Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Fashion and Beauty
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 07-04-2012, 11:15 AM
 
Location: US
5,139 posts, read 12,676,660 times
Reputation: 5385

Advertisements

Well..like everyone already said you must wash them more than that. I wash mine 1-2x a week. What you are smelling is rotting hair, your dead skin, bacteria and probably mold. Even if your face is clean the oils and cells left behind in the makeup brush are food for molds and bacteria. Toss what you have. A staph infection on your face is bad news.

I use Dawn with bleach alternative on bother natural and synthetic. If your natural brushes dry out, you just treat it like your hair and rinse a light conditioner through them. I have kept brushes for years with this. I really don't feel a lot of brush cleansers or baby shampoo pull enough of the product out. You can really see it with black bristles.

Daily you should sanitize your brushes with a spray. You can use premade ones or alcohol diluted in water as a DIY. Ratio mix 1:10.

Washing tips:
- wash the tips in the palm of your hand (swirl scrub like blending out with a kabuki)
- rinse downward and away from the handle
- snap brush out until no excess water comes out
- roll and press gently with a papertowel
- use the cold or cool setting to help dry further in warm/humid weather or just to prevent handle damage
- dry bristles down or on side with the handle tip elevated. You can wrap a rubber band around the handle of really fat/thick brushes and hang them bristle side down. Jewelry trees are good for that.
- cover your brushes when not in use to prevent dust/mold/pollen/airborne germs getting into them
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 07-04-2012, 12:49 PM
 
1,406 posts, read 2,715,668 times
Reputation: 1425
UPDATE: So I threw away my brushes. It took a while to do that because I kept telling myself that they're not that bad lol. Just knowing I paid about $100 for my whole set years and years made it tough to actually get rid of them.

I forgot to mention.... the Wet n' Wild brush that smelled the worst (like super strong gasoline) was brand new. I wanted to wash it because it had a smell when I opened it from the packaging... as soon as I washed it is when it smelled even stronger; but I still threw that one out too.

I will be making the trip to buy maybe 1 or 2 brushes. I would like to get a kit, but I doubt I'm going to find one that I'm completely sold on. A flat-top kabuki and a more firm rounded kabuki for powder and blush are a must for me. I'm not sold on a brand yet, but I will be getting synthetic brushes since skin is very, very sensitive.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2012, 12:58 PM
 
Location: Australia
4,001 posts, read 6,252,124 times
Reputation: 6854
I've had the same makeup brushes for years and they don't smell.

I haven't washed them either...but they are only used on my face.

Sounds like yours have a build up of bacteria that you're not going to budge. Buy new ones.

Without reading through all of it, if you're an artist, get new brushes and make sure you wash them in soap and hot water, at least weekly - in fact these things can spread disease so I would wash them after every client, and have 2 sets, one to use when the others are drying.

I would also try to dry them with heat, eg, in direct sunlight or on a low oven setting...this will also help kill any bacteria.

You can buy special make up brush cleaning solutions, too. They probably have an anti-bacterial agent. A drop or two of tea tree to your hot soapy water will have the same effect, and deodorise them too.

**oops that's what I get for posting at 4.30am lol. I hope my tips can help anyway, especially the tea tree one. That stuff is pure gold.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2012, 01:36 PM
 
1,406 posts, read 2,715,668 times
Reputation: 1425
MsAnnThrope, what brand of brushes do you use?
Thanks for the info about tea tree oil! I much rather prefer natural products then name-brand chemicals
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2012, 01:39 PM
 
Location: Australia
4,001 posts, read 6,252,124 times
Reputation: 6854
Hi Nancy...

the cheapest I can find.

lol.

I would always go for a more natural product, simply because they are usually better value. Simple things are often the best.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2012, 01:45 PM
 
Location: Australia
4,001 posts, read 6,252,124 times
Reputation: 6854
Another thought...what is the state of the canvas?

We all know about preparation, cleansing, moisturising...but maybe the moisturising part is contributing to the build up? If it's a particularly heavy/greasy moisturiser or primer?

I make sure my face is sparkling clean before I start and use I only use a light moisturiser.

Maybe you could look into using damp sponges for some of the applications too, they are cheaper and more disposable...or even your fingers (the oldfashioned, natural way!).
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2012, 01:50 PM
 
Location: US
5,139 posts, read 12,676,660 times
Reputation: 5385
Quote:
Originally Posted by negativenancy View Post
UPDATE: So I threw away my brushes. It took a while to do that because I kept telling myself that they're not that bad lol. Just knowing I paid about $100 for my whole set years and years made it tough to actually get rid of them.

I forgot to mention.... the Wet n' Wild brush that smelled the worst (like super strong gasoline) was brand new. I wanted to wash it because it had a smell when I opened it from the packaging... as soon as I washed it is when it smelled even stronger; but I still threw that one out too.

I will be making the trip to buy maybe 1 or 2 brushes. I would like to get a kit, but I doubt I'm going to find one that I'm completely sold on. A flat-top kabuki and a more firm rounded kabuki for powder and blush are a must for me. I'm not sold on a brand yet, but I will be getting synthetic brushes since skin is very, very sensitive.

Really nice flat-top:
Flat Top Brush

synthetic, super soft
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2012, 01:54 PM
 
Location: Australia
4,001 posts, read 6,252,124 times
Reputation: 6854
Lol I could probably talk about this all day...

I have the same brushes I have had for years, I would've bought them at woolies and they would've been the cheapest on the rack.

BUT I have just realised, I don't use a lot of brushes...some of this must have to do with the actual makeup you are using.

For foundation, I use a sponge applied pancake (comes with a fresh sponge), or a liquid and use my fingers. I've never been into this mineral stuff...maybe I'm missing out, maybe I'm not. My skin has such a fine texture that powder tends to sit on top.

The only brushes I use with any regularity are -

Eyeshadow brushes (don't smell, have never cleaned/replaced)
Blusher brush (ditto)
finishing powder brush (ditto)

I will buy a random new one when the old one looks haggard, gosh, every 10 years, or when I lose one.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2012, 04:19 PM
 
Location: The D-M-V area
13,691 posts, read 18,368,723 times
Reputation: 9595
Quote:
Originally Posted by tilli View Post

Over time that will dissolve the glue that holds the bristles into the ferrule. It is also extremely drying which will eventually ruin the bristles of natural hair brushes. Would you wash the hair on your head in 90% alcohol?
'



them brushes aren't made to last forever.

but in 90% alco... i ever had a smell, mmold etc.

they're clean. had same brushes for over 20 years.

Time for new ones. they were grumbacher , chanel, ysl, and mac and sebastian makeup brushes.

all natural hair/mink brushes.

washed them all in 90% alcohol because they break down the oil... worked for me always no issues whatever.

(ex model 15 years of working in the industry - had many makeup artists tips over time and had so many beat my face up it's not even funny - 90% alcohol will suspend any stink in your brushes - period)
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-04-2012, 05:36 PM
 
Location: Australia
4,001 posts, read 6,252,124 times
Reputation: 6854
Quote:
Originally Posted by LuckyGem View Post
'



them brushes aren't made to last forever.

but in 90% alco... i ever had a smell, mmold etc.

they're clean. had same brushes for over 20 years.

Time for new ones. they were grumbacher , chanel, ysl, and mac and sebastian makeup brushes.

all natural hair/mink brushes.

washed them all in 90% alcohol because they break down the oil... worked for me always no issues whatever.

(ex model 15 years of working in the industry - had many makeup artists tips over time and had so many beat my face up it's not even funny - 90% alcohol will suspend any stink in your brushes - period)

Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Fashion and Beauty
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top