Former Great British Bake Off champion Nancy Birtwhistle recently appeared on ITV’s This Morning to hail the powers of a homemade cleaner that can be used for just about anything, including make-up brushes. Make-up brushes can harbour hidden bacteria when they aren’t washed often or correctly.
This can lead to skin problems like acne, breakouts, and even infections. However, if you’re not sure where to start, Nancy explained that a homemade paste made with just two household ingredients can do the job. It can also be used as a degreaser, too.
How to clean make-up brushes
All you need to do is make a paste made with baking soda and some eco-friendly washing up liquid in a bowl. Then transfer a small amount of the paste to a tea strainer or sieve.
Nancy demonstrated how you can use this paste to clean your dirty make-up brushes. Take your make-up brush, one by one, and push the bristles into the paste.
Gently push and twist the brush’s bristles into the paste. This will help draw out any residue stuck on the brush.
Nancy said: “And here again, make-up brushes, make-up grease, all that sort of thing, in with that paste. And then I use, you know, a tea strainer… And it just gets into… into those bristles.”
Host Rochelle Humes replied: “I wouldn’t have thought it for a make-up brush.”
Nancy said: “Yeah, it is so good!”
As baking soda is a mild abrasive due to its grainy texture, it helps to lift any stuck-on dirt and grime on the bristles. The paste helps to penetrate and loosen any make-up build-up, making it easier to rinse away afterwards.
It also has another purpose to help get rid of any unwanted odours emanating from the brushes, as baking soda is a natural deodoriser. According to Healthfully.com: “Moist areas are particularly prone to bacterial growth.”
So if you use any brushes to apply liquid products should get top priority when it comes to cleaning them. If you don’t have baking soda, Illamasqua suggested making a homemade brush cleaner with olive oil and washing up liquid.
Illamasqua advised adding a few drops of olive oil will loosen the make-up from the bristles while the dish soap actually cleans the brush.
