Beautyblenders are so beautiful and flawless until you actually use them once. The once perfect little neon egg is suddenly overtaken by foundation stains and streaks from old eyeliner.
Consider the fact that sponges are susceptible to bacteria growth by their very nature: Carolyn Forte, Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Laboratory Director, says “The longer something remains wet the more likely it will be for mold to grow.” These sponges can touch your skin and could contain bacteria, so it is even more important to keep them dry and clean.
This means that you should clean your sponge every day, especially if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin. Mark Chi, global trainer & makeup artist at beautyblender, says that any makeup tool can build up dirt, oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells. You’ll be thinking twice about skipping a clean.
Chi recommends that you wash your makeup brushes first thing in the morning to avoid any irritation. This doubles the purpose: “This way, not only will I be able to wash my beautyblender before it touches my sensitive skin but also my blender will be clean and disinfected.” Cleansing your sponges and makeup brushes regularly prevents the buildup of bacteria and baked-in stains. What’s the best way for your beautyblender to be clean and not damage it? Let’s count the ways.
How to clean your beautyblender.
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Our pros recommend gentle soaps, dish soaps, and beautyblenders’ cleansing solid for the best results. Blendercleanser, the brand’s cleansing liquid (it also comes as a liquid form if you’re a fan), is specifically formulated to gently remove stains without damaging the sponge.
“Blendercleansers protect my makeup tools against 99.7% of harmful bacteria and germs for 24 hours after washing,” Chi says. This is how you use a solid cleansing cleanser to get the best clean.
- Use a sponge to thoroughly wet the soap. Make sure you don’t get any spots stained.
- Run water to rinse the sponge. Once water runs clear, squeeze it out until it is no longer sticky. If you have stains, repeat step 1.
- Spread the sponge on a towel, and allow to air dry.
- How to clean a beautyblender using dish soap
Dawn dishwashing detergent is a favorite of Jami Svay who is a professional makeup artist. Svay states that Dawn dishwashing soap is gentle enough not to damage the sponge but also degreasers so it can easily break down foundation and concealer. Forte concurs, saying that a warm, sudsy solution with a good grease-cutting liquid such as Dawn would work well. Here’s how:
Use a dime-sized amount of soap to clean the sponge. Forte says, “Squirt some Dawn directly onto the sponge to make more lather or treat any stains.” For 60 seconds, massage the blender.
Forte says, “Squeeze the soap into the sponge using your fingers. Then let it soak in the sudsy hot water for a few minutes.”
Forte says, “Squeeze it once more, then rinse it thoroughly until there are no suds left and the water runs clear.” To remove excess moisture, gently roll the towel over it and then lay flat to dry completely.
Chi, a beautyblender pro, says that you can wash your blender using dish soap but not recommends it being used often.
Is it possible to clean a beautyblender in a microwave?
Microwaving beauty sponges became a popular trend in 2018, after a Twitter hack to clean makeup sponges went viral. Is it really as simple as putting your beauty blenders in the microwave with a little soapy water and letting them cool down? Chi said, “I have seen this work but the first time that I tried it, my beautyblender was on fire.” We wouldn’t recommend it. However, if you decide to try it, ensure that your sponge is fully submerged in water. Also, watch it carefully while it’s in the microwave.
When is it time to replace your entire makeup sponge?
Sometimes your sponge can’t be saved by any amount of cleaning. Chi says that if your beautyblender is properly maintained, you should replace it every three months if it is being used daily. It can last as long as six months if it is used only occasionally. These signs will help you know when it is time to throw out your makeup sponge.
- Stains that don’t go away
- Tears and rips
- Blender that has lost its bounce and feels soft, squishy rather than plump and springy