How Often Should You Wash Makeup Brushes?
Wash makeup brushes at least weekly for face and liquid products, clean eye brushes often, and dry brushes fully before reuse.
Wash makeup brushes at least weekly if they touch your face regularly, especially foundation, concealer, cream, and liquid-product brushes. Clean eye brushes often and immediately after irritation, infection risk, or shared use. Brushes used rarely with dry powder can sometimes go longer, but visible buildup, odor, skin irritation, or product clumping means wash now.
Makeup brush cleaning schedule
Foundation or concealer brush
At least weekly
Liquid and cream products hold residue and oil
Eye makeup brush
Weekly or sooner
Eye-area tools need extra caution around irritation and infection
Powder blush or bronzer brush
Weekly to every few weeks
Depends on buildup, skin sensitivity, and use frequency
Shared brush or professional use
Clean between users
Sharing can transfer product, oil, and microbes
Breakouts, odor, or visible buildup
Wash now
Condition overrides the normal calendar
Dry brushes fully before reuse
A damp brush can dilute makeup, irritate skin, and encourage odor. After washing, reshape the bristles and let the brush dry with airflow, not standing upright with water draining into the ferrule.
Basic brush wash routine
- 1Rinse bristles with lukewarm water while keeping the handle and ferrule as dry as practical.
- 2Massage in gentle soap or brush cleanser until product residue loosens.
- 3Rinse until the water runs clear.
- 4Squeeze out water with a clean towel and reshape the bristles.
- 5Lay brushes flat with airflow until fully dry before reuse.
FAQ
How often should foundation brushes be washed?
Wash brushes used with liquid or cream makeup at least weekly, and more often if you are acne-prone, have sensitive skin, or use the brush daily.
How often should eye makeup brushes be cleaned?
Clean eye brushes often, ideally weekly or sooner after wet products, glitter, shared use, irritation, or infection risk. Never share eye brushes without cleaning them first.
Can dirty makeup brushes cause breakouts?
They can contribute. Brushes collect makeup residue, oil, dead skin, and microbes, which can irritate skin or worsen breakouts when repeatedly applied to the face.
Sources & method
We reviewed these references while writing this answer. Figures are estimates — confirm safety-critical work with a professional. Last updated June 7, 2026.
- How to Clean Your Makeup BrushesAmerican Academy of Dermatology · aad.orgSupports washing makeup brushes often, avoiding shared brushes, and air-drying brushes properly.
- Shelf Life and Expiration Dating of CosmeticsU.S. Food and Drug Administration · fda.govCross-checks cosmetic contamination and product-age context while keeping brush hygiene separate from product expiration.