Joyce Clements via NaturallyCurly.com;
General rule: keep your beauty items clean
Let’s start with how to wash your makeup brushes. And I know that a lot of you don’t, which is one reason you may have breakouts and probably the reason why your makeup is not blending smoothly.
Keep it simple
Yes, there are makeup brush cleaners on the market, but let me save you money by using a tried-and-true cost-saving way of renewing your brushes and killing that nasty bacteria that can cause skin breakouts.
Liquid anti-bacterial dishwashing liquid. This is the stuff you use for washing dishes in the sink, not the version for dishwashers. Some people say hair shampoo is good for washing brushes, but shampoo doesn’t normally have anti-bacterial qualities that kill bacteria.
Don't use antibacterial soap!!! It's SOOOOOO bad for our health because it helps breed antibiotic resistant bacteria, which puts all of our health at risk. Regular soap and warm water will wash away bacteria. I usually use ivory soap or Dr. Bronners castille soap to clean my brushes (though admittedly not as often as I should).
I have heard that antibacterial soap is not good because bacteria becomes immune to it that plain old soap and water is the best . I have been using dr. bronners tea tree soap to clean my brushes lately !
To clean my brushes I use a spray with alcohol and tea tree essential oil that I mix myself. It dries quicker and is quite efficient as I use the spray after every use and also spray the inside of my make-up bag. So, I no longer have breakouts except the one time I forgot to spray the brushes after use.
I use Dr. Bonner's peppermint magic soap. I am going to try a little white vinegar in there like the above poster suggested. I would never use Dish washing liquid on them, even though its a popular choice. Just seems too harsh.
I like the writer's method just find the anti-bac cleanser part unnecessary if you're a regular brush cleaner, if not, there are less DRYING double-duty products. I clean my Japonesque, EcoTools and Chanel brushes as well as my Beauty Blender w/an oil based cleanser like Dr. Bronner's Almond Organic Liquid Soap. The oil base removes other oils and minerals quickly and efficiently to eliminate unnecessary and harmful scrubbing and I air-dry on a clean surface.
You can also mix in these well-known ANTIBACTEIALS: Tea Tree Oil, Copaiba Oil (from Brazil), Eucalyptus herb or oil or White Vinegar which i swear doesn't leave a smell 🙂
I wonder if plain old antibacterial hand sanitizer would be acceptable.