Makeup has the power to make you feel confident, beautiful and express your creativity. Regardless of whether you love complicated and intricate makeup looks or prefer keeping it simple with just a few key products there is one thing that every girl needs to know if she wears any makeup: how to take care of it.  Are you properly cleaning your brushes and restocking your products when they get expired? It can be so easy to forget about the parts of your beauty regime that don’t involve beautifying yourself but understanding how to take care of your cosmetics is so important. Read on for the most frequently asked beauty questions on how to take care of your makeup.

Makeup Brushes

Q: How often should I wash my makeup brushes and what are the best techniques? 

If cleaning your makeup brushes isn’t already you top priority it should be…especially if clear skin is important to you. Dermatologists recommend soaking your beauty tools in warm water once a week at the very least to avoid products building up and clogging pours. Makeup Guru Bobbi Brown advises “brushes that are used around the eyes should be cleaned at least twice a month. All others can be washed once a month.”

Beauty Blenders

Q: How often should I buy a new beauty blender?

If you love the look of flawless skin then chances are you’re a beautyblender addict. Sponges are so valuable to have on hand when you’re doing your foundation, but you need to be regularly washing and replacing them for best results. Sponges that don’t get cleaned properly get smelly and dirty. Just like dirty makeup brushes, a dirty beautyblender could lead to breakouts so don’t risk it! Simply clean your beautyblender under the tap with a cleanser or soft soap to get out all the makeup residue.

Eye Lash Curler

Q: How often should I clean my eye lash curler?

Every two weeks you should be wiping down your eye lash curler to avoid infections and irritations. Simply dab a cotton ball with makeup remover or baby oil to remove any mascara residue. Every six months you should be replacing the pads on your eye lash curler to ensure best results. If your pads aren’t flexible enough you won’t be granted the perfect curl when you use the tool. It is always worth it to take extra special care of your eye lash curler to ensure you don’t break or damage your lashes.

Mascara

Q: How do I know when mascara has expired?

Out of all the makeup you’re hoarding in your makeup bag mascara has the shortest lifespan. You never want to keep using a tube of mascara after 2-3 months. Each time you pump your tube of mascara the chance for bacteria to be transferred increases so don’t keep using an old product. If you notice the consistency of your mascara is clumpy and dry this is a sign to nix the tube as it is no longer fresh.

Palettes

Q: How do I fix smashed palettes?

There is no worse feeling in the world than smashing a brand new palette to pieces on the bathroom floor. Before you toss the remnants of your palette in the trash try re-pressing your product for a little extra millage. Pour the crushed pieces of powder into a small bowl and blend with the back of spoon. Add a touch of rubbing alcohol or vodka to bind the product back together. Mix together until thick. Spoon the mixture back into the compact and wait until it dries. Will your product be perfect again? Not 100%! But you can still keep using it for a little while longer which is way better than losing the entire palette all together.

Lipstick

Q: How do I sanitize my lipstick?

Did you let a friend borrow your lipstick and then realize you want to clean it off before you apply it again? Fair! The trick to sanitizing your lipstick is super simple. All you need to do is twist the tube and wipe off the top layer with a tissue. Pour a hint of rubbing alcohol (or vodka) into a glass and dip the exposed lipstick in for 20-30 seconds. After you remove the lipstick from the alcohol the product is as good as new!

Hopefully these tips and tricks on cleaning and caring for your products help you stay more beautiful than before!

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