5 Easy Ways to Clean Mascara Brush

Mascara brush is one of the most commonly used makeup tools and can have a significant impact on the health of your eyes due to direct contact with the eye area. A contaminated brush can easily transfer bacteria and impurities to the eye, causing eye diseases.

Today in this article, we want to teach you 7 simple ways to keep your mascara brush clean and take care of it. Stay with us.

1.Clean off excess mascara after use

If you have never cleaned your mascara brush before, be sure to clean it with a tissue before use. To do this, wrap a tissue or paper towel around the brush and then pull it several times over the tissue to remove any dried pieces that may have remained from previous uses.

After using the brush, be sure to clean it using the same method. If you store the brush outside of the mascara container, it is essential to keep it in a clean and dust-free environment and clean it before use.

2.Disinfect plastic brushes with alcohol

To ensure the cleanliness of the brush, disinfect it with alcohol once a week. You can spray alcohol directly onto the brush and then wrap a paper towel around it and pull the brush over the paper towel to remove any remaining mascara. Alternatively, you can rotate the brush in a jar of alcohol and then clean it with a paper towel in the same way.

Of course, before you go for alcohol, you need to make sure of the material of your brush. If it is made of natural hair, do not use alcohol on it at all because it damages the hair and ruins it. The material of the brush bristles is usually written on the mascara packaging.

3.Wash natural hair brushes with shampoo

For brushes with natural hair bristles, you can use a mild shampoo to clean them. Wet the brush with lukewarm water, apply a small amount of shampoo to the bristles, and gently massage the bristles to work up a lather. Rinse the brush thoroughly with water, gently squeezing out any excess water, and reshape the bristles. Allow the brush to air dry completely before using it again.

4.Soak the brush in warm water

To clean your makeup brush effectively, you can soak it in warm water. Make sure the water is not too hot, as this can damage the bristles. Leave the brush in the water for a few minutes to loosen any makeup residue. After soaking, gently squeeze the bristles to remove any excess water. You can then proceed with using shampoo or alcohol to further clean the brush, as mentioned in the previous steps.

By this method, your mascara brush will be cleaned in the best way possible. If you can't clean it well with other methods and there are still traces of mascara on it, pour some boiling water into a cup or glass and place the brush in it for 5 minutes to soak.

If necessary, rotate the brush several times in a container of hot water to remove any remaining clumps. Then rinse it thoroughly under cool running water until it's completely clean. If needed, you can massage the brush with your fingers to remove any remaining residue. Don't forget to disinfect the brush with alcohol after washing.

5.Dry the brush thoroughly

 After washing and before using, make sure to place the brush in the path of airflow to dry. For this purpose, you can spread a clean towel and place the brush on it. It is better to keep the brush head away from the surface of the towel so that all parts of it dry uniformly.

You may need overnight for complete drying. After washing, be sure to remove any excess moisture with a towel and give the brush a little shake to get rid of any extra water. These actions speed up the drying process. If you keep the brush outside of the container, do not place it next to other unwashed makeup brushes.

What is the lifespan of a mascara brush?

If the bristles on your mascara brush are starting to fall out, you should not use it. Regular cleaning of the brush only ensures eye hygiene and slightly prolongs the lifespan of the brush, but it does not make it usable indefinitely. You should replace your mascara brush every few months to reduce the risk of eye infection and prevent weakened bristles from entering your eye.

The same applies to mascara itself. The lifespan of each mascara  tube is three months, after which you should use a new one. Every time the brush is removed from the container and returned, some bacteria enter the mascara. Due to the lack of air flow in the container, the environment is suitable for the growth of bacteria and can therefore be hazardous.

An important hygiene recommendation:

If you feel that your eyelash or eyeshadow line is red, inflamed, itchy, or causing tears after using mascara, immediately discard your makeup items and quickly seek advice from an eye specialist to treat the infection that may have occurred. Do not use any eye makeup until the infection is completely treated and only use them when your doctor allows it.

An easy solution:

 If you have access to disposable brushes, use them. By doing so, you can be sure that no harm will come to your eyes and hygiene will be fully observed. Of course, since disposable brushes are often made of plastic, it is better to put them in a plastic waste recycling bin after use to avoid harming the environment.

Last word

Mascara brush is one of the makeup tools that can easily transfer infections to the eyes due to its direct contact with the eyes. To prevent infection and sensitivity in the eyes, we should wash the brush regularly every 7 to 10 days. Also, we should not use a mascara for more than 3 months because the accumulated bacteria in it can cause eye infection. If you have sensitive eyes, the best way is to use disposable brushes.