The beauty tools you're forgetting to clean

Whether you actually do it or not, you know that you need to clean your make-up brushes regularly. The build-up of product isn’t any good for your skin, plus it means that the brushes aren’t doing the best job they can.
So what about your other beauty tools? Have you thought about giving them a good scrub? Because just like your dirty make-up brushes, they won’t be working as well and could be harbouring some nasty bacteria.
Here are just a few of the tools you should be giving a thorough clean.
YOUR TWEEZERS
Noticed that your tweezers aren’t plucking out hairs like the once did? That’s probably because the edges have become a bit blunt. Take a piece of sandpaper (or even your nail file) and file away the blunt edges, taking care not to make them too sharp. Also, make sure to spray them every couple of weeks with an alcohol-based brush cleaner and wipe the residue off.
Featuring: Colour by TBN Tweezers
YOUR EYELASH CURLER
Eyeliner, mascara and dirt can accumulate on the rubber part of your curler, so soak a cotton pad with make-up remover and wipe it clean. You can also follow this with a spritz of alcohol-based brush cleaner. You’ll also need to replace the rubber pad every so often.
Featuring: Artiste Eyelash Curler
YOUR PENCIL SHARPENER
Just like your eyelash curler, product will accumulate in your sharpener, and like your tweezers, the edges can get dull. Unscrew the razor inside, wipe it clean with a face wipe or a cotton pad soaked in make-up remover and carefully swipe it against a knife sharpener to sharpen the edges. You can also use a cotton bud soaked in make-up remover to clean the inside of the sharpener, before screwing the blade back in.
Featuring: Avon 3-in-1 Sharpener
YOUR MAKE-UP SPONGE
You make-up sponge collects as much product as your make-up brushes, so it’s important you keep it clean, too. Hold the sponge under warm water until it’s soaked. Then remove it and squeeze a drop or two of a gentle shampoo. Use your fingers to work the shampoo through. Rinse the sponge until the water runs clear. Squeeze out the excess water and leave it on a towel to dry.
Featuring: Manicare Latex Foundation Wedges
YOUR MAKE-UP BAG
Bet you didn’t even think about the excess product and dirt that’s building up in your make-up bag and latching onto your clean make-up brushes. Clean the inside of your bag with an all-purpose spray cleaner (like Pine O Cleen) and wipe down the surface and leave it to dry. If you keep your make-up in any sort of container or drawer, make sure you do the same to them.
Featuring: Chi Chi Small Make-up Bag
YOUR HAIR BRUSHES
Take a look at the brush you use every day. And then at the one you use when blow-drying your hair. If you see a lot of hair in them, they may not be doing such a great job and gripping your hair. Using the tail of a comb, loosen and lift all the hair from the base of the brush. Then wash the brush with some gentle shampoo and leave it to dry flat on a towel.
If you use a comb, it may have accumulated some grime in between the teeth. Remove all the hair from the comb, and then give it a scrub with an old toothbrush dipped in shampoo.
Featuring: Lady Jayne Ball-Tip Styling Brush
YOUR HAIR TOOLS
Have you ever noticed some residue building up on the sides of your curler or straightener? That’s your hair product. Wipe the plates clean with some alcohol or acetone but don’t scrub – you don’t want to scratch the plates.
And if your hairdryer doesn’t quite have the same powerful whirr it once did, it could be because lint has collected in the filter. Untwist the vent at the back of your dryer and run an old toothbrush over it to get rid of the lint.
Featuring: Cloud Nine The Micro Wand
YOUR NAIL PRODUCTS
If you expect your nail salon to use clean products on your hands and feet, you should expect the same from yourself as this will only minimise the chance of any infections. Soak your nail tools – like your clippers and scissors – in an antibacterial solution and rinse when done. It’s also a good idea to replace your nail files every couple of months.
Featuring: Sally Hansen Finest Fingernails
Do you wash all of your beauty tools? Which item in your kit is in need of a massive clean?
Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?
Review them now to earn points that you can swap for free beauty products in RewardsRoom.
You might also like
130 Member Comments
I keep the things that I use clean, actually washing and wiping as soon as I have finished with them so I am safe. I don't like putting away things that have been 'used'. Make up bags just get replaced when getting a bit worn.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I tend to clean everything just after I've used it. It means sponges have a chance to dry before I need to use them again.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
i’m going to go clean everything now! thanks BH
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
A few wake-up calls for me here. .
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Wow, I purchased Isocol Rubbing Alcohol today. What great timing to read this.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I clean most of these, but I haven’t really cleaned hair tools or my beauty bags.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Great tip's about the sharpener will definitely do the next time.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
The only one I don't clean regularly is my actual makeup bag. I was nervous to click on this article because I thought I'd have been worse!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Yes I must remember to wash my brushes and tweezers tomorrow too
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Sharpening tweezers is such a clever idea!!
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Guilty my makeup bag is filthy
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I am guilty of pretty much all of these. Ewwww.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I didn't realise I had to clean half of these. I am now concerned about the amount of bacteria residing in my makeup box.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I always pop my tweezers, brushes, etc all in and do them all together
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I always clean up my make up bag, I wipe it out and clean all my products because I hate seeing residue of powders of foundations in there. As I am using most of this stuff on my face I like to keep them clean.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Yup, I must keep everything clean! Lash curler after every use (even though I use only on clean lashes) I wipe with satin cloth, so it does not get damaged, just nice and clean. Hair brush MUST be clean after every use too... heheh
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I am very diligent when it comes to the tools I use on my clients (as a makeup artist), but I often am too lazy to clean my own personal use tools! The precise reason that I have two sets ;)
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Oh dear I am still alive after never cleaning my pencils, pencil sharpner or makeup bag.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I'm pretty good at remembering to wash my beauty tools.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I tend to pull the hair out of my brushes but after reading this again, I'm going to wash my brushes too.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I'd never really thought of cleaning my tweezers before! Oops! I am definitely always on top of cleaning my eyelash curler though. If you have to throw out mascara every few months then you definitely need to give the eyelash curler a bit of a clean pretty regularly.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Yes tweezers are vitally important to clean
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
Cleaning sharepeners is so difficult! I prefer to buy cheapies and throw them out when it gets too gross.
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0
I always clean my tweezers, otherwise they get smudgy and don't grab on the hair properly
- Log in or register to commentReply to comment
- Likes 0