Whilst makeup has been used for millennia, using a sponge to apply makeup was originally introduced by Max Factor in the 1920s when they produced their first compact pancake makeup.
Reusable sponges cost money so it’s important that we know how to care for them.
As makeup sponges are an item used on a daily basis it’s important to know how to clean them properly.
Makeup sponges have evolved over recent years. They’ve gone from the traditional triangular shape to more of an egg shape and are now generally made of polyurethane or latex; there’s even one available now that replicates a breast implant and is made of silicone!
Whilst some, such as those made of foam, are designed to be disposable after a single use, there are now many reusable sponges on the market. They’re a useful tool in our arsenal of applying the perfect foundation, or blending concealers or creating contours with blushers. And if they’re not clean they can give you a streaks or an uneven finish to your makeup, or worse, harbor bacteria you’d not want to spread on your face.
Why Clean Our Makeup Sponges?
There are a few benefits to cleaning makeup sponges:
First and foremost, as logic would tell you, we all have bacteria living on our skin. When makeup is applied using sponges these bacteria transfers to the sponge. The moist environment created by dampening the sponge (recommended before applying makeup) and the product that seeps into the sponge become an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.
Using a dirty sponge transfers these bacteria and can cause skin infections, especially if you have any broken skin. If you were to search the internet you’d no doubt find some horror stories such as Stevie Millers YouTube Video of bugs in her Beautyblender.
Secondly we spend our hard earned cash buying reusable sponges, so taking care of them properly will ensure that we prolong the life of the sponge and ensure they don’t get clogged with residual product that’ll affect their overall efficiency and performance .
How Often Should We Clean Our Makeup Sponges?
In reality most of us more than likely don’t clean our makeup sponges as often as we should.
In an ideal world, they should really be cleaned after each use, but in the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s unlikely that this happens. As a minimum they should be cleaned at least once a month, but the more often you do it, the better for your skin health.
Another point to consider is that these sponges are absorbent, consequently the liquid foundations they are designed to apply seep into the sponge. If not cleaned regularly this may affect the flawless finish that we all strive to achieve by using these products to apply our makeup.
Techniques for Cleaning Polyurethane and Latex Makeup Sponges
There are several methods you can use to clean your sponge:
Method 1: Gentle Liquid Soap or Baby Shampoo
- Wet your sponge with fresh water by running under a tap. It should be damp but not soaking wet.
- Next you’ll need a mild liquid soap, maybe an antibacterial dishwashing liquid or baby shampoo. Squeeze a small amount of this onto your sponge or apply the soap to your hands and massage it in.
- When the soap has been absorbed you will then need to thoroughly rinse it under a warm tap.
- To ensure that the entire residual product has been cleaned from your sponge you may need to soap and rinse it several times. You’ll know it’s clean when the tap water runs clear.
- After washing your sponge until it’s clean you’ll then need to dry it. Squeeze out as much of the water absorbed in the sponge using your hands as you can.
- Then use an absorbent towel and squeeze out the residual water and finally leave it to dry in an open area overnight.
Method 2: Gentle Unscented Solid Soap
- Wet your sponge with fresh water by running under a tap. It should be damp but not soaking wet.
- Put your sponge to the side and then wet your soap under the warm tap water.
- Work the soap into a good lather with your hands.
- Take your sponge and rub the lather all over, gradually working the lather into the sponge.
- Once you think all the lather has been absorbed rinse the sponge under warm water. If you want you can rub the damp sponge over the bar of soap.
- To ensure that the entire residual product has been cleaned from your sponge you may need to soap and rinse it several times. You’ll know that it’s all gone when the tap water that comes from the sponge runs clear.
- After washing your sponge until it’s clean you’ll then need to dry it. Squeeze out as much of the water absorbed in the sponge as you can.
- Then use an absorbent towel and squeeze out the residual water.
- Finally leave it to dry in ventilated area overnight, such as on a clean soap dish on a bathroom shelf.
Method 3: Dedicated Cleaners
Some brands of makeup sponges come with their own dedicated cleansers. These may be more expensive than using a generic or liquid soap, and should be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
There are a few other techniques that can be considered:
Firstly, if you’re fortunate enough to have several sponges you may want to use your washing machine to clean them.
Place the sponges in a net laundry bag, the type you might use for delicate lingerie, wash according to the machines instructions on a gentle wash with a mild detergent. You might want to consider an extra rinse cycle to ensure all the soap is removed.
Secondly, to kill any bacteria after washing your sponge, you could blitz it in a microwave. Ensure your sponge is well rinsed of all soap and is still wet (a dry sponge may catch fire), place the sponge in a microwave bowl and cover it with water, microwave for 30 seconds.
Finally, when washing your sponge you could use a solution of 1.5 teaspoons of liquid soap and 2 teaspoons of olive oil or coconut oil. Soak your sponge in the mixture for a minute or so and then massage it under a warm tap until the water runs clear.
With each of these methods remember to leave your sponge to dry in a ventilated area overnight.
Cleaning a Silicone Sponge
This is by far the quickest and easiest makeup sponge to clean. They’re non porous so don’t absorb any product or water. Quite simply rinse them with soap or makeup remover and dry them with a paper towel.
Storage of Your Clean Makeup Sponge
Once you have a nice clean sponge you’ll want to store it properly, don’t be tempted to throw it into your makeup bag or a drawer where it can get damaged, or to put it in a closed container where germs can breed. It needs to be kept in a cool dry place where air can circulate and the sponge can breathe. Also note that if you’re travelling it’s a good idea not to place your sponge in a plastic bag, use a pouch that has some ventilation, maybe a small jewelry pouch would suffice.
Precautionary Considerations
As with any product that comes into contact with our skin you need to consider allergic reactions to any of the soaps or other cleansing materials that you use to clean your sponges as well as any allergies to the materials the sponge may be made of.
So remember if you look after your makeup sponges, they’ll look after you,
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