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Yep, the brushes are finally dry and still smell bad, bad, bad So do you think it's normal for brushes to smell? Do name-brand brushes smell when washed?
I try to wash my brushes every 2 weeks since I rotate between using them (although I agree I will start washing them at least every week).
I figured the Wet n' Wild and Physicians Formula brushes weren't real hair, but any idea if the Merle Norman brushes are the 'good kind'?
Would Sigma brushes be a good alternative to MAC?
look for natural brushes as i said above you can get them at any art shop. Mac is good but its a BRAND name your paying for. and a very good brand but the pros buy brushes at a art shop NOt sure if MN they are not a popular company with pros but you should ask them. via email phone fb etc.
when you take care of a GOOD Nat brush an keep it clean it will not smell bad after washing it. btw how old is that cleaner you are using??
You already know these brushes smell aweful so common sesne would tell you CHUCK THEM you dont want to ruin your skin or make your self sick smelling them that is not glamours is it.
Now I'm kinda embarrassed... my Merle Norman brushes are super old! The lady I bought them from told me 'they're an investment' and I should be able to 'keep them forever'. Duhh, nothing lasts forever, I should have known I just figured the smell was from the kind of hair used.
Now I'm kinda embarrassed... my Merle Norman brushes are super old! The lady I bought them from told me 'they're an investment' and I should be able to 'keep them forever'. Duhh, nothing lasts forever, I should have known I just figured the smell was from the kind of hair used. D217, what brand of cheap-o brushes do you have?
Lavendar, so you buy painting brushes an use on your face? I've never even thought of that!
I think a few are ELF brand, but the ones I use for concealer & eyeliner are in fact pretty decent paint brushes. (which I clean the same way)
Now I'm kinda embarrassed... my Merle Norman brushes are super old! The lady I bought them from told me 'they're an investment' and I should be able to 'keep them forever'. Duhh, nothing lasts forever, I should have known I just figured the smell was from the kind of hair used.
Lavendar, so you buy painting brushes an use on your face? I've never even thought of that!
Kolinsky is the maker of the best brushes all the pros use them they are sold as both paint and make up do a g search for both art and make up for Kolinsky and you will see.
Wet-n-Wild brush kits are natural bristles. Merle Norman's are also natural bristles. The only brush I can find for P.F. is the Kabuki, which is a synthetic.
The information everyone else has given, is a little backward. Brushes made from real hair, smell like real wet hair, after they've gotten wet. That smell can linger awhile. Brushes made from real hair, also are porous, and will retain and grow bacteria at a faster rate than synthetic bristles, which are non-porous.
When you use a brush cleaner (I use Merle Norman's actually)...
use it as directed. If it says to put only a capful in an 8-ounce full glass of warm tapwater, then do exactly that. If you use too much, it'll stick and attract dirt. If you use too little, it'll just make the brush wet, and the bacteria will have a field day of growth.
You can -also- use Woolite, if you're out of makeup brush cleaner. Don't use dish detergent, or liquid washing machine detergent - but anything that's safe for hand-washing pantyhose, is okay to use on synthetic bristle makeup brushes.
I'd ditch the natural hair and get all synthetic. It's more hygienic, and good quality synthetic bristle brushes are softer on the skin, and remain softer on the skin even after a year of use.
The information everyone else has given, is a little backward. Brushes made from real hair, smell like real wet hair, after they've gotten wet. That smell can linger awhile. Brushes made from real hair, also are porous, and will retain and grow bacteria at a faster rate than synthetic bristles, which are non-porous.
Also always dry your brushes head down -- like hanging. Water can collect in the ferrule and keep the brush damp-ish for some time -- adding to the funk. I think brushes should come with a hole in the end to make hanging easier...but that's just me.
Depending on how old they are, it maybe time to toss, and buy new ... I'd say at least every 4-6 months you should invest in new ones. Especially since they're touching your face.
Every 4-6 months? for the price I'm paying for my high-end brushes, I expect to last longer for sure!
Quote:
Originally Posted by negativenancy
Now I'm kinda embarrassed... my Merle Norman brushes are super old! The lady I bought them from told me 'they're an investment' and I should be able to 'keep them forever'. Duhh, nothing lasts forever, I should have known I just figured the smell was from the kind of hair used.
Lavendar, so you buy painting brushes an use on your face? I've never even thought of that!
When I was in college and didn't have much spending money, I found the essence of beauty brushes to be the best drugstore brushes. You can get them at walgreens and CVS. Actually even now, on of my favorite brushes is an essence of beauty brush, though most of my brushes are from MAC now. Also I hear good things about Sigma brushes, though I've never tried them myself.
I've had most of my brushes for over 4 years, and they're in almost as good shape as they were when I bought them. The only natural hair brush I have is my kabuki, which is so prickly I only use it for a quick swipe of bronzer across my cheeks. I'll be replacing that with a decent synthetic kabuki this year.
I used to use natural bristle brushes but they smelled bad, and I couldn't ever get them clean enough, and when they tried (even upside down) they dried clumpy and I'd have to brush the brushes out. With the synthetics, they clean quick and easy, they dry in less than half the time of natural hair, and they dry in the same shape they were before you got them dirty.
I wash them every couple of months, except my eyeshadow brush, which I wash every month.
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So do you think it's normal for brushes to smell? Do name-brand brushes smell when washed?
