Stop right there — this is the only correct way to clean your beauty blender

How often do you clean your makeup tools? If you don’t, now is a good time to start, starting with your beauty blender.

Your makeup sponge likely harbors residual dirt clinging to it. Before you start panicking while contouring, we turn to experts who share tips on cleaning the sponge while ensuring it smoothly glides over your face.

Bianca Louzado, a makeup artist, founder, and CEO of Code Beauty, says: “It’s imperative to clean your tools just as you would clean your toothbrush after every use.” A dirty beauty sponge will not glide well across your skin. However, on days when you’re short on time, Dr. Renita Rajan, a dermatology specialist from Render Skin and Hair and curator at Chosen Store, advises: “Although it’s ideal to clean it daily, at least twice a week should help, depending on the type of products you use.”  

While you can use specialized products for cleaning beauty blenders or sponges, there are also alternative methods. Dr. Rajan recommends cleaning them as you would clothes. “Wash your beauty blenders and sponges with a gentle shampoo. Squeeze out the water and let them air dry.” Louzado suggests laying the washed sponges flat on a special makeup towel. “They dry within 3-4 hours in a cool place, and you can store them in a special pouch.”

It’s important to thoroughly rinse both the product and soap from the sponge, as their residues can irritate the skin and cause rashes. “This is especially important as we use sponges around the eyes or lips.” To thoroughly clean the sponge, you can put it in a mesh laundry bag and wash it in the washing machine. If you don’t wash the sponges or store them damp, they can become moldy, with tiny black dots sprouting on the sponges. “This can cause acne and other skin infections,” says Louzado.

“A smell that’s funny and unpleasant can be the first sign of microbial growth,” says Dr. Rajan. If you accidentally used a moldy sponge, she recommends throwing away the imperfect sponge and avoiding heavy makeup to help the skin recover. Beauty blenders have a limited lifespan of 3-4 months, which is determined by how you use them, the type of products you use them with, and how well you clean, dry, and store them, explains Louzado.

Sourced from Vogue India