Cleaning | Styled By Lauren

Cleaning makeup brushes is weirdly something I take pretty seriously. I always can’t help but think back to when I first started wearing makeup dabbling between a variety of sponges and cheap useless makeup brushes including that unusual spongy applicator eyeshadow brush (I still don’t understand them) and I cringe thinking of how I never cleaned my brushes. Cleaning my makeup brushes is only something that really came to me when I really got into makeup and I started to learn more about it thanks to blogging. Just to think that I used a makeup brush on a constant basis that had never been cleaned and sat in a pot to gather dust makes me wince. I know that many people still aren’t great when it comes to brush cleaning but its pretty important, so important that someone nearly died from a unclean makeup brush – true story, check it here, apologies for scaring anyone. Anyway here is how I clean my brushes…

Daily Clean

Now the word ‘daily’ may seem slightly over the top to many of you when it comes to makeup brush cleaning but strangely to me its part of my daily makeup routine. After applying my makeup I like to give each brush a quick spritz of makeup cleaner and wipe the brush on a paper towel to give them a little refresh ready for the next use. I used to use the Elf Brush Cleaner however I have found that the MAC Brush Cleaner is actually must better value for money considering the size of the bottle. The only annoying thing with this product is that it comes with a pour style lid rather than a spray so I usually put the product in my empty Elf cleaner bottle which has a spray making it so much easier! Again this step of daily cleaning is something most people wouldn’t do so this is pretty optional, if you were to clean your brushes I wouldn’t just use a product like this alone.

Thorough Clean

Now this step is a lot more important. If you were to pick one out of the two then this is the one to go with. Daily cleaning is simply something I do to refresh my brushes and take off the top layer of makeup from the brush while thorough cleaning does what it says really and gives brushes a good deep cleanse by clearing out all the dirt left behind. It depends on how often I wear makeup to decide how often to give my brushes a deep cleanse but this can vary from weekly, fortnightly and monthly. For thorough cleansing I go for an affordable but effective option: baby shampoo. By putting a drop of the shampoo in the palm of my hand, I then swirl the brush around and rinse under hot water. It is also important when cleaning your brushes with water to lie them down flat with the bristles hanging off a table to prevent the water from damaging the bristles in the brushes. If you are a newbie to brush cleaning then this is a step I recommend.

So are you guilty of not cleaning your brushes or are you a clean freak like me!?

Forget daises and pastels, Spring is also the time for cleaning. Sounds tedious, I know but it doesn’t have to be. Now I’m not talking sprucing up the kitchen counters but your wardrobe. If you are like me with far too many clothes scattered in several storage spaces then it does sound rather off-putting but there is nothing better than having a good clean and tidy wardrobe full of clothes you know you will wear. Being an avid fan of clothes shopping I’ve gathered up quite the collection but as I get older and my tastes have changed I have a slight regret over choosing quantity over quality. I am now looking into giving my wardrobe a bit of a revamp and hopefully if you are in the same boat these tips might help!

1// Its time for a look into your wardrobe Checking what you own is important so that you can identify what is lacking in your collection and what you just have too much of. At this point it’s time to decide what you want to keep a hold of and know you will wear and also what pieces are ready to go. As the ultimate hoarder, this is a step I struggle with, I always tend to think even though I haven’t worn something in years it will later come in handy but its important to be harsh and do what you know is right.

2// Saying goodbye to those in the unwanted pile There is nothing more satisfying than building up wardrobe space by getting rid of those unwanted unworn clothes. If the clothes aren’t in good condition then its probably best to bin them however if they are still in a decent condition you could make some money out of them. Ebay is the obvious one but its basically your best friend when cleaning out your wardrobe. It is free to list up to 20 items per month and if sold you only have to pay a small percentage in fees. Depop is another popular method for selling, despite never trying it out, it seems to be quite popular amongst bloggers and pretty straightforward. By selling off unwanted clothes you can also generate some money to go towards some new clothing, bonus!

3//Investing in key pieces Now this step might not apply to everyone but if you are lacking in pieces its time to make the investment. Having good basics is important such as a good pair of jeans, a good jacket and some good t-shirts that you know you will wear. If you are like me and basically want to get rid of most of your wardrobe its the best idea to invest in good quality pieces that will last long rather than cheap poorer quality items that you will have to continuously repurchase. It doesn’t have to be expensive in buying new items, retailers such as ASOS hold a number of quality pieces at great prices.

4//Getting organised The last step is to give that finalised wardrobe a good tidy up. I am a sucker for organisation and I enjoy having things in order especially in my wardrobe. Having an organised wardrobe makes it a lot easier to find clothing and makes getting dressed that little bit quicker than rummaging through endless hangers of clothes. Everyone is different in how they organize so its important to chose the organisation method that suits you. Whether its through the type of clothing i.e dresses, jeans, skirts, tops or colour coordination or even through the season i.e Spring or Autumn, whatever works for you is key.

Hopefully some of these tips were helpful when the time arises to clear out that ever-growing pile of clothes. Once the cleaning is done, the challenge of keeping it clean is the next step! Now looks like I’m off to clear up the vast amount of coloured jeans in my collection… wish me luck!

Will you be giving your wardrobe a spring clean?