How To Clean Makeup Brushes With Coconut Oil

Written by Skye Rhodes Last Updated: Jan 9, 2025

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Let’s be honest, can you remember when was the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes? – Worry no more, as we will teach you how to clean makeup brushes with coconut oil.

Please don’t feel wrong about your answer.

You will be surprised how many of us are with you on this one.

I was one of the people who never cleaned the brushes and used them till they got so muddy that it affected the proper application and the quality of the makeup itself.

Many bacteria dust and dirt we are applying on our faces, and then back to our makeup and back on our face?

Luckily, you can put all of that behind you now. 

How To Clean Makeup Brushes With Coconut Oil

I did some research on how to clean makeup brushes with coconut oil and care better for my skin and makeup. 

Let’s get into it.

1. Benefits Of The Cleaning Makeup Brush With Coconut Oil

• Doesn’t take much of your time
• It’s effortless
• Comes at a price you can easily afford
• Pure organic way to take care of your makeup brushes and your skin
• The sensation of your skincare after you implement these as your daily base routine 

I am saving lots of money by no buying makeup brushes that often.

But the most important thing is that I’m keeping my face skin healthy and shiny.

Now let’s see what kind of coconut oil is the best to use for this purpose.

On the market we can find these types of coconut oil:

• Unrefined coconut oil
• Refined coconut oil
• Organic coconut oil 
• Cold-pressed coconut oil
• Centrifuge extracted coconut oil

Below you can see the benefits of using each type individually, virgin coconut oil or unrefined coconut oil is processed as minimally as possible.

With this in mind, no additives are added.

Refined coconut oil is processed with no preservatives and additives and is often bleaching, giving the coconut oil a light coloring.

Organic coconut oil is also one of the best types to use.

The reason why should be on your list is that it’s produced without the use of pesticides and other harmful ingredients.

Cold-pressed coconut oil is made through a method by extracting oil from coconut without heat and often produces some of the highest quality found in the market.

Centrifuge extracted coconut oil goes through another unique process.

In this process, the centrifugal force is used to separate the oil from the milk.

Most of the antibacterial properties are preserved and the fatty acids that make coconut oil so useful.

2. Makeup Brushes

What are the best quality brushes with affordable prices you can invest in?

Here are some tips about what you should be paying attention to when purchasing makeup brushes.

The brushes come in various colors, forms, and shapes.

Every brush comes with a hairy bristle, ferrule (the metal part in between the head and the handle of the makeup brush) and a handle that can be made by wood or plastic, and usually labeled with the brand of the brush.

The brushes will help you to better apply makeup on your face or body.

Many makeup artists are listing makeup brushes as the greatest makeup tool invention till now.

It helps in giving you that last final look that makes the makeup look professionally done even if you have the basic skills.

You can find different hair brushes by the material (Natural, Synthetic, or Duo Fiber Hair) which means a mix of natural and synthetic.

Natural Brush Head Hair:

• Goat
• Pony
• Sable
• Squirrel
• And many more (you name it they have it)

Synthetic Brush Head Hair:

•  Nylon
•  Polyester

Nowadays, we can find more often Synthetic Brushes on the market.

Here are a few reasons why:

• More durable
• Softer to apply
• Cheaper compared to the natural hair makeup brushes

The most expensive natural makeup brush you can get is made from a squirrel and not any squirrel but the one called Blue Squirrel.

How To Choose Between Synthetic And Natural Makeup Brush

Here are a few tips about how to close your choice:

• The truth depends on the type of makeup
• If the composition of your makeup is creamy or liquid, you should go for a synthetic brush as it does not absorb much of the product like the natural so it means you are using less makeup
• The finish will be completely satisfying
• These are easy to wash, they last longer and are much cheaper
• If we have a powder makeup product, it’s better to use a natural hairbrush
• For example, eyes shadows will pick up the color and diffuse it well on any type of powder makeup
• Another tip when purchasing a makeup brush is to pay attention to the bristles
• Bigger the bristle less control you may have, shorter bristle, better control
• Let’s see about the density of the brush
• More hair the brush has it denser it will be so it is automatically more product picked up
• Less dense the hairbrush has it will be fewer products to pick up

Types Of Makeup Brushes

Foundation Brushes

These brushes 99.9% are made with synthetic hair.

The flat foundation brush is in use for years, and even nowadays, makeup artists are still using it.

It is very convenient for the foundation as it looks like a paintbrush.

You can paint your face and your body with this.

The minus here is that these are leaving marks so that’s why nowadays artists are more into flat-top duo-fiber foundation brush.

With these brushes, the application is in a circular motion, like dancing around the area.

Concealer Brushes

Similar to the foundation brushes just smaller.

Powder Brushes 

These brushes can be in use for powder, contour /highlight, and blush depending on the size.

You can get it in synthetic hair or natural, dense hair or dome shape.

Blush Makeup Brush

These are the smaller version of the powder brushes.

They look the same do the same thing is just for smaller parts of the face/ body, and that’s why they are a smaller size.

Eye Shadow Brushes

The small version of brushes to cover the eyes parts only.

You can get them in synthetic hair and natural hair.

For successfully applying eyeshade on your eyelid, use long bristles eye shadow brush. 

Blending Brush

For me, these are some of the essential makeup brushes.

Even if you don’t know how to do makeup, if you know how to blend, you will look like a pro.

Blending brushes also can be synthetic or natural.

Shorter and with less hair can adequately dispense the product.

Eyeliner And Eyebrows Brushes

As part of the makeup brush selection as well, these types are mostly made with synthetic hair.

Lip Brush

Most of these brushes are made with synthetic hair.

As I already mention, pick up fewer makeup products and dispenses them better on your lips.

After getting familiar with the beauty of the makeup brushes, the next thing is to learn how to maintain the brushes, long-lasting, and in good shape.

As promised, here are the tips that are working for me so well and have made my life easier and my makeup applying more successful.

3. Methods Of Cleaning Makeup Brushes

Spot Cleaning

This type of cleaning refers to Quick Cleaning on the spot.

The brushes are ready to use in an instant.

How is done?

Place the brush on the top of the tissue:

•  Get a small spray bottle where you have put the below ingredients
•  Slice squeezed lemon
•  4-5 drops of coconut oil
•  Glass of water
• Spray the product on the tissue and the brush

Twirl your brush on the tissue.

Spot cleaning is suitable for traveling.

Also can be a great asset when we need to use the same brushes several times.

Examples like this show when the makeup artist has more clients in a short period, and they need clean brushes in an instant.

Deep Cleaning

After several uses, you want to do a deep cleaning on your make up brushes.

Bacteria get trapped into the bristles with time.

It is very unhygienic and can cause breakouts.

The actual balance on the makeup application can be affected by this.

How can you deep clean your brushes?

There are various ways.

The choice is on you, which of the below methods will be your makeup brush cleaning routine.

I found that the best way is cleaning with coconut oil as the main product.

Mixing the coconut oil with other ingredients can result in high-quality cleaning of the makeup brushes.

The results are amazing and give you pure, organic, and gentle treatment for your skin and makeup.

First Method

Things you will need:

• Fill up a cup with warm water
• Add two squirts of cleanser
• Add 5-6 drops of coconut oil

Twirl the brush in the cup.

The next step is to rub the brush gently on your palm.

Squeeze dry.

Let it dry at the edge of the table.

If you have a brush tree, it’s even better, but if not just leaned it on the edge of the table.

The Second Method That Gives Excellent Results

All you need are these three things:

• Coconut oil
• Dishwashing liquid (Dawn works great)
• Water

Just follow these simple steps and your makeup brushes will look like new in no time:

First, put three tsp of coconut oil and 250 ml water in a bowl with a large dollop of dishwashing liquid.

Place the pan in a microwave for a minute to melt the coconut oil.

Once you have a liquid substance, you’re ready to go.

Put the brush in the mixture of oil, water, and dishwashing liquid until it starts to foam up.

Use your fingers to work the mixture into the brush and continue rubbing the brush.

Use your fingers to feel the brush and once you feel like you have removed all the oil and dirt from the bristles, rinse the brush with warm water to remove the soapy mixture.

Wring out all of the water.

Use a paper towel or cloth to dry the brush and make sure you take time to reshape it as you don’t want it to get all twisted from cleaning it.

It is also essential to ensure that your brushes are lying flat when they are drying.

I always leave mine to dry overnight to ensure they are dry by morning.

Third Method

Things you will need:

• Get a bowl and put one glass of water in it
• Put two squirts of hand soap or gentle shampoo
• Add 5-6 drops of coconut oil

Insert the brush into the pan and start making circles.

Most likely you will have to repeat this a few times till the water is clean.

After the brush is clean, you can dry it out with a paper towel.

The most important is how you will dry your brushes.

Get a sheet and roll it on the one side and place the brushes leaning on the side so the water will come out and help it dry properly.

Fourth Method

Things you will need:

• Get a small spray bottle
• Pour in some rubbing alcohol
• Add 2-3 drops of coconut oil

Use this to spray the makeup pallets.

Don’t worry it will not damage the pallet, it will only clean the dust and the bacteria of it.

Fifth Method

Things you will need:

• Small spray bottle
• Liquefied coconut oil
• Baby shampoo

In the spray bottle, add liquid coconut oil.

Spray the makeup brushes and let it rest in the oil.

After approximately 30 minutes, start rinsing the makeup brushes with baby shampoo.

The baby shampoo is giving gentle cleaning on the brushes with deep moisturizing.

Along with coconut oil, the incredible results are a guarantee.

Sixth Method

Things you will need:

• One bowl where the brushes can fit in
• Two parts antibacterial soap
• One part of coconut oil

You can also add in essential oils of your choice so that your makeup brushes smell great.

Apart from smelling great, the essential oils have antiseptic and antibacterial properties.

How does this method work?

In a wide-mouthed bowl, add 2 cups of water so that all brushes can be dipped in.

Now, add 2 parts of the antiseptic liquid cleanser followed by one part of coconut oil.

Add two tablespoons of antiseptic liquid cleaner and one tablespoon of coconut oil.

Add in also a few drops of essential oil by your choice.

Give a good stir to mix it with everything.

Let the makeup brushes in for few hours.

A few hours later, rinse it with cold water.

You may have to repeat the method a few times, depending on how dirty the makeup brushes are.

After the brushes are clean, please lean them on a towel folded on one side so the brushes water will dry off properly. 

All of these methods can be in use for the types of makeup brushes I have listed above.

It’s really on you which method you will find more convenient.

Dirty Makeup Brushes Are Harming Your Skin, Your Health, And Makeup Products

Parasites And Microbes Accumulation

Bacteria can accumulate when you don’t wash your brushes.

When brushes you are using provide a moist, warm environment it becomes a home for harmful microbes.

This will eventually become breeding grounds for harmful bacteria sounds pretty bad.

Wait, that’s not all.

There is more to come.

Breakouts

Dirty brushes and sponges can cause breakouts.

Swiping dirt and bacteria-infested brush on your face can cause an overload of microbes that your skin isn’t used to handling.

This can trigger your skin to try and control the overloaded layer by reacting to it with a rash, or blistering, or skin eruptions.

If you notice bumps popping up in the same spots that you use your brushes and sponges, it’s time to reevaluate your cleanliness.

Skin Rash

Skin reacts to oil and dirt build-up in many ways.

An overload of bacteria can trigger breakouts, which cause your skin to become irritated.

Cleaning your brushes will also keep your brush fibers soft, so you won’t have to go to town on your face when applying your makeup.

Blocked Pores

Weeks old makeup that’s been settling in your dirty brushes and sponges can clog your pores and oil glands.

Clogged pores may lead to breakouts.

As long as your brushes go without cleaning, you’ll just be spreading dirt from your face, into your makeup, and back to your face again.

Virus Infections

Dirty makeup brushes can lead to viral infections.

Reapplying your dirt and oils with your dirty brushes already upsets your skin.

Sharing cosmetics and brushes with others opens up a more significant, grosser can of worms.

Sharing your brush with anyone else complicates the issue by introducing their unhealthy microbes onto your skin, which may not tolerate the “foreign” bacteria well thus causing a reaction.

This reaction can be as small as a breakout or as intense as catching an infection like pink eye or herpes.

If you thought breakouts were bad, you’re not prepared to handle attracting bugs to your dirty brushes and sponges.

Muddy Makeup Application

Who’s not scared of getting a viral infection?

In that case, know that dirty brushes will affect the performance of your tools.

It’s already a struggle enough trying to blend out shadows or perfect a Kim K contour.

Grimy brushes complicate matters even more by making the application of specific makeup streaky or uneven.

The user will have to work harder, take more strokes of the brush against the skin to get the application even and uniform.

If you didn’t sign up to spend an extra 20 minutes in the bathroom smoothing out your makeup, I suggest you bath those brushes.

Damaged Brushes

Makeup brushes and sponges are an investment.

It looks like you are throwing your money down the drain when you are not taking care of your tools.

Protect your investment by cleaning them at least once a week.

Reading this article is step one of the clean makeup brushes and more quality makeup applications.

Final Thoughts

Coconut oil is antibacterial, anti-yeast, and also works as a great first-aid cream.

Breaks up water-resistant substances used in eye shadow and makes up the foundation, releasing them from the makeup brushes and the skin.

Coconut oil has received the most buzz with claims that it can reduce wrinkles and fine lines, moisturize the skin and fix acne, while also cleansing your skin.

The addition of natural and healthy oil to your skin will make you look glowing without being too shiny.

Also, coconut oil hydrates and moisturizes your skin which prevents sagging.

We hope this article showed you how to clean makeup brushes with coconut oil and make them last longer.

Give it a try and let us know the difference in the comments below.