Yes, Your Makeup Brushes DO Need to Be Washed

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Makeup is an artform I've always loved to experiment with. Learning how to layer eyeshadows into a smoky eye, perfecting my eyeliner wing, and discovering highlighting and contouring have all brought me joy. But as much as I love putting it all on, I've never been proactive about taking care of the tools that help me do so. My makeup brushes are actually kind of gross.

I've always known that you're supposed to clean your makeup tools, but it was more of a general acknowledgement than a true understanding of just how disgusting it is to ignore them — until my skin started breaking out. Over time, makeup brushes get clogged up not only with product, but also dirt, oil, and dead skin cells that are reintroduced to your skin every time you try out, say, strobing. That's why I finally caved and decided to give the Luxe Electric Makeup Brush Cleaner a spin.

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This cute little tool that takes up minimal counter space has blown me away. At first, I wasn't convinced that the eight brush collars the cleaner came with were going to fit the many brushes I've collected over the years from different brands, but I was pleasantly proved wrong: Everything from my thick powder brush to my teeny liquid liner tool found a home, and it was seriously smooth sailing from there.

After placing a brush in a collar, I filled the small included bowl with water and a few drops of shampoo and attached the collar to the brush spinner. Then I played around with the three different speed settings as I gently pressed the brush against the bottom of the bowl and watched the makeup, dirt, and oil vanish from its bristles. Per the device's instructions, I lifted the brush out of the water while it was still spinning and held it there for about 30 seconds, until it felt dry enough to the touch.

By the time I finished cleaning all of them, my brushes looked staggeringly different. Instead of multicolored with thick layers of tinted moisturizer, blush, and powder, the brushes were the light brown color I remembered from when I first bought them. They felt soft and light, and they smelled clean, too — an added bonus I didn't anticipate. It may take a few weeks to see how clean brushes affect my breakouts, but regardless, I'll keep up with this super satisfying ritual at least once a month, if not more often.

Clean your makeup brushes in a flash by ordering the Luxe Electric Makeup Brush Cleaner today.