We Don’t Mean To Alarm You, But You Need To Clean Your Makeup Bag *Immediately*

We hate to be the barer of bad news. But we’ve got to tell you. You’re not cleaning your makeup accessories enough. Think about it, when was the last time you cleaned your makeup sponge?

Look Fantastic took a deep dive into a sample of over 1000 participants to showcase the unknowing cross-section of beauty and hygiene. And they’ve come to the finding, beauty-lovers haven’t cleaned their makeup accessories nearly enough. From the frightful study, we’ve come to realise that it’s time to pass over all our cleaning (and replacing) knowledge and know-how to make sure everyone’s skin is the happiest it can be.

So, you’ve taken the time and realised, you really can’t remember the last time you cleaned your beauty accessories. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. We’re here to help you on your way to a cleaner beauty bag…

When was the last time you cleaned your makeup bag?

What’s stopping us from cleaning them?

While we might all know that it’s important to keep our beauty tools clean, many of the shoppers surveyed admitted that it’s hard to find the time for the tedious chore. So they end up putting off the cleaning process until their makeup accessories look visibly dirty or worse, start affecting their application. Yep, gross, right? But it went downhill from there with 26 per cent of responders stating that they don’t even think about cleaning their tools. Ew!

What’s the best way to clean them?

Makeup bags

Yep, the beauty item we never thought to clean has come to haunt us, full of bacteria and makeup remnants of days (long) gone by. Step one is the same for all bags. Empty out the contents (duh). Be sure to give your bag a good big shake out to remove any lingering powders hanging out at the bottom. Now, if you’ve got a machine washable bag, turn it inside out (to give the machine the best access to the gunk) and pop it in the wash. For leather bags, it’s best to give them a spot clean. Opt for fabric cleaners that will have the marks out in no time. And for plastic options, give them a good sudsy rinse! For all bags, disinfecting is a major player. With a disinfectant wipe (or spray) wipe down areas where bacteria might accumulate (corners and zippers).

How often should you clean your makeup bag? It’s best to maintain a regular schedule. A monthly clean is sufficient for increasing beauty hygiene.

Makeup brushes

We mightn’t be as in the dark about cleaning our makeup brushes, but we almost guarantee we’re all doing them far less then we should be. We ought to be cleaning our brushes on a weekly basis. Yep, when your new fave ep of reality TV comes out, take that as your reminder to wash your brushes. Using a gentle (brush) cleanser or baby shampoo gently massage through your brush with lukewarm water. Now, it’s important to remember this next step. In the drying process you’re going to want to reshape your brushes and lay them down on a clean towel. An added step we can take to keep bacteria at bay is to spritz our brushes with a disinfecting spray.

How often should you replace your makeup brushes? Let’s be real. If you’re opting for carefully constructed brush, it’ll give you a good few years. But it really depends from brush to brush. A good determining factor in when to bin your brushes is if they start losing bristles, or start changing.

Beauty Sponges

If you’re anything like us, thinking of the last time you cleaned your makeup sponge is daunting. And let’s be honest, these absorbent applicators are the number one culprit for harbouring bacteria (gross).

Are you ready to hear the frequency you should have cleaned your makeup sponges? Deep breath… Every one to two days. Yep. But how do you makeup sure the sponges are cleaned all the way to their centre? Don’t worry we’ve got the best sponge cleaning hack. Place the sponge in a bowl with water and sudsy soap (give it a bit of a mix around) and then pop it in the microwave for about a minute. Let it cool off and squeeze out the water (and gunk). Be sure to dry them out completely in an airy area.

How often should you replace your beauty sponges? Because of the nature of application (and the mould-growing involvement of water) replacing your sponge every three months is necessary. But if you start noticing it smell weird, or any weird lumps, bumps and missing pieces before hand, it’s time to get a new one.

When to replace your makeup brushes, sponges and bags

If reading these stats have given you the heebie jeebies (relatable), then it’s time to ditch the dirty accessories and opt for a whole fresh set. And let’s all take a pledge right now to keep our fresh tools clean and free from bacteria.

Makeup Sponge:

So now we know all the lumps and bumps in our makeup sponges are major no nos, and throwing them loose in our makeup bags is equally as yuck, our suggestion comes with its very own storage case. Yep, we’re very on the keeping-it-clean train now!

bh reccomends: Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and Case ($17.59 (usually $21.99) at Look Fantastic)

Makeup Brush:

We get it, your brushes might be trickier to tell when to wash, but if you follow the cleaning steps from above you’ll be on your way to bacteria-free makeup application in no time.

bh reccomends: NYX Professional Makeup Pro Multi-Purpose Buffing Brush ($21.99 at Look Fantastic)

Makeup Bag:

Are we now spooked by that makeup bag we’ve been toting our collection around in since the early 2000s? Definitely. Ditching the daggy bag and replacing it with a stunning clear case feels like our only option. We’ll at least be able to see when the build-up stars arising now! And be able to give it a good deep clean without fear of ruining it.

bh reccomends: CEE CLEAR Clear Cosmetic Case ($75 at The Iconic)

Main Image Credit: Getty

Do you regularly clean your makeup accessories or has this been a reminder? Do you have any cleaning tips?