DIY-Antibacterial Makeup Brush Cleaner

Let’s make a simple antibacterial makeup brush cleaner that is chemical free,  easy on the pocketbook & only has 4-5 ingredients

Antibacterial Makeup brush cleaner

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The importance of cleaning your makeup brushes ranges from removing buildup on the bristles which can cause them to weaken or fray to cross contamination to wreaking havoc on your skin. Did you realize one of the reasons we break out could be because of a dirty makeup brush?  We know the importance of washing our faces but how often do we think to wash the tools we use on our faces?!?  

Ok maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t realize some of my issues such as unwanted breakouts & makeup not blending how I wanted it to was because of a dirty brush.  But now that we know what we know we can make different choices.  

I don’t know about you but I’ve been on a quest to lessen my toxic load & that includes finding alternatives when I can.  I’ve started to live by the rule that if I can’t eat it or put it on my skin it needs to go.  The amount of toxins that have become “acceptable” in our products is a bit disheartening and that includes makeup brush cleaner.  PEG products & their contaminants, parabens, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate & formaldehyde just to name a few, are commonly found in many products, these ingredients are irritating, carcinogenic & disrupt our endocrine systems among other things.  

A good site to consult when checking the toxic load of any skincare or household product is the Environmental Working Group database.  While it does not have every single ingredient or product it does have a wide array of information you can look up regarding certain ingredients in your personal & household products HERE.

Now I’m not one to point out problems but not offer a solution.  I have a wonderful, easy to put together formulation that is antibacterial while being non toxic.  Before I share the recipe let’s go over the ingredients we are going to be using.

Witch Hazel

 Hamamelis Virginiana

It is a distilled extract from the leaves & bark of the Hamamelis Virginiana shrub that can be found in North America.  It has been used in modern cosmetics & skincare products for its many benefits & uses.  This is because the shrub contains something called tannins which have astringent & antioxidant properties.  

What this means is it can be used to treat acne, soothes inflammation & redness of the skin caused by sunburns, rashes, atopic dermatitis, boils, blisters.  It can speed up healing due to those astringent properties by tightening the skin & slowing down the bleeding of an open wound.  If that’s not enough, those astringent & anti-inflammatory properties make it an excellent ally in treating bug bites.

Looking for a simple headache relief? You could mix equal parts witch hazel & olive oil, or perhaps a medicated oil you’ve made.

Amongst all these benefits it is also antibacterial, which is the main reason it was chosen for this formulation.  One last thing to mention is if you are planning on using witch hazel on any sensitive area like the face, be sure to get the alcohol free version.

Castile Soap

It is a concentrated, versatile vegetable based soap that is free of chemicals, synthetic ingredients & animal products.  This is what is going to clean the brushes.  It comes in a variety of scents: tea tree, rose, peppermint, lavender, almond, citrus & unscented.  

In our formulation you have the option to add an essential oil but if you didn’t want to do that you could simply choose one of the scents available & omit the essential oil.  I prefer to make my makeup brush cleaner unscented but you are invited to customize this however you want. 

One very important thing to mention is the soap is concentrated & that means you will have to dilute it accordingly.  Here are a few ideas on how you could use this versatile soap!

For the body:

• Face cleanser

• Body wash

• Shampoo

• Bubble bath

• Shaving soap

• Toothpaste

• Decongestant steam

• Foot bath

• Bug spray

Around the house:

• Dishwashing liquid

• Laundry detergent

• Floor cleaner

• Multipurpose cleaning spray

• Window cleaner

• Toilet Bowl cleaner

• Fruit & Vegetable wash

• Dog shampoo

• Plant spray to deter bugs & critters

Sweet Almond Oil

PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS OIL

Sweet almond oil

If you have a nut allergy or are simply wanting to avoid sweet almond oil you could use avocado or olive oil as they have amazingly nourishing properties as well.  

Today we are using sweet almond oil because it is rich in vitamin A, E, omega 3 fatty acids & zinc.  

Now you may be wondering why you would want to use an oil if we’re trying to clean the brushes?  For a few reasons actually.  One reason is that most makeup brushes are made of natural bristles AKA hair which means that they can break or fray if they get too dry.  So by adding an oil to the formulation it acts like a conditioner & helps keep the bristles hydrated & soft.  I’m not sure about you but the softer the brushes the better I like them & the less often I need to replace them.

The other reason we are including oil is because of science.  Like attracts like so by adding an oil to the formulation it can help break down any oil residue on the bristles leaving it cleaner then if you didn’t add the oil.

Distilled water

Water is a common ingredient in cosmetic & skincare products.  The reason we want to use distilled water is so that all the contaminants that may be present in the water are removed.  While distilled water is not the best to drink, we actually need some of the minerals that filtering can remove but that’s more for another day.  However those minerals that our bodies require are not required in cosmetic & skincare products.

This means you have two options, you can store your finished product in the fridge or you are going to need to preserve it.  This formulation stays beautifully in the fridge & can last a long time just the way it is.  If you choose not to preserve it & choose to not put it in the fridge you run the risk of providing a wonderful place for molds to grow or the product itself becoming rancid.

Watch the video & tutorial HERE.