass and voila! You've got a lovely and accessible brush holder!

Next time, I'm going to highlight tips and tricks for washing and drying your brushes to make them last! Do you guys have ways that you use to keep your brushes organized? Did you try this "project"? Let me know in the comments! Enjoy!