My Mom’s Method for Cleaning Makeup Brushes Isn’t Makeup Artist-Approved (but I Still Use It!)

I put a lot of thought into my makeup routine and how I keep things organized. I always make sure to cleanse well and remove all my makeup before bed, I keep the makeup and skincare items updated and organized in my medicine cabinet, and I even have a dedicated toiletries bag for travel. But for as much time as I put into my cosmetic routine and organization, I really hate spending time cleaning makeup brushes.

The general process of soaking and cleaning makeup brushes can be tedious and time-consuming, so when my mom shared her method with me that skipped all of that — and left me with fresh, clean brushes — I was instantly on board. 

My mom’s cleaning method is to gather all her makeup brushes in a mesh laundry bag for delicates and put the bag in the washing machine. She then adds a capful of a natural, fragrance-free laundry detergent (we both swear by Purex Free & Clear for this) and runs the machine on the delicate cycle. She’ll let the brushes air-dry after in a coffee mug, or she also lays them out on a paper towel. The result is clean makeup brushes, and it couldn’t be easier, but there’s no doubt this method is rather unconventional. 

While I love my mom’s method of cleaning brushes, and it makes my life a lot less complicated, I wanted to know what a professional had to say. I spoke to Aimee Carr, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Voodoo Makeup, and while she thought it was creative, she advised me that this is not the best option for the brushes and my skin.

“I would first like to advise that when looking at the skincare side of things, detergent can throw off the pH of the skin,” says Carr, who cautions this can cause inflammation and breakouts when coming in contact with the bristles of the brush. Second, she worries about the mechanism of the washing machine itself. “I would also be inclined to mention the heat from the washing machine is a factor. The materials such as glue may leak in the bristles and can possibly cause issues as well.”

While Carr makes a great point about the risk of detergent being problematic for the pH of skin and causing breakouts, that’s thankfully not an issue my mom and I have ever encountered while washing our brushes with our method. I think this is probably due to choosing a general all-natural and fragrance-free detergent — one that I know would be safe not only for delicate washables, but also my skin. We also always use the delicate cycle, which is not a high-heat wash cycle.

Carr recommends cleaning makeup brushes with a gentle cleanser — she uses a natural, nontoxic baby shampoo! — and “rubbing the bristles aggressively yet gently and applying pressure to remove the dirt.” She also notes that the pointed bristles should be cleaned downward to prevent it from ungluing to the part attached to the handle.

“I make sure to give it a good cleansing, and then I also like to then condition my brushes with a nice conditioner. To finish it off I like to rinse with cool water to ensure proper removal of conditioner,” says Carr. “When drying the brushes I stand them up against a wall with bristles facing down to drain the excess water. I then lay them down and blow dry them with cool air.”

I tried Carr’s method out — and it absolutely gets the job done and in a way that’s gentle and non-abrasive to the skin as well as my makeup brushes. Also, a natural, nontoxic baby shampoo was easy to come by because I had one on hand already anyway — it’s what I use to bathe my puppies! If it’s good enough for my fur babies, it’s absolutely good enough for my brushes.

That said, my washing machine method is a faster and simpler approach — the set-it-and-forget-it concept of makeup brush maintenance — and that works for me. At least for now. Still, it’s great to know there are other good options out there for when I have more time to work with!