Are You Washing Your Beauty Blender Correctly?
Makeup sponges are one of the key secrets to a flawless foundation finish, but they also can harbor bacteria if not washed often. This brings us to ask: Are you cleaning your Beauty Blender correctly?
If you "can't remember" the last time you gave your sponge a good wash, listen up. A foundation-ridden Beauty Blender can be a playground for all kinds of germs and bacteria, which are then transferred onto your skin every time you use it (ick). The good news is, cleaning your beauty blender is actually really easy, here's how you should be cleaning yours.
Pre-Wash Your Blender
Just how double cleansing is popular for the face—which is using an oil cleanser to remove dirt and grime, followed by a traditional lather face wash—the same rules apply to a blender. Oil is wonderful for pulling away grime, so before cleansing, run coconut oil or olive oil on your blender and then rinse to get a big portion of the exterior makeup grime off. This will then allow the soaps to really get in there and clean.
Use the Beauty Blender Soaps
Beauty Blender created both a bar soap and a liquid soap for its sponges that are honestly more effective at removing makeup than other soaps out there. If you don't have access to either of these, you can use a mild face wash, shampoo or hand soap, but make sure they aren't laced with harsh ingredients or preservatives.
The solid bar soap is great because it has a textured surface. You rub the makeup sponge directly on the soap, getting it to lather and using the textured surface to physically draw out the foundation. Repeat this step again if there is still makeup lingering in the sponge.
For the liquid soap, fill a small cup with water, add liquid soap and then allow your makeup sponge to soak for two minutes. This option is really effective for penetrating into the sponge to clean the inner layers. In fact, if your beauty blender is really dirty, starting with the bar soap and then doing a little sponge bath second is a surefire way to get your blender clean.
Give It a Long Bath
When you have the time, a long bath for your blender is a great way to give it a deep clean. Using liquid soap, add a few drops to water and let them soak for two hours. Then, rinse and let dry! This is perfect for a lazy Sunday at home.
Nuke It in the Microwave
While Beauty Blender doesn't support this option, we've tried it and it really does work. Sure, this is the lazy way, but sometimes you've just gotta get it done. Add a few drops of the liquid soap into a microwave-safe bowl. Run the blender under water so it's wet, and then pop it into the bowl and put it into the microwave for 45-60 seconds. When you take it out, the water in the bowl will be all sorts of crazy colors and your blender will be clean. Let it cool off before giving it another rinse and letting it dry.
Cleanse Weekly
Aim to clean your beauty blender at least once a week, along with your other brushes that you use regularly. The brand suggests cleansing after every use, but we know that just isn't practical for everyone. Weekly cleanses will at least ensure that your sponge is getting clean and isn't harboring bacteria and build-up for weeks on end.
Now that your BB is clean, click HERE for subtle ways to wear neon makeup!
