Dear Brush Junkies (Part 1)

We should and need to clean our makeup tools on a regular basis. Research studies have shown that an unwashed sponge is even dirtier than the toilet, meaning that there are millions of germs on it for sponges and brushes are the perfect places for these bad guys to grow. 

The best way to solve this problem is to throw out old sponges on a regular basis; however, this is not economical or practical. But if we were to do so, we should change our sponges when:

• the edge of the sponge starts to break
• the sponge is losing its elasticity

If we don't want to keep buying new sponges all the time, well maintainence can definitely prolong the life of our makeup tools. For example, if the sponge is still in pretty good shape, all we need to do is clean it and then we can reuse it. We can clean sponges with:

• bar soap
• body wash
• hand soap
• Shampoo

When washing sponges and puffs, remember to always use lukewarm water. Do NOT use hot water because the high temperature will damage the sponge.

1. Soak the sponge in water and put some cleanser on it. 
2. Do NOT keep rubbing it back and forth. Gently squeeze the sponge and dip it in clean water. Repeat this process until there is no more color/product coming out. 
3. Put the sponge under running water for a bit to make sure we completely rinsed off everything. 
4. Use paper towel to gently squeeze out excessive water.
5. Air day or blow dry. Do NOT put the sponge directly under sunlight because the uv rays will damage the sponge and its elasticity.

Stay tune for the second part, where I will talk about how to maintenance your makeup brushes.