When your makeup brush gets less fluffy

makeup brush

I’ve been having problems keeping my Lumiere kabuki synthetic makeup brush in good condition after the last two washes. Despite having washed it thoroughly, it still felt a tad greasy and less fluffy. On top of that, it’s not looking right even though I’ve remembered to shape it while it was damped. Very strange because I have no problems with the other kabuki brush made of goat and sable which was washed and dried in the same manner.

After some pondering, I think it might have to do with the Sukin Botannical Body Wash I was using to wash it with because it contains too many skin softening ingredients. So while it worked well to keep my goat and sable kabuki brush soft and nice, it was too much for my synthetic brush which is already soft to begin with. I also read that using a glycerin based cleanser or soap to wash our brushes can cause the brush to become a tad greasy and less fluffy so we should choose a cleanser with less glycerin in it and be sure to rinse them out thoroughly. Hmm…too moisturizing for synthetic brushes?

Another thing I wasn’t aware of until I found out about this problem is that if brushes are left to dry in an upright position with the hair ends up, excess moisture can run down into the ferrule, subsequently weakening the glue to hold the hair or causing swelling of wooden handles. Okay, I’m guilty of this as I usually have the brushes laying flat first but leave them standing up once they’re almost dry. Now, I’ve learnt to hang them upside down with rubber bands secured so as to encourage moisture to flow away from the handle toward the ends of the hairs.

But one thing I’ve noticed is that despite what others have been saying, my synthetic kabuki brush takes a LONG time to dry!

Comments

  1. parisb says:

    Mine too! Takes a long time to dry I mean. Much longer than my other brushes. I wonder if its because its synthetic? My other brushes are mostly natural hair. And I noticed it getting greasy too. I still prefer using my J&J Baby shampoo for the Lumiere Kabuki although I alternate my other brushes with the Sukin to keep it soft.

    parisb: You also have the same problem of it turning greasy? Hmmm…I wonder why.

  2. Cynthia says:

    I like to lay my wet cosmetic brushes flat on dry paper towels, let them air dry. I heard that if you let brushes dry in a tight, enclosed space while it’s still wet, it can grow mold. I never knew that glycerin can cause brushes to become greasy and less fluffy. I will go home and check my Bare Escentuals Quick Change brush cleaner and see if it contains glycerin. My brushes have been looking less fluffy as of late, but maybe it’s just because I need to change them.

    Cynthia: Yes, I learnt of that too…the moldy part.

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