Beauty Drawer Diaries: Cleansers and Sanitiziers
Since many of us are inspired by a fresh reboot this time of year, I'd like to offer some advice: give your beauty routine a Spring cleaning by paying some much needed attention to what I consider the most important part of the makeup process- the tools.
I recently told a client that my rate for makeup gigs is mostly about the prep and the aftermath than the actual art of applying makeup. I love making people look beautiful. I'd do it for free if I could. But until I reach baller status and can afford to pay an assistant to clean my brushes, tools and palettes, it's up to me to keep them in good, clean condition and also well-sanitized.
Here are my favorite products for both deep and quick cleaning brushes, as well as some of my favorite makeup removers because makeup will only look its best if the tools and canvas (your face) are clean to begin with.
1. Parian Spirit Professional Brush Cleaner
I have a sh*t ton of brushes to clean between jobs and this stuff cuts my time in half. It's a total life saver and I especially love the travel size spray version for my kit because I can quickly clean brushes when I'm doing makeup on mulitple clients in a row. I don't know exactly what's in it but this miracle formula literally absorbs any type of product on the brush immediately, sanitizes them, all while leaving this refreshing citrus aroma that I'm constantly getting asked about when my brushes come into contact with a client's face. You just stick the brush head into the cleaner, swirl it around, and wipe off the excess residue onto a towel.
2. London Brush Company Pure Goat Milk Solid Brush Shampoo
This easy-to-use brush cleanser comes in a jar that you can directly swirl your brushes in and then rinse off in lukewarm water. I also like the way it conditions my natural-hair brushes. It's also great for sensitive skin as it is made with only natural ingredients.
3. Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo
I like this cleaner because it's extremely gentle and if you're pinching pennies, it won't break the bank. I used it for years before I became a professional makep artist and I love to share this tip with my clients with young children as they often have this or a similar version of it in their house already.
4. Lancôme Bi-Facial Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover
Often imitated, never duplicated. This cult favorite is pricey but it's the best for removing waterproof mascaras and any and all makeup products from your eye area. A little goes a long way and if you separate a cotton round in two, and saturate each side, just place them over each eye and let them soak. Do not pull or rub the delicate eye area in order to avoid additional fine lines and wrinkles. It's worth the splurge.
Ah, leave it to the French and their legacy of innovative skincare products to produce this gentle, yet extremely effective makeup remover. It's a workhorse in my kit and I love that it's safe to use on all skin types. If you've never cleansed with micellar cleanser technology, then now is the time to start. You can also dip a cotton swab into this solution to clean up eyeshadow fallout or sharpen your winged eyeliner application.
6. Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes
If there's one product I keep my Costco membership for, it's these puppies. I get an enormous amount, divided into convenient 15 and 30-count packs that I can throw in my kit and in may car for easy removal on the go. I also use them on myself at night as a first-step in my cleansing process. These wipes are as good as any I've used on the market and you simply can't beat the price.
I keep a bottle of this on hand to clean and sanitize metal tools like tweezers and I also use it to clean my false strip lashes in between wears (personal use only) by soaking a cotton swab and gently running it over the lashes to remove product and glue.
Alright so now you have some of my favorite go-to products. Go forth and clean! Your brushes will perform like a champ and your makeup will in turn look better than ever.