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How to Clean Your Makeup Tools the Right Way

When you think of your makeup collection, your makeup brushes and sponges might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but they are the real backbone of your beauty routine. They’re the tools responsible for that seamless eyeshadow blend or the undetectable layer of foundation on your skin! 

Beauty tools have an important role to fulfill, but they can’t do it to the best of their ability if they’re clogged with makeup.

By washing your makeup brushes regularly, you guarantee that your makeup will always glide on like a dream. Beyond that, since your brushes come in such intimate contact with your face, keeping them clean prevents breakouts and even sickness. 

If you don’t know how to clean makeup brushes and tools, have no fear! We’ve put together this comprehensive guide with answers to all of your burning questions.

If you’ve found yourself wondering how often to clean makeup sponges or what soap to use to clean makeup brushes, we have the answers. We also cover a few important hygiene and disinfection details you may not have considered before.

Hygiene is at the forefront of our minds these days. There’s always a bottle of hand sanitizer hidden in our purse, and we never miss a chance to wash our hands. We should be every bit as vigilant with our makeup tools when it comes to cleaning!

Which makeup tools do you need to clean?

It’s important to clean any reusable tool that comes in contact with your skin! Brushes, sponges, tweezers, and even your counter space must be washed and disinfected regularly. 

It’s a little different for the tools that come built into your makeup product, like the mascara wand on our bestselling Cabaret Première mascara or the doe-foot applicator on our new Polynésie Française volumizing lip gloss. The makeup itself is already formulated with ingredients that kill pesky germs, so as long as you don’t use those products past the listed expiry date, they’ll stay safe and always ready to go. 

What to use to clean makeup tools

cleaning a makeup brush

There are a lot of different makeup brush cleaners you can use, and chances are they’re already sitting in your bathroom or kitchen cabinets! So what soap to use to clean makeup brushes? It depends on the brush!  

Gentle cleaners for animal hair brushes

If your makeup brushes are made from animal hair, the best thing to use is a gentle shampoo that will wash away germs without drying out the bristles.

You can even follow it up with conditioner to keep the bristles extra-soft. Another option is to clean the makeup brushes with soap – just make sure to select a gentle one that includes moisturizing oils or glycerin. 

Cleaning synthetic brushes

Synthetic, or vegan, brushes have become very popular in recent years, in part because they are soft yet durable and cruelty-free! You can clean synthetic makeup brushes with dish soap or hand soap and feel confident that they’ll hold up beautifully. 

What to use to clean makeup sponges

Maybe you’ve heard that you can clean makeup sponges in the microwave, but that’s a big no-no. The extreme heat might kill the bacteria, but it’ll also damage your sponge. Instead, it’s best to clean makeup sponges with soap, dishwashing detergent, or any foaming cleanser that’s free of alcohol. 

Disinfecting your makeup tools 

Sometimes you don’t have time to thoroughly wash your brushes, but you still want to clean them up quickly in a way that kills germs. That’s when alcohol comes to the rescue!

Just as it can sanitize your hands, rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle can also disinfect makeup brushes and metal beauty tools. 

We recommend choosing 70% isopropyl alcohol since it’s strong enough to disinfect effectively but not so strong that it’ll dry out delicate brush bristles. As a bonus, wiping your brushes down after spraying will eliminate makeup residue and allow you to change colors. 

How often to clean makeup brushes

Misting a makeup brush 

If you wear your makeup daily, cleaning your makeup brushes at home once a week is a must. If you don’t have time to deep clean them every week, that’s okay! You can sanitize them with alcohol every week and do a thorough clean with shampoo or soap once a month. 

How often to clean makeup sponges

Sponges hold even more liquid and bacteria than brushes, so you need to keep them extra clean. If you wear foundation every day, wash them at least 2-3 times a week. Thankfully, since they work best when damp, it’s easy to wash them with soap and water before every use! 

How to clean makeup brushes 

Washing a makeup brush with soap

Before you start washing your makeup brushes, make sure to set yourself up properly! Get situated near the sink, line up all of your brushes, and have a towel ready for drying nearby. 

Cleaning makeup brushes with soap or shampoo 

  1. Start by dampening your brush bristles, but be careful not to let the water slide down into the ferrule (the metal tube that connects the bristles to the handle). If any water gets trapped in there, the base of the brush can become a breeding ground for bacteria. 
  2. Next, squirt a small amount of your makeup brush cleaner of choice in the palm of your hand. 
  3. Swirl the brush in your palm until it suds up. 
  4. Then, massage the bristles with your fingers to thoroughly break down the makeup residue–it’s just like shampooing your hair!  
  5. Then, rinse your brush until it’s clear of makeup and soap residue. 
  6. Finally, squeeze the brush head with your fingers to remove excess water and reshape the bristles. 
  7. If your brush is still feeling a little too damp, press it gently with a clean towel, and set it down to dry–we have a few more tips on that below! 

How to disinfect makeup brushes and tools with alcohol

  1. Spray your brush head or a paper towel with enough alcohol to slightly dampen the brush. 
  2. Next, wipe the brush back and forth multiple times over the paper towel. Keep going until the brush stops depositing color. 
  3. Lay the brush flat to allow it to dry.  
  4. If you’re disinfecting a beauty tool, spray it thoroughly with alcohol but don’t wipe it down. Set it somewhere clean, and the alcohol will dry away quickly on its own. 

How to dry your makeup brushes 

Professional makeup brushes drying

When it comes to drying your makeup brushes, the most important thing to remember is that you don’t want any water finding its way to the base of the bristles. 

Instead of making gravity your enemy, use it to your advantage! After squeezing out as much water as you can and reshaping the brushes, lay them flat or angle them downwards to let all of the liquid run off of the bristles. They should look exactly like the photo above! 

You can make your own brush drying contraption, or take a tip from makeup artist Troy Surratt:

"lay down a towel on a flat surface and roll it on one side. Then, lay the brushes down so that the handle is slightly lifted, putting the brush on a downward angle."

How to clean makeup sponges DIY 

Woman cleaning a makeup sponge

  1. To start, place your sponge under a running tap. 
  2. Add some soap or detergent, and squeeze the sponge until it’s sudsy–this is your sign that the soap has gotten all the way through it. 
  3. Squeeze a few more times for good measure. The suds coming out of the sponge should take on the color of your makeup. 
  4. Rinse the sponge under the tap to remove all of the soap and makeup residues. Keep squeezing the sponge while rinsing to ensure everything comes out. 
  5. Gently squeeze the sponge with a towel to remove excess water. 
  6. Finally, place it in a clean and safe place to air-dry. 

How often to replace your makeup brushes and tools 

All good things come to an end! Another element of good beauty hygiene is knowing when to replace your tools. It’s pretty obvious with makeup products since the expiry date is listed on the package, but with tools, you need to learn to judge for yourself. 

When to replace makeup sponges

Reusable sponges have a lifespan of up to 6 months, but they often need to be replaced much sooner. If you start noticing small tears or an odd smell, it’s better to play it safe and throw the sponge away. But wait... don’t throw it in the garbage! Many reusable makeup sponges can actually go in the recycling bin!  

When to replace makeup brushes

Brushes don’t have a clear cut shelf-life. Some artisan brushes can last for decades, while mass-produced brushes may only survive for a few years. What’s certain is that brushes that are well taken care of last longer. It’s time to replace a brush when it no longer holds its shape or if its bristles start to shed.  

A clean finish 

Woman applying makeup

As long as you get it done in a proper fashion, it doesn’t matter how you clean your brushes. You can use a special makeup brush cleaner or settle on a DIY method to clean your makeup brushes at home with your favorite soap or shampoo. The most important thing is that you’re keeping yourself and your skin healthy and safe!   



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10 Eye Makeup Looks to Wear with a Mask
March 23, 2021
10 Eye Makeup Looks to Wear with a Mask

It looks as though face masks won’t be disappearing anytime soon thanks to Covid, which means applying lipstick falls a bit on our daily makeup list.  When you’re wearing a mask, your eyes naturally take center stage. And since half of your face is covered, it’s important to make the most of what’s on show. Fashionable masks are great, but they don’t quite measure up to the magic of makeup.  Whether you’re working from home, heading to the office, or taking care of those everyday tasks, you still want to look and feel your best. What better way to reclaim your beauty ritual than to have fun with your eye makeup when wearing a mask? Forget about putting makeup on under your mask — what you need is a killer look for your eyes. Here are our favorite eye makeup looks when wearing a mask. Voluminous lashes Take a minimalist approach to your eye makeup with voluminous lashes. Full, fluttery, and fabulous is the name of the game here. And the great news? You don’t need lash extensions or falsies to amp up the volume.  Check out our instant volume mascara — definition and volume in just one coat! Add a few extra for even more drama, depending on the look you’re going for.  Mask & match There’s a fun new mask makeup look trending right now that is all about matching your makeup to your mask. Pick a colorful, patterned mask of your choice, then experiment with creating an eye makeup look around it. For example, if you’re wearing a rainbow-colored mask, why not go for a rainbow-inspired eyeshadow theme?  There are no rules here, apart from breaking them! A neutral smokey eye An all-out smokey eye might be a little too much for a daytime look. The next best thing? A neutral smokey eye! Use a natural eyeshadow 2-3 shades lighter than your skin tone that has a bit of a shimmer to it. Apply the eyeshadow to the inner corners of your eyes to brighten your eyes and contrast with your mask. This should work with most masks as they tend to be muted in color.  Finish your look with some mascara for extra pop, and you’re good to go.  Rose gold eyeliner Who says shimmer and sparkle are just for celebrations?  Rose gold eyeliner is so on-trend right now and will add a dash of glamour and glitter to any look. There are plenty of options to choose from right now. Apply it as liberally as you like, and add some flicks to the outer edges of your eye for extra pizzazz. This mask makeup look is definitely one of our favorites! A pop of pastel If you’re a fan of playing with color and looking for something to brighten up your face, try a wash of color on your lids. All colors work with this look, but pastels are oh-so-pretty — especially during spring/summer.  Keep the rest of your makeup minimal, and allow your eyes to steal the show. If you’re not sure what color to go for, blue is a safe bet for all skin tones.  Use one solid color, a shimmery shadow, or add some depth at the crease line with a darker shade.  Cat eye When you’re wearing a mask, people’s eyes will be drawn to the center of your face. A sassy cat eye is the perfect detail to draw that attention outward and create a sexy, striking look. Have fun with your cat eye and experiment with colors and patterns. Keep it as subtle or dramatic as you like.  Periwinkle flicks Without a doubt, eye makeup when wearing a mask is a must to prevent your face from totally disappearing! But if you’re not used to braving bold eye makeup looks, a dash of colored eyeliner is a great way to ease yourself in. Don’t worry, lipstick will be back in play soon enough! But until then, why not experiment with color around your eyes? Match your eyeliner to your mask, or clash on purpose. This mask makeup look is guaranteed to play up your eyes in a big way.  Metallic magic If you want to take the rose gold eyeliner look to the next level, how about an all-out metallic eye? This makeup look is super feminine, sexy, and flattering. It’ll give your eyes that extra boost and help them pop against your mask while highlighting their natural, gorgeous shape.  Just sweep it lightly across your upper lids. Add some classic French mascara for volume, and voila!  Winged eyeliner Sometimes all you need is your favorite eyeliner to create a killer eye makeup statement. The winged eyeliner look is classic and flirty. It will flatter the natural shape of your eyes without any need for eyeshadow.  Magic, right? You’ll be ready to leave the house in five minutes! Perfect for those days when you’re short on time, or you snooze your alarm. If you have a shaky hand, try using a template or using a dot-to-dot method to keep your eyeliner symmetrical.     Sunset shadow There’s another popular eye makeup mask trend all over social media right now known as “sunset” shadow. This is all you need to jazz up a plain old mask and bring some color and adventure into your life! Pick a handful of different sunset colors, like oranges, pinks, purples, blues, yellows, golds, etc. Start with one color as a base on the lids, then layer on top to create that stunning sunset vibe.  Play around with different colors and arrangements. This look will be slightly different every time, and that’s the beauty of it.  And that’s how to wear makeup with a face mask! Just because you have to wear a mask, it doesn’t mean your makeup game has to take a hit.  Give these eye makeup looks a try and watch as they transform your face.

How to Get the Perfect French Girl Hairstyles
March 16, 2021
How to Get the Perfect French Girl Hairstyles

French women are known for their effortless yet sophisticated look. French girl style is all about looking like you basically "woke up like this,"  perhaps with just a touch more polish. It’s never too much or too little — it’s always perfect.  The same philosophy applies to French hairstyles. They should never be too complex or intricate. Instead, the focus should be on having a flattering haircut styled to honor your natural hair texture and to frame your beautiful features.   If you’d like to give French girl hair a try, we’ve got some ideas to inspire you. We’ve selected our four favorite ladies’ hairstyles for 2021, and we’ll explain how you can achieve them, along with some matching makeup tips.  French bob cut   A bob cut is one of the most popular French haircuts right now! Vogue called it the biggest hair trend of 2020, and we can assure you that it’s going strong well into 2021. While every bob is tres chic, consider adding bangs to your look to truly embody that French girl style.  To get the bob cut   The secret to getting a bob to work for you is to make sure that it hits your features just right. The eye will be drawn to the spot where the bob ends or where the fringe falls, so consider which features you’d like to emphasize with the length and layering.   You can try to cut your hair on your own, but we’d recommend going to a professional hairdresser. A great hairdresser will take the time to chat with you and help you figure out which lengths will flatter your face shape the best.  Matching your makeup to a French bob If it’s your first time going short, you may want to put a little extra effort into making sure your makeup is visible. We’re partial to pairing this popular French haircut with a vibrant red lip, using our Matte Constance Lipstick in Classic Red.  Wavy French girl hairstyle    You don’t have to go short to achieve amazing French girl hair. Soft waves and natural-looking texture are just as chic, and they work beautifully on longer bobs, shoulder-length hair, and even ultra-long tresses. While a natural wave looks totally effortless, it does take a little bit of technique.  To get soft waves  If you’re naturally blessed with wavy or curly hair, the curly girl method is ideal because it skips the damage of heat styling and brings the very best shape out of your tresses.  If your hair is naturally straight, you’ll have to resort to just a bit of heat styling. First, spray your hair with a texturizing salt spray, and blow dry it if needed. Then, use a large-sized curling iron to create alternating curls in your hair, focusing only on the bottom half of each strand. Finally, once your entire head is curly, use your fingers to gently loosen up the curls to turn them into gorgeous waves.  Tie it together with makeup  The beautiful thing about softly textured waves is that they match any makeup look, including barely-there makeup. The key is to keep the eyes nicely framed by your brows, so they don’t disappear behind the mane of hair. All you need to do is lightly fill them in with the Brow Arcade pencil and then brush them up into a groomed look.  Effortless messy bun While it’s important to have a signature look, French girl style is also about knowing when to change things up. Before dates or nights out, having a go-to effortless, yet sophisticated, bun really comes in handy.   Creating a simple bun The more effortless and messy you want your bun to look, the more bobby pins you’ll need, so make sure to have plenty on hand. You’ll also need strong, tight hair elastics. Start with your hair already a little wavy, and consider using a little dry shampoo to add some grit.  First, pull your hair into a ponytail, leaving a few loose strands at the front to frame your face Next, twist your ponytail, and then wrap it around the elastic so it forms a donut-shaped bun.  Use bobby pins to secure the base of the bun.  Then, gently pull on the bun with both hands to slightly expand it and give it a more voluminous look. If any strands come loose, you can tuck them under the bun and then pin them into place. It’s super easy to create, but the results are impressive.  Match it with soft-glam makeup You’ve already gone through the effort of pulling and pinning your hair up into a bun, so finish off your look with a careful swipe of liquid liner to make your eyes gleam, and then a healthy dose of our Provocation volumizing mascara.   Flirty ponytail French girl hairstyles can lean into a playful, feminine vibe as long as they retain their chic simplicity. A hairstyle with a low-ponytail does the trick, and it’s great for days when you want your hair out of your face. Tying it off with a scarf gives rustic charm and a bit of color to the look!   Styling the perfect ponytail You can rock a sleek ponytail if you like, but we’re partial to this voluminous style. You can start with air-dried hair or go all out and use a hair curler to achieve loose waves. If your hair is feeling a little flat, section it at the crown, and tease a little bit to add some volume.  Then, pull your hair back into a low, loose ponytail. Leave a few loose strands around your face, and give them a quick curl with a curling iron. Finally, pick a colorful scarf, and tie it around the base of the ponytail!  Playful makeup to match This kind of look pairs best with a fresh face. We suggest giving your pout a sheen; so first, use our volumizing Polynesie Francaise gloss in Bora Bora, and then add a sheer wash of pink blush over the cheeks.  Finishing in style  Which of these French hairstyles will you try in 2021? From changing things up with a short bob to embracing length and texture, French girl haircuts and styles give easy options that’ll keep you feeling chic and sexy! 

Hot Makeup Trends vs Timeless Beauty
March 05, 2021
Hot Makeup Trends vs Timeless Beauty

One of the best things about makeup is how creative and evolving it can be. While clothing trends force you to buy new products every season, trendy makeup often just requires a change in technique. Experimenting, changing, and playing around with hot new trends from Instagram, TikTok, or the runways can be a ton of fun! However, these makeup trends are usually fleeting. Unlike classic makeup looks, they won’t stick around for longer than a year or two! It’s fun to look back at photos from the ‘80s or ‘90s and admire how differently women used to do their makeup, but it’s a little scary to imagine others doing the same with photos of you.  When you get ready for graduation photos, weddings, and other big events, do your makeup in such a way so that when you look back at the photos, you won’t find yourself thinking, “gosh, I can’t believe we all used to wear our makeup like that!”  In this article, we’ll go through each hot makeup trend whose days are unfortunately numbered, and reflect on the more timeless makeup looks equivalent to the trend.  While trends are fun for a night out or a creative Instagram story, classic makeup looks are the ideal choice for the most important occasions, so they’re utterly essential to master!   Hot trend: soap brows Brushed up brows are the go-to look for a ton of influencers these days, who usually achieve them with soap, brow gel, or even a semi-permanent lamination. They make the eyebrows look bushy, fluffy, and more symmetrical, and they’re very reminiscent of the styling for model brows in the ‘80s.  Soap brows give a youthful look and they’re a lot of fun, but like other brow trends before them, we think a new look will replace them shortly.  Classic look: groomed brows Soap brows are great fun—we think they’re going to be a major marker of the end of the 2010s. However, keeping your brows classically groomed has the benefit of looking good today as well as in the future.  Eyebrow pencils tipped with a grooming wand, like the Brow Arcade, are incredibly helpful for this technique since you can fill in your brows and then brush the hairs so they go to the side instead of upwards, to lay down in a more natural way.  Hot trend: fox eyes The fox eye makeup trend has absolutely taken over social media and the red carpet, especially by the likes of US-based celebs Bella Fox and Kendall Jenner. It’s a gorgeous look that gives the face an angular, elven appearance through pointed eyeliner and brows that are shaved off at the arch and filled in on an upward angle.  Classic look: classic eyeliner View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vivienne Sabó Paris (@viviennesabo.paris) Fox eyes may be sultry and sexy, but we predict that in the long term, eyeliner that makes the eyes look a little larger will continue to endure. After all, we’ve been doing our eyeliner this way since the ‘40s, and looking back on photos from that era, it still looks stunning.  The trick to keeping your natural eye makeup looking classy is to keep the liner away from the inner corner of the eye, and then to create the wing by following the natural angle of your lower lash line. We have a few more tips and tricks for this look here! Hot trend: baking or strobed skin We live in an era of extremes, with two ultra-popular foundation trends that directly contradict each other. You either bake your makeup under a thick layer of powder for 5-10 minutes, to guarantee an impenetrable finish, or you pack on the glowy serums and highlighters for a strobed, reflective skin finish. It can be great fun to experiment with both of these trends! Classic look: natural skin View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vivienne Sabó Paris (@viviennesabo.paris) In the long term, however, we think natural-looking skin with a satin finish will always be the classiest choice. It’s exactly in the middle between very dewy and matte skin, with the same level of reflectiveness that the skin has when it’s happy and moisturized.  To achieve such an easy natural makeup look, all you need is a light coverage foundation and maybe a touch of concealer. Then, a light dusting of powder with a fluffy brush will help to lock things into place and control excess sheen without making your skin look flat and dry.  Oh, and there’s one more way to achieve this look that’s even easier. Skip the foundation altogether, for the natural, no-makeup look!  Hot trend: flattened Cupid’s bow We first noticed ultra-pouty lips with a flattened Cupid’s bow on the gorgeous Ariana Grande. Then, before you knew it, everyone was applying their lip liner with a continuous, rounded line. It essentially changes the lips’ natural shape, transforming them into elongated ovals. While we love the look right now, it might seem odd in just a few short years.   Classic look: slightly overdrawn lips  While you don’t need to go overboard with it, overdrawing the lip line is actually a very timeless makeup look that goes at least as far back as the ‘30s. The key to achieving lush and full lips without looking cartoonish is to follow the vermillion border, which is the skin-colored line of demarcation surrounding the lips.  The best part? You can create both the classic and trendy lips with our Le Grand Volume lip pencils.  Time and place for every makeup look Every style and technique, from the easiest natural makeup look to the most outrageous hot trend, has its time and place. We don’t want you to forsake makeup trends, because they add spice to life, but it’s just as important to master the classic makeup look so you can look chic for the coming decades.