PSA: Your Makeup Brushes Probably Need A Good Wash — Here Are The Best 14 Cleaners

Buzz Feed

27-04-2025

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
If your brushes could talk, they'd be begging for a turn in this electric cleansing machine.
1. An EcoTools makeup brush cleansing shampoo because it's the #1 bestseller on Amazon and has garnered over 40,000 5-star ratings, so it's worth your attention! This will restore your favorite tools (including sponges!) to their original color instead of looking...well, the way they do now. Just dampen your brush or sponge, add a drop of cleanser, massage it in, and watch all that old, caked-on makeup swirl down the drain!
www.amazon.com
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Jenae Sitzes has used this makeup brush shampoo for *years* and swears by it: "It makes cleaning my brushes so much easier. I just add a bit of the shampoo to my brush and gently rub it against a silicone mat under running water, and it makes quick work of removing all the makeup that's built up on my brush for, frankly, way too long. You'll see the water start running brown immediately, which is always super gross but also really satisfying, and once you see your brush return to its original color, you know you're done. And the bristles are always left as soft as before too!"
Promising review:"I hate washing my brushes. I've always done it by hand, and it's always caused the big fluffy powder brushes to feel rougher or become matted, no matter how hard I try to reshape them. I got this solution and used it with a makeup brush spinner, and I couldn't BELIEVE how amazing my brushes were afterward! I also have sensitive skin, and most soaps I put on a brush will cause me to break out when I use it later, no matter how well I typically rinse it. But I really think that this cleaner + the brush spinner worked great and I haven't had any sensitive bumps on my skin since using them!" — Chelsea
Get it from Amazon for $5.82 (available in two sizes).
2. Or an E.l.f. makeup brush shampoo that's gentle on bristles, doesn't leave any residue behind, and leaves them feeling oh-so-fluffy — and ready to be covered in products again!
www.amazon.com
Promising review: "I used to use a dish soap to clean my brushes, but it was heavily scented and took some time to loosen the makeup. E.l.f. works quickly and is scent-free and vegan. It probably treats the brush bristles more gently than the dish soap. A bit more costly, but still worth it for its good ingredients and quick results. Makes this chore so much easier." — hlymacro
Get it from Amazon for $4.80 (available in a pack of two).
3. An electric makeup brush cleaning kit with three adjustable speeds so you can wash and dry your makeup brushes in literal minutes instead of hand-washing them and then waiting hours (or even days) for them to fully dry.
This kit includes: the electric brush spinner, a cleaning bowl, eight brush collars, a brush cleaner dock, a charging cable, and a user guide.
To use, just add water and/or some brush cleaning solution in the bowl, attach the brush to the electric spinner, spin the brush in the liquid until cleaned, and then spin the brush in the air to quickly dry it!
Promising review:"I have to say, I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!! I prefer to apply my makeup with brushes, and when they would get caked with product, I would throw them away and buy new ones. Well, that got expensive quickly. I tried this product on a whim…and boy am I glad!! I wash, rinse, and dry in the morning, and they are ready for use by lunch if I need a touch-up. It does take a few minutes but SO WORTH it!! The more I use it, the faster I am getting. My brushes look new afterward and feel so much better on my skin. My makeup even goes on nicer. From a non-review-writing, makeup-loving girl...buy it. You will love it!!" — Sally B
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in two colors).
4. Or an electric brush-cleaning spinner if you're always on the go and need a portable yet powerful cleansing option. Just plug it in, put some cleanser and water in it, turn it on, and hold your brushes as the bowl spins and scrubs them clean — a very laborious task made quick and easy!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
And if you want, you can also cop the makeup brush drying rack pictured above!
Promising review: "I used to wash my brushes by hand. It took forever because I have nearly 200 makeup brushes. This brush cleaner is a game changer. To use, put some water and a very little dish soap in it, turn it on, and put your brush in. The cleaner has nubs that scrub your brush. I quickly rinse the soap out under running water. My brushes are so much cleaner now. The task is relaxing instead of a chore." — TaleSpinner
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in three colors).
5. *OR* a one-touch automatic option so you don't have to actually stand there and hold the brush as it's being cleaned. This is designed with rubber holders in a variety of sizes, so it can hold everything from your fluffy foundation brushes to your tiniest liner tools. You can also throw your beauty sponges in here!
Just add water and cleaner, plug it in, secure the brush, and start the machine!
Promising review: "I love this electric makeup brush cleaning machine! It's an absolute game changer in my beauty routine. Cleaning my brushes used to be a chore, but this machine makes it incredibly easy and efficient. It works on all types of makeup brushes, and the results are amazing: My brushes come out spotless and dry in just a few minutes!" — Dayana Marquez
Get it from Amazon for $18.99 (available in three colors).
6. BeautyBlender's cleansing kit with an unscented solid soap bar and a scrubbing pad. Just wet your sponge or brush, swirl it directly onto the unscented cleansing bar, then use the included silicone scrub mat to work up a lather and lift out every bit of gunk. Bonus: The compact case makes it convenient for travel, and since it's *not* a liquid, you won't have to worry about TSA restrictions.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising reviews: "I could never get my brushes as clean as I liked. My daughter told me about this product and swore by it. She was right. I feel like I have brand-new brushes and they were clean in no time! I have synthetic and natural hair brushes so this product works on all." — Dianne Cox
"This is so easy to use. No more mixing up a soap solution — this is a one-stop shop for washing all my makeup brushes with no cleanup needed. Plus, I can travel with it and not have it count toward my liquids for TSA." — A&P
Get it from Amazon for $15.30 (available in three styles).
7. Or a travel-friendly vegan soap bar and pad infused with nourishing oils like avocado, jojoba, argan, and sweet almond that leave your brushes feeling super soft. It's perfect for people with sensitive skin and works on both synthetic and natural bristles.
Narrative Cosmetics is a small business!
Promising review: "THIS cleaner with the built-in scrub pad inside the lid is the most effective makeup brush cleaner. It's also compact and a genius design. All you do is wet the brush, swirl it on the soap, and scrub it on the scrubby pad. Then rinse under the sink's flow of water. My brushes were nasty and caked with a year's worth of makeup (yes, I know, it was bad). But about 30 seconds of swirling and scrubbing on this soap/pad combo, and BAM! Clean! It barely uses any soap, and left my brushes looking BRAND new. The soap is colorless and leaves a faint, mild scent that smells fresh. The value for the price is good, because this is going to last a long time. I might finally be a girlie who cleans her makeup brushes after every use now! This is so simple, and I know my skin is going to thank me later!" — Brittni Hendrix
Get it from Amazon for $15.
8. A professional makeup-brush cleanser to get your tools spotless and dry in seconds — no rinsing or intense scrubbing required. Just dip the tip of your brush into this quick-drying formula, wipe it on a paper towel, and within a few swipes, even the most stubborn makeup will be completely gone. It even removes waterproof products (which are usually impossible to get out) and leaves your brushes soft and smelling a bit like vanilla.
www.amazon.com
Promising review: "First of all, as a makeup artist, this is the best makeup brush cleaner on the market. I haven't been able to find a solution that cleans the brushes as good as this one and dries the brushes almost instantly. This is extremely important because, as a makeup artist, I have to be able to use my brushes on the next client right away and need my tools to be dry, clean, and ready to go. I have been using this product for the last few years, and I will not go without it unless I find something better on the market. Another nice touch is that it leaves the brushes smelling like vanilla, almost. I love that too! One thing to be aware of is that initially it is strong and does have almost an acetone-type smell, so don't pour too much...just something to be mindful about." — Jasmin Rivera
Get it from Amazon for $34 (available in five sizes).
9. A multipurpose silicone cleansing tool that's doing the most (in the best way). It has textured grooves to help get your brushes extra clean, doubles as a bowl so you're not splashing water everywhere, and lets you hang brushes upside down for faster, more thorough drying. You can also use it to store your brushes upright! It's compact, easy to clean, and honestly a genius invention.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "This is the best purchase I've ever, EVER made. I'm usually so lazy with cleaning my makeup brushes. Some I haven't even cleaned in like three years (not joking). This makes it sooooooooo easy. I used mild soap and hot water, and I would dump the water out so I'm not rewashing brushes with dirty water. The quality is great, and it stores a lot of brushes on the end. The only downside is that bigger-ended brushes won't fit, but still enough for 5 stars! I love this! I wish I had known about it sooner!" — Veronica Sellers
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three colors and two-packs).
10. Or a collapsible silicone cleaner bowl you can fold flat so it won't hog all your cabinet space. And when you pop it open, you've got the perfect little tub for your beauty sponges to soak and get scrubbed until they're squeaky clean.
www.amazon.com
Promising review: "I'm so happy I decided on this as a replacement for the one I lost because this is so useful and works so well. The different textured grooves on the bottom really help take makeup off brushes. I especially love that I can fold it down flat and pull it up into a bowl format." — ineedstuffsometimes
Get it from Amazon for $4.99 (available in five colors).
11. *Or* a silicone brush cleaning mat that suctions to the bottom of your sink, keeping it securely in place while you scrub out three years' worth of foundation from your brush. Plus, it's amazing for cleaning a BUNCH of dirty brushes at once!
www.amazon.com
Promising review: "If you use a brush to apply your make up, order this! The cut out fits securely around the drain in your bathroom sink. I put a tiny bit of Dawn on the section with the most bumps on it. Put the brush under running water and then rub the bristles over different parts of the mat and voila, clean brushes with little effort. Totally worth the inexpensive cost! 100% recommend!" — Catherine
Get it from Amazon for $4.99 (available in five colors).
12. An Ogee brush cleanser to deep-clean and sanitize your brushes, removing months of built-up foundation and bacteria without any harsh chemicals. It's so good, it left one reviewer declaring, "This is the ONLY brush cleanser that I will buy going forward. 5 STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Amazon
Promising review: " My brushes have never felt so clean and soft. They are a joy to use again after using this product. It cleans well. The first time I used it, I needed to rewash my brushes with this cleaner several times, as the amount of makeup that kept coming out of my brushes was amazing. I have chemical reactions to many products, but this one I don't. Just leave the lid off so that it can dry completely after use. It also seems like it will last forever." — jcpeach
Get it from Amazon for $24.
13. A pack of eyeshadow color removal sponges so you aren't mixing your eyeshadows while trying to create a colorful eye look. Just lightly glide your brush across the surface to instantly lift off powder pigment! It's perfect for when you don't have time to give your brushes a full-on bath and then wait for them to dry — plus, both sides of the sponge are usable and easy to clean with warm water and soap.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Jenae also keeps this in her beauty arsenal: "I picked up this color removal sponge from Amazon after hearing about this hack on TikTok and can testify that it actually works SO well. I'm *so* bad about cleaning my brushes (I know...shameful) and this makes it super easy to clean a brush in a matter of seconds. So even if I'm trying to do a *slightly* more elaborate eyeshadow look for the day, this makes the process of switching colors as quick and painless as possible. Also, it's *super* lightweight, and I've already tossed it in my bag and brought it on vacation with me. This is one of those products I won't be traveling without in the future if I plan on doing eyeshadow at any point — and it means you only need to pack one or two eyeshadow brushes!"
Promising review: "This product makes it even easier for me to be lazy when it comes to cleaning my brushes. It also allows me to use the same brush for a makeup look since I can swish away a previous shadow and move on to the next. Great buy. Super easy to wash. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, but when I do finally travel again, I'm sure this will be excellent to travel with and make it so that I only need to bring one or two brushes." — Azaleah Bumpus-Barnett
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $5.99.
14. Or a 2-in-1 cleansing kit giving you ~options~ for both a deeper cleanse or a quick brush-off between shades — it comes with a coconut-oil-based soap bar and scrubbing pad, plus a color removal sponge. It's all packed into one compact, travel-friendly kit, so you're covered whether you've got two minutes to get your makeup done or two hours to clean all your tools.
www.amazon.com
Promising review: "I used to struggle to clean my makeup brushes and tools, but this soap and sponge have changed the game for me. The soap really loosens the makeup debris from the brush fibers without getting stuck in the brush as well. It rinses like a dream. My brushes have never looked so fresh. I'm getting less acne following application, and the ease of use has cut my cleaning time in half. No harsh scent; honestly, it smells pleasant. Affordable as heck, and it'll last quite some time" — M
Get it from Amazon for $8.49.