Expert advice on caring for brushes, sponges and puffs properly.
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In the chapters ahead, I'm going to talk about a variety of beauty tools that you need to apply your makeup. These include brushes, foundation sponges, and velour powder puffs. Tools are available at a variety of price points, but the best ones tend to be on the expensive side. If price is an issue, buy only what you need. The tips and tricks in this book don't call for dozens of different brushes, and you can certainly make some brushes do double duty. Do try to buy the best brushes you can afford. If you take care of them, and I'm going to explain how, they can last for years. The oldest brushes in my makeup kit are more than twenty-five years old!
Washing your brushes
Caring for your brushes means washing them on a regular basis, not using them for a year and then tossing them. If you wait until your brushes look dirty, you've waited far too long. Apply makeup with clean tools; it's better for your brushes and your skin.
Basically, there are two kinds of brushes: those you use with creamy products and those you use with powdery products.
Let's talk about the first group, which includes brushes for concealer, camouflage, eyeliner, lip products, cream eyeshadow, and cream blush. These should be washed daily. This is a must for anything that touches your eyes or that you use to cover pimples because of bacteria. This probably sounds like a pain in the neck because you're so busy, and the last thing you need is another chore. But once you get in the habit, quickly washing the brushes will become second nature. You can wait until you come home after work to clean them, instead of doing it right after you apply your makeup in the morning.
Image courtesy Simon & Schuster
How to wash your brushes and travel tips on the next page ...
 | Copyright 2006 by Laura Mercier. Reprinted by permission. Excerpted from the book The New Beauty Secrets: Your Ultimate Guide to a Flawless Face by Laura Mercier, published by Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc. |
