This $9 Makeup Brush Cleaner Has Dramatically Cleared My Skin
I know, I know, cleaning makeup brushes can be annoying and time consuming-but it's so important! Makeup brushes are designed to trap cosmetics so that you can carry product to your face without spilling. Well, think about all the other things those dirty bristles can trap: dust, germs (it is allergy season), and toilet bacteria if you do your makeup in the bathroom. I can just hear the horror music ringing in my ears.
I'm a long-time sufferer of on again, off again acne, so one day while researching new ways to clear my skin, I came across the Palmat by Practk, a division of cult-favorite brush brand Sigma Beauty. The Palmat is a ridged, silicone mat that promises to help remove all the dirt and gunk out of your brushes. It's definitely one of the best things that's happened to my skin-so much so that when I don't use it, I notice little bumps popping up on my cheeks again.
The magic behind the Palmat is the tiny rounded ridges that clean your brush without damaging the bristles. You can wrap the Palmat around your hand and scrub right on your palm (hence the name Palmat), or you can use the suction cups to stick the mat right onto your sink (my preferred method).
To remove surface foundation or pigment stains, I gently rub my makeup brush directly onto the Palmat with some nonabrasive soap (I like using this laundry soap). At this point, even the deeper roots of the bristles are nice and white. This next step is optional, but I'll usually follow up and repeat with my acne wash just to ensure that by the next time I use the brushes, they'll be the cleanest they can be. Finally, I'll lay my brushes on a hand towel to dry overnight. Watch my step-by-step tutorial here.
Using the Palmat is so easy that I actually look forward to cleaning my brushes now - I went from only cleaning my brushes three times a year to looking forward to scrubbing them clean every week and a half. Yes, it's that fun (and grossly satisfying) to see all the dirt and product slowly drip down the drain. The less than $10 purchase has lasted me well over two years: it's easy to clean, and you never have to worry about the suction cups losing their force.
Still don't believe me? Check out the 4.6 star rating on Amazon, where reviewers rave about what a difference it makes. "My brushes look brand new!" says one, "I haven't seen my brushes this color since I bought them." Ditto. I personally believe that anyone who wears an ounce of makeup so should get one ASAP!
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