Why it's important to clean your makeup brushes

To avoid the build-up of bacteria which can cause spots and infection, professionals recommend you regularly clean your makeup brushes.

Dr Leah, Founder of Dr Leah Cosmetic Skin Clinic

"Dirty brushes can be responsible for the transfer of things like herpes simplex (cold sores) and acne flare up. Also conjunctivitis from brushes used around the eyes. I clean my personal make up brushes once a week and I would urge you to do the same.”
- Dr Leah, founder of Dr Leah Cosmetic Skin Clinic, London

June Kelly, Chief Makeup Artist Makeup Junkies

"People wonder why they might get pink eye or a stye and they can never understand and its because something is dirty."
- June Kelly, Chief Makeup Artist Makeup Junkies

How much bacteria is on your Makeup Brushes?

"I persuaded 35 consumers, makeup artists and beauty counters to lend me the brushes in their makeup kits so I could accurately measure the bacteria on them."
- Tom

To get accurate data, all 35 brushes had to be tested at exactly the same time and then delivered to the lab within 12 hours. Logistically this made things difficult and the only way to get the results was for Tom to stay-up late one night taking samples then get up early the following morning to drive them to the lab.

"People love their makeup brushes so borrowing 35 brushes was logistically difficult and made for a long night and early start"
- Tom

Bacterial growth from a random selection of the 35 brushes.

Of the 35 brushes tested 58% were deemed unhygienic for use, 34% had dangerously high levels of bacteria and two had more bacteria than would be expected on a toilet brush!

These tests were a serious wake-up call as to just how dirty makeup brushes can be. One supposedly clean brush had been sitting on a makeup counter harbouring over 40,000 bacteria. It could have been used on any customer who walked through the door!