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No matter what you use to apply your makeup – it could be blending sponges, a compact brush, or even your fingers – you know how makeup can crust and cake on the surface. This is why it’s so important to clean your beauty blenders and sponges well after use.
Not only will a clean blender sponge help you reach your desired makeup effect, but it will also keep your skin healthy, reducing the chance of bacteria buildup. These compact sponges sure do know how to soak up the product, so let’s look at how to clean them thoroughly.
1. Clean it with a Cleanser
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To make sure you get all the product (not only on the surface but what’s soaked up inside), you need first to wet your sponge. Make sure you get it wet enough. You can tell because your beauty blender will expand.
You can then use the cleanser, mild soap, or soapy water on the sponge. The liquid will sit on the surface, so you need to use your fingers to massage it through and get the sponge to soak it all in.
Try to work it until you get a thick lather, which might end up the same color as the foundation. If this is the case, it means it’s cleaning your sponge well and getting all the product that’s trapped inside.
Once that’s done, you’re ready for the rinse. Run the sponge under the tap (warm water works best) and gently squeeze and massage it until all the soapy suds are clear again.
After that, run it for a few seconds more just for good measure to make sure there aren’t any more bubbles. Remember to always use gentle cleansers just in case it isn’t rinsed thoroughly; the residue will not harm your skin or your sponge.
2. Give it a Good Soak
If you don’t want to spend 20 minutes cleaning your beauty sponge, there is another method that requires less of your attention. You can try soaking it through in a bowl of soapy cleanser.
Fill up your container with warm water and drip in a few drops of cleanser, whether it be mild soap or a brush cleaner inside. As you place the sponge inside the bowl, give it a few good squeezes to allow some water to soak inside.
Then you leave the sponge soaking for 20-30 minutes. Hopefully, by the time you head back, the water will have changed color. This means you’ve gotten rid of what all was once inside your sponge.
After that, dump out the contents of the bowl and rinse it out. Then run your beauty blender under the tap for as long as it takes until the bubbles and water that squeezed out are clear. This may take some time, so gently massage it until it’s clean.
You can then air dry the beauty blender, but not before you have squeezed it dry with a lint-free towel or paper towel.
3. Deep Cleaning
You can skip methods one and two and go straight to deep cleaning, but it’s not necessary if you clean your sponge regularly. The steps are quite similar, starting with wetting or soaking the sponge thoroughly in warm water first.
You then directly put the cleaning solution onto the blender. Now, instead of massaging and rubbing, rub the sponge between your palms in a circular motion.
Do so with enough force to make sure you get all the dirt out, but make sure you don’t do it too hard and damage your sponge in the process. If done right, you should notice that the soapsuds exuding from the sponge have changed color.
When you have a good thick lather going, you can start to rinse the sponge while continuing with the previous circular motions. It may take a while for everything to be clean, so you need to be a bit more patient for the deep clean.
When you start noticing that the suds are gone, and the water you squeeze out is clear, you can set out to dry the sponge, either with a paper towel or a clean towel. Make sure you squeeze enough of the excess water out before you air dry so it won’t take too long.
Extra Tips
For hygienic purposes, always allow your beauty blender to dry completely before using it.
Did you know that you can also clean a beauty sponge in the microwave? The heat from the electronic device sanitizes your sponge while you’re at it. Just place it in a dish of soapy water (enough to cover the sponge) and nuke it for a good minute.
Wait until it’s cool before you remove it and run it under the tap to make sure it’s fully clean before letting it air dry.
Conclusion
Cleaning your beauty blender and sponges is a good practice that should be performed every week or so. However, there comes a time when you should just replace your beauty sponge altogether. Even if you’ve been cleaning habitually, you should replace it after three months or more of consistent use.
Cleaning your beauty blender well will prolong its life, but if you notice any damage, such as rips or deformities, we would also suggest switching it out for a new one before the three-month lifespan is up.
How to Clean Beauty Blenders & Sponges
No matter what you use to apply your makeup, it could be blending sponges, a compact brush or even your fingers, you know how makeup can crust and cake on the surface. This is why it’s so important to clean your beauty blenders & sponges well after use.
Not only will a clean blender sponge help you reach your desired makeup effect, it also will also keep your skin healthy and reduce the chances of bacteria buildup. These little compact sponges sure do know how to soak up the product, so let’s look at how to clean them thoroughly.
1. Clean it with a Cleanser
In order to make sure you get ALL of the product (not only on the surface but what’s soaked up inside), you need to wet your sponge in order to clean it. Make sure you get it wet enough. You can tell because your beauty blender will expand.
You can then use the cleanser or mild soap or soapy water on the sponge. The liquid will sit on the surface, so you need to use your fingers to massage it through and get the sponge to soak it all in.
Try to work it until you get a thick lather that might be the same color as the foundation. If this is the case, it means that it’s cleaning your sponge well and getting all of the product that’s trapped inside.
Once that’s done, you’re ready for the rinse. Run the sponge under the tap (warm water works best) and gently squeeze and massage it until all the soapy suds are clear again.
After that, run it for a few seconds more just for good measure to make sure no more bubbles are excreted. Remember to always use gentle cleansers just in case it isn’t rinsed thoroughly, the residue will not harm your skin or your sponge.
2. Give it a Good Soak
If you don’t want to spend 20 minutes cleaning your beauty sponge, there is another method that requires less of your attention. You can try soaking it through in a bowl of soapy cleanser.
Fill up your container with warm water and drip a few drops of cleanser whether it be mild soap or a brush cleaner inside. As you place the sponge inside the bowl, give it a few good squeezes to allow some water to soak inside.
Then you just leave the sponge soaking for 20-30 minutes. Hopefully, by the time you head back, the water will have changed color. This means that what was once inside your sponge has been expelled.
After that, dump out the contents of the bowl and rinse it out. Then run your beauty blender under the tap for as long as it takes until the bubbles and water squeezed out are clear. This may take some time, so just gently massage it until it’s clean.
You can then air dry the beauty blender, but not before you have squeezed it dry with a lint-free towel or paper towel.
3. Deep Cleaning
You can skip methods one and two and go to straight to deep cleaning, but it’s not necessary if you clean your sponge regularly. The steps are quite similar, starting with wetting or soaking the sponge thoroughly in warm water first.
You then directly put the cleaning solution onto the blender. Now instead of massaging and rubbing, we want you to rub the sponge between both your palms in a circular motion.
Do so with enough force to make sure you get all the dirt out. Make sure you don’t do it too hard and damage your sponge in the process. If done right, you should be noticing that the soapsuds exuding from the sponge have changed color.
When you have a good thick lather going, you can start to rinse the sponge while still continuing with the previous circular motions. It may take a while for everything to be clean, so you need to be a bit more patient for the deep clean.
When you start noticing that the suds are gone and the water squeezed out is clear, you can set out to dry the sponge either with a paper towel or a clean towel. Make sure you squeeze enough of the excess water out before you air dry so it won’t take too long.
Extra Tips
Always allow your beauty blender to completely dry before using it for hygienic purposes.
Did you know that you can also clean a beauty sponge in the microwave? The heat from the electronic device can also sanitize your sponge while you’re at it. Just place it in a dish of soapy water (enough to cover the sponge) and nuke it for a good minute.
Wait until it’s cool before you remove it and run it under the tap just to make sure it’s fully clean before letting it air dry.
Conclusion
Cleaning your beauty blender and sponges is a good practice that should be performed every week or so. However, there comes a time when you should just replace your beauty sponge altogether. Even if you have been cleaning habitually, you should replace it after three months or more of consistent use.
Cleaning your beauty blender well will prolong its life, but if you notice any damage such as rips or deformities, we would also suggest switching it out for a new one before the three-month lifespan is up.
