How to Keep Your Makeup Brushes Clean: The Best Makeup Brush Cleaners Reviewed

Let’s face it: you probably spend a lot more time thinking about what you’re putting on your face than how to care for the tools that help you apply it. But forgetting about keeping those brushes, blenders, and sponges clean is a mistake you don’t want to make—at least not regularly. Makeup brushes and beauty blenders can be breeding grounds for bacteria, dirt, and product residue that can make breakouts and skin reactions more likely, so doing your best to keep them clean can be another tool in your arsenal to help keep your skin looking the best it can. Not only that, but giving your brushes, blenders, and sponges a regular wash can also help keep them functioning at their best, extending their lifespan so you have to replace them less frequently (something we all can get behind).

We scoured the internet for the best makeup brush cleaners on the market, from balms and sprays to cleaning pads and more. No matter your preferences, there’s something out there to help make sure your tools are just as great as the day you bought them.

What to consider when buying a brush cleaner

When you’re ready to take the plunge and buy a brush cleaner, you may find yourself a bit overwhelmed with all of the options. Should you use a conditioning cleanser? What about a regular spray? Do those mats work or do you still need to buy other products to help get your brushes clean? Ultimately, the best cleanser for makeup brushes depends on your preferences: how you want to use it, how frequently you’re willing to give everything a scrub, and how much down-time you’re willing to give your tools after they’ve been cleaned.

From type to formula and beyond, here are a few of the most important considerations when determining which cleanser is the best cleanser for makeup brushes for you.

Type

There are several different types of makeup brush cleaners, but they generally seem to fall into one of two categories: liquids or solids. The best makeup brush cleaner for you really depends on the tool you’re using to apply your makeup, because different types of cleaners work differently on various tools. Plus, as pro makeup artist Amber Dreadon told Harper’s Bazaar, how quickly you need to be able to use your brushes or sponges again can also influence the kind of makeup brush cleaner you should use. 

If you’re using a beauty blender or another type of makeup sponge to apply your makeup, choosing to clean your sponges with a solid makeup brush cleaner can be a better choice because it’ll help you get all of the built-up product out of the sponges. If you usually use a brush with bristles, however, you might prefer liquid or spray makeup brush cleaners because those kinds of products are able to make their way deep into the brush bristles, removing the product from the entirety of the brush. As Dreadon told Harper’s Bazaar in the previously mentioned article, liquid makeup brush cleaners can mean that brushes and sponges are available for use again sooner than when you use a solid makeup brush cleaner for a super deep clean.

Regardless of whether you choose a solid makeup brush cleaner or a liquid or spray version, you might want to consider some of the other tools available that can help you clean your brushes and sponges quickly and easily. Things like cleansing mats and electric cleaning tools can cut down on the time it takes to scrub out product build-up and ensure your sponges and brushes are just like new, making future makeup application a much smoother process.

Formula

When it comes to picking the best makeup brush cleaners, you’ll definitely want to consider the formulas of the cleaners. While it might seem like a cleanser’s a cleanser, the same as any other, that’s not exactly the case. If you have a lot of build-up and haven’t been cleaning your brushes regularly, you may want to opt for an oil-based product or liquid cleanser that notes it can be used for soaking your brushes. 

Professional makeup artist Troy Surratt told Vogue that you want to make sure you aren’t using makeup brush cleaners that contain lots of alcohol or solvents, as those kinds of products can be too harsh on your brushes, harming the glue that holds the bristles together and damaging the brush long-term. Not only that, but avoiding parabens and ingredients that can irritate the skin (especially if your skin is sensitive) is critical to ensure that your brushes and your skin are taken care of. Opting for gentler makeup brush cleaners can help you keep your brushes clean and in tip-top shape.

Use

Another factor to consider when picking the best makeup brush cleaners is how you’re going to use the product. Are you planning to take this cleaner on the road? Are you hoping to immediately use your tools again or are you planning ahead for some downtime after cleaning your brushes? Are you going to start cleaning your brushes and sponges several times a week, or are you going to clean them less frequently (which may mean more product build-up to cut through when you do clean them)? 

If you’re planning to take your cleanser with you when traveling, your best makeup brush cleaner will likely either be a spray that allows you to quickly and easily sanitize your brush between uses or a solid that’s easy to toss into luggage. Similarly, if you know yourself and know that you’re just not going to clean your brushes and sponges regularly, you’ll likely want to select a cleanser that will cut through grease and oil-based products. Liquids that you can soak your tools in can be the best makeup brush cleaner for sponges and brushes that need a little bit of extra love.

Top picks

There are a ton of different products to help you clean your makeup tools available, but these are a few of the best makeup brush cleaners on the market: