How to Clean Makeup Brushes at Home? | Simple Wash Routine

Dirty brushes collect oil, dead skin, and product buildup that can trigger breakouts and make makeup apply unevenly. Washing them yourself needs no fancy gadgets—just water, shampoo, and a towel.

The 5-Minute Wash Routine Dermatologists Recommend

The reliable home method comes down to four steps: wet, lather, rinse, and dry. It works for foundation brushes, powder puffs, eye shadow brushes, and everything in between.

1. Wet only the bristles. Hold the brush under lukewarm running water with the head angled downward. Keep the metal ferrule (the part connecting bristles to handle) and the handle completely dry.
2. Lather in a bowl. Add about 1 tablespoon of gentle shampoo or clarifying shampoo to a small bowl of lukewarm water. Swirl the brush tips in the mixture, then massage the bristles with your fingers or the palm of your hand until suds form.
3. Rinse until clear. Run the bristles under lukewarm water again, squeezing gently, until every trace of soap runs clear. Repeat the lather-and-rinse cycle if the brush was heavily used.
4. Squeeze and reshape. Press the bristles against a clean towel or paper towel to pull out excess water. Reshape the brush head with your fingers, then lay it flat on the towel with the bristles hanging off the edge of the counter so moisture never seeps into the handle.

Most brushes dry within a few hours when laid flat in a warm room. When the bristles feel soft and smell clean, the brush is ready to use again.

Why Do I Need To Use Shampoo Instead Of Regular Soap?

Plain bar soap and dish soap strip natural oils and leave bristles stiff and scratchy. Gentle shampoo—or a dedicated brush cleanser—lifts makeup and oil without damaging the bristles’ texture. If you lack shampoo, baby shampoo or a mild clarifying formula works well. Avoid hot water entirely; heat can melt the glue holding bristles inside the ferrule, causing hairs to shed.

Brushes that touch acne-prone skin benefit from the shorter end of that range.

Mistakes That Ruin Brushes Fast

The three errors that shorten brush life happen within seconds of washing. Drying brushes upright in a jar lets water drip into the handle, softening the glue and loosening bristles over time. Fully submerging the entire brush head pushes water deep into the ferrule where it cannot evaporate. And using hot water or harsh detergents accelerates bristle damage. Each of these mistakes is easy to avoid once you know the flat-dry habit.

Wondering whether a dedicated cleaning solution performs better than shampoo? Our tested roundup covers the best cleaning solution for makeup brushes, with comparisons of sprays, solid cleansers, and mats so you can pick what fits your routine.

How Often Should Different Brushes Be Cleaned?

Frequency depends less on the calendar and more on what touches your brush. Cream and liquid products—foundation, concealer, cream blush—create a moist environment where bacteria multiply faster, so those brushes need washing about twice as often as powder brushes.