Cleanliness is next to Fabulousness

Hermanas!!!

So yesterday, after ranting about the need for brushes; one of my fave hermanas asked me "well, how the blip do I clean them?" and it got me thinking about a post on cleaning brushes. Then, it elevated into cleaning makeup toold; then transformed into a cleaning makeup area. So here it goes.

Think of your makeup area as our Beautique Sanctuary. It is your space, even if it is one drawer next to your partner's sock drawer. When I walk into my bathroom in the morning, I hate hate hate seeing the remnants of yesterday's beauty routine. You know what that looks like: Brushes all over, cotton balls and cotton rounds here and there, jojoba oil bottle open, baby wipes with makeup residue.... Yucks. Make up is a messy enterprise indeed.

So how to go about converting the chaos zone into a Beautique Sanctuary? Good, good question. Some hermanas like my mother in law are clean by nature. I am not kidding -- this woman cleans as an Olympic sport and has the loveliest house ever. Other hermanas are, well, like me. I am messy. Muy messy. But somehow I have achieved nirvana when it comes to my Sanctuary. The rest of my house, well... we will ask Rojo once he emerges from the clutter.

Here's what I do. Quite easy, really.

Morning.

I use 4+ brushes every day. After finishing with each one, I dab the excess makeup on a baby wipe (baby wipes are your friends, check this post), then rub a bit on a hand towel (this hand towel I turn over to use all sides, and I wash with the laundry about twice a week) and put back on the cup where I have the brushes.

Since I use MAX FACTOR pancake; the Foundation brush needs a bit more attention. I keep the tap open and damp it; then get rid of excess in the hand towel and reshape.

Once my makeup is done and I look like a goddess; I grab all the cotton balls, baby wipes, etc; curl them up and toss them away. I also clean the sink and counter with another baby wipe; and clean the mirror (keep window cleaner + paper towels at hand).


Evening.

This one is hard to keep. When I am good and take my makeup off (I know, I am terrible); I again collect all the cotton rounds and toss them away.

I brush my hair and dab coconut oil or the jojoba oil through it to always wake to a shiny mane. This is when I get rid of the hair that falls -- again, toss. Then I empty the little garbage basket and voila, ready it goes.


Weekly.

Once a week -usually on Sundays- I deep clean the whole area. This is when I wash all my brushes; and I use MAC's brush cleaner. This thing is amazing; and it does the trick flawlessly.
I fill in half a tiny cup with it and let my brushes rest in it while I clean other things. Then I take them out one by one, rub them into my palm until they maker tiny bubbles and no color comes out. After that, just reshape them with your hands and set them to dry flat.



While the brushes are soaking in the magic solution; I go over the rest of the collection. Clean the containers, check for outdated makeup, and get rid of accumulated stuff. Now, if the MAC solution is a bit steep for those of us on budget (it is a bout $11.00), here's an easy one: use your shampoo, diluted in some water. Works just as fine and it is a fraction of the price. Just remember to rinse properly - you do not want your brushes (or your mane, for that matter) to have yucky build up.

The point is, and I've said it before: MAKEUP IS NOT A CHORE. Remember that and use your daily makeup minutes as a moment to rejoice in womanhood, plan your day, and realize how gorgeous you are. Beauty is an inside job hermanas.

If you have amazing tips for cleaning your makeup area; do tell!!! I want to know!

Siempre, Bella.