Acne can be an extremely irritating, frustrating and embarrassing
problem. Often women tend to blame their cosmetics or their diets, but
sometimes the real cause of the problem can be something a little
unexpected – your make-up brushes.

Cosmetic brushes are used more
and more these days with the increasing popularity of high-end cosmetic
use and mineral make-up. Generally using a quality cosmetic brush is
much better to use in terms of overall cosmetic application and end
result than using your fingers or a piece of tissue. However, you need
to remember that without regular and thorough cleaning, cosmetic brushes
can and often do harbour bacteria and dirt.

Your cosmetic brushes
can contain millions of little bacteria and can cause various
infections and skin problems such as acne. If you have been breaking-out
often lately then take a look at your cosmetic brushes and see if they
are as clean as they could be.

Think about it. When you wake-up
each and every single morning you are putting your make-up on with your
cosmetic brushes. You place them back in your bottomless make-up bag or
your drawer and leave them there until the next time you apply your
make-up. You may also occasionally set your cosmetic brushes on your
sink which may not be pristine. Perhaps they momentarily fall on the
floor. You might not be able to bring yourself to throw away that
discontinued blush (now expired as well) that you have had for 3 years
now.

Your counter, drawer, cosmetic bag, floor and potentially
expired cosmetics can all deposit bacteria into your cosmetic brush
which you, in turn, brush on your face. Day after day you are
potentially buffing bacteria picked up from dirty surfaces bags and
floors onto your face, infecting your skin and clogging up your pores at
the same time.

What Should You Do to Protect Your Skin?
So now that you know your brushes could be a problem, what should you
do to help your skin? There are many cosmetic brush cleaners on the
market. Some are washes that resemble a shampoo and others are alcohol
based sprays. If you use one of these products keep in mind that any
chemical based residue from the cleaner could end up on your face. If
your skin is sensitive this could further irritate you.

Want to really clean your cosmetic bushes? A good wash will really help.

1. First rinse each cosmetic brush under warm water to remove the superficial cosmetics from the brush.

2. Place a dot of natural, gentle shampoo on the bristle of each cosmetic brush and massage between your fingers.

3. Fill the bathroom sink with warm water and place the cosmetic brushes in there to soak for a few minutes.

4. Once the cosmetic brushes have had a chance to soak, rinse each brush under warm running water.

5. Dry each brush by first gently squeezing out any excess water.

6. Allow the brushes to air dry on a clean towel.

If
your brushes are really dirty then it is possible that they may have
contaminated your make-up, regardless how well your make-up is
preserved. If you suspect this, throw away your cosmetics and replace
them with new products. Always use a clean brush with a new product to
ensure that you aren’t contaminating the new product.

Also,
remember that the majority of cosmetics don’t have an indefinite shelf
life so be sure to mark the date with a pen when you first open your
cosmetics and throw them away when you have reached the standard
expiration date.

Overall cosmetic brushes really do come in handy
but their usefulness is entirely counterproductive to creating that
flawless look if they are causing acne or skin issues. Acne is just one
of the many skin conditions you can develop through dirty brushes and so
it really is important to keep them as clean as possible. Rinse all
your cosmetic brushes under running water at least once a week and wash
them properly as mentioned above at least once a month to prevent
possible infections.