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How Dirty Are Your Makeup Brushes?

  • October 05, 2016

Do you remember the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes? You’re not alone if you have to confess that you’ve never cleaned them, or at the most only once or twice, Today Style reports. This issue is more than just cosmetic. The average US woman uses 12 personal care products and/or cosmetics a day, containing 168 different chemicals, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

Aside from the fact that not cleaning them wears them out faster, thus sending you to the store sooner for new ones, dirty brushes can be a source of dirt, oil and bacteria that can cause skin and other health problems. Therefore, regularly cleaning your brushes with soap and water or coconut oil can help eliminate the toxins that accumulate in the tiny bristles.

While you’re at it, now might be a good time to inventory both your soaps and your makeup products and toss the ones with toxic ingredients that can damage your skin and your health. For example triclosan, an antibacterial chemical used in a wide variety of consumer products including soaps and shampoos, has many potentially harmful effects, including altering hormone regulation and possibly interfering with fetal development.

If you want a good clean face, washing with simple pure organic coconut oil is both good for your skin and a safe antibacterial. Besides also being a great healthy fat for your diet, the benefits of coconut oil are undeniable. Staphylococcus aureus, candida and other notorious pathogens, fungi, bacteria and viruses are destroyed by coconut oil.

And, as a toiletry, it’s effective as a skin softener, toothpaste, hair conditioner and deodorant, as well as a lice-killer and insect repellent.