Spring-Clean: How to Maintain Your Brushes, Combs, Tweezers, and More

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Source: Spring-Clean: How to Maintain Your Brushes, Combs, Tweezers, and More

While you're going through old clothes and scrubbing floors for a Spring-cleaning, your vanity essentials deserve some much-needed maintenance, too. Beauty can be a dirty business. Taking the time to clean out stray hairs, dead skin, and product buildup will not only keep your rituals bacteria free, but also lengthens the life of your tools. Find out how to Spring-clean everything from your tweezers to your blow dryer filter when you scroll through.


  • Your Eyelash Curler: Keep germs at bay and your eyelash curler in tip-top shape by using a remover and cotton pad to clean mascara buildup. Also, when your rubber pads start to go, be sure to replace them to ensure your curler and eyes work their best.

  • Your Brush: Use the straight end of a rattail comb (or a pen) to loosen and lift hair and other debris in between the bristles. Next, wash it with shampoo and water, and allow your brush to dry upside down on a towel.

  • Your Tweezers: When your tweezers get dull, use a fingernail file or sandpaper to fine-tune the edges.


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  • Your Flat Iron and Curling Iron: The black gunk that builds up on heat styling tools is the result of scorched hair product. Eliminate the grime by wiping the plates with alcohol, baking soda, or acetone while unplugged. Avoid harsh scrubbing, though, which may scratch the finish on your iron.

  • Your Blow Dryer: When your hair dryer starts cutting off on you, then you know it's time for a thorough cleansing. After unplugging, take a toothbrush and run it over the vent in back. Depending on your dryer's make, you can twist off the vent(s) or open up the unit to loosen the lint inside. Once you reassemble, your hair dryer will run like new.

  • Your Pencil Sharpener: A pencil sharpener is a must have for any makeup kit. In order to sharpen a dull blade, unscrew the razor inside and swipe against a whetstone (or any knife sharpener).

  • Your Mascara Wand: Mascara wand full of gunk? Spritz the brush with alcohol and wipe with a paper towel. Then, let the brush dry completely before dunking it in again. Clumps begone.


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  • Your Comb: You might not have blue Barbicide at home to disinfect your hair tools, but here's a quick way to get your combs in tip-top shape. After all the hair is removed, use an old toothbrush dipped in shampoo to scrub the base of the tines where lint collects.

  • Your Pumice Stone: Clear a pumice stone of dead skin after a pedicure by scrubbing it with a dry brush and hot water.

  • Your Makeup Brushes: Be sure your makeup brushes aren't the cause of your acne and extend their life by deep cleansing them once a month. Your complexion (and wallet) will thank you.


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