All About Makeup brushes and their care

What are the best makeup brushes?

Makeup brushes are an essential tool to ensuring your makeup enhances your natural beauty. With the correct tools, you can be equally creative and precise with your make up looks with ease. Having the correct tools is only one component when it comes to makeup brushes. It is just as important to know where your brushes came from – what those lovely bristles are made of. “Natural” makeup brushes are made up of animal hair which comes from the problematic fur industry and has all the markings of animal cruelty. With the growth of the conscious consumer, there has been an explosion in the market for vegan and cruelty free makeup brushes. These brushes, despite being synthetic, are crafted with technology that ensures these tools do the job just as well as their “natural” counterparts. These synthetic brushes are also ideal since they are easier to clean between uses and also last longer than regular brushes. Vegan makeup brushes also use innovative bristles that are safe for all skin types, soft, apply and blend beautifully as compared to brushes made from animal hair. They are also naturally hypoallergenic, perfect for sensitive skin. 

There are a number of options available on our website for those interested in cruelty free great products. MOTD Cosmetics has a range of brush sets such as Lux Vegan Makeup Brush Set, Wanderlust Travel Set, Pretty Perfect Essential Set, Chic Happens Set, etc. There are also individual brushes available from Lily Lolo, Sigma Beauty, RMS Beauty, and 100% Pure® among others. 

How to take care of Makeup Brushes

Having chosen the correct tools from ethical sources, caring for your makeup brushes is just as important as a daily skin care routine. Of paramount importance is the need to regularly wash brushes and ensure their cleanliness. Why is it so important to clean makeup brushes? They are going to go right back into the makeup anyway. Well, there are a number of reasons to ensure proper care for these tools. Regular use of brushes causes product and other materials to build up on the bristles resulting in a host of issues. Dirty makeup brushes can become a breeding ground for bacteria which can exacerbate skin conditions like breakouts, acne, clogged pores and can irritate your skin. Skin that is stressed out and is in constant contact with bacteria can stop producing collagen and elastin at healthy levels resulting in premature wrinkles and fine lines. Yikes! 

Brushes can also pick up dirt, your natural oils, dust, and dead skin cells which, overtime, can cause health issues and the use of these brushes transfers all this bacteria, dirt, dead skin cells etc. directly into your makeup when the brushes are dipped in it. The build-up of product also results in a less flexible product which not only feels more abrasive on your skin but also ends up being more difficult to apply makeup flawlessly with. It can also cause fibers to break and bristles to weaken which impacts the longevity of your brushes. Regular cleaning and care also ensures that your brushes last longer.    

Caring for your brushes doesn’t need to be an expensive affair. It can be done simply and cheaply by using either baby/“clarifying” shampoo or a gentle liquid antibacterial soap. There are different ways to take care of your vegan brushes. One option is to fill a mug with warm water and a dollop of soap/shampoo, then gently swirl brushes in the water and massage the bristles until clean of any residue product, rinse with water and squeeze any excess water out. Another is to clean in running water while massaging the bristles with soap/shampoo. The bristles should always be pointing downwards in running water and the base of the ferrule should never be saturated with water to avoid damaging the fibers. Brushes should be cleaned until the water running is clear to ensure all the product is washed out of the bristles. After cleaning, the brushesshould then be laid flat to dry with the bristles hanging off the edge of the table to avoid damaging the shape. Care should be taken to never leave brushes upright to dry since water can collect at the base damaging the glue. 

This kind of regular cleaning, 2-4 times a month, should ensure your brushes and skin remain healthy and your investment in these essential tools is protected – the better cared for, the longer your brushes will last!  

FOR SOME OF OUR BEST BRUSH-SETS, SEE BELOW! 

SIGMA® BEAUTY MAKEUP BRUSH CLEANSER GIFT SET

PRODUCTS INCLUDED:

• SigMagic™ Scrub: 2-in-1 solid scrub + silicone texture eliminate hard-to-remove stains
• SigMagic® Brushampoo™ Liquid: The original formula perfect for everyday cleaning
• SigMagic® Brushampoo™ Foam: Ready-to-use formula for quick, effective cleaning. All-Natural Formulas. Antimicrobial. Prevents growth of bacteria up to 2 weeks after use

SIGMA® BEAUTY SKINCARE BRUSH SET

Each unique tool is designed to get the most of your favorite products and improve your results. These brushes won’t absorb and waste your skincare formulas like fingers and hands do during application. Also, these brushes were designed to apply products softly and with precision to avoid causing damage by tugging or pulling at the skin. Enjoy beautiful skin and a perfect base for makeup.

SIGMA® BEAUTY ESSENTIAL TRIO BRUSH SET

The Essential Trio Brush Set features 3 travel-size brushes for everyday with a convenient tin. 

Touch ups are a breeze with the versatile, angled face brush and 2 classic eye brushes. This must have set is perfect for everyone, from beauty beginners to the PRO on the go.

SIGMA® BEAUTY ESSENTIAL BRUSH KIT - MR. BUNNY - 12 BRUSH SET

Get 12 classic brushes for your total look from face to eyes in extra-soft Sigmax® fibers, plus a Brush Cup for storage and travel ($297 Value).

100% PURE® 10 PIECE CRUELTY-FREE & VEGAN LUXE BRUSH SET

This 10 piece makeup brush set is made from recycled plastic water bottles! It’s true! Luckily, there are eco-friendly and cruelty-free alternatives to natural fur makeup brushes. 100% PURE has made this makeup brush set out of taklon instead of fur. It’s great for the earth and for the animals that inhabit it. Taklon fibers are used for the bristles because the texture of each strand is smooth and doesn’t contain ridges or cuticle layers (the way mammal hair and fur bristles do.) This makes these makeup brushes non-absorbent, so they won’t hold on to bacteria or any old makeup. Hello antibacterial brushes, goodbye breakouts!

SIGMA® BEAUTY PRIMP + POLISH DUO - HOLIDAY 2019 EXCLUSIVE

Achieving classic beauty has never been easier with 4 best-selling face and eye brushes that allow you to apply and blend a variety of product formulas for a flawless, high-definition finish.