Solid Cleansers for Brushes and Beauty Blenders (Options and Reviews)

So a couple of weeks ago, I shared a showdown between brushes and Beauty Blenders--see that here. And I thought I would follow it up with every makeup fanatics' least favorite chore: cleaning those brushes. Everyone has her own method, be it baby shampoo, olive oil, etc. But I am incredibly impatient, so using a solid cleanser for my brushes and Beauty Blender makes the boring cleaning process a little faster. A solid cleanser is exactly what it sounds like--it isn't liquid or suspended liquid, and it stays solid. Today I'm sharing with you several options for solid cleansers. Can you believe I used to make my own? Ha! I'm so glad I can purchase them, and I have something for every budget. Enjoy.

Clean Brush Shampoo with Goats Milk

• $15 for 2 oz., $20 for 4 oz size
• available in 5 types: unscented, lavender, lemon, rose, grapefruit (limited ed)
• I have only used the lavender-scented one, and loved it, so I cannot vouch for the scents of the others
• ingredients: Glycerin, palm oil, coconut oil, goat’s milk powder, titanium dioxide, tea tree oil & lavender essential oil. GMO-free and the glycerin is Kosher
• great for eye and face brushes and Beauty Blenders
• goats milk naturally whitens brushes
• Pros: nice large size, works well
• Cons: none, unless you're against animal by-products

Blender Cleanser Solid by Beauty Blender

• $15.95 for 1 0z
• faint lavender scent that isn't as strong as the Clean one.
• great for brushes of all types and Beauty Blenders
• ingredients: Sodium Palmate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Water, Gylcerin, Coconut acid,Titanium Dioxide, Palmitic Acid, fragrance, Sodium Chloride, Tetraspdoi, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
• Pros: it has a tray which helps to dry the cleanser faster
• Cons: price, these seem to run out very quickly.

The Masters Brush Cleaner & Preserver

• $5.95 for 1 oz (pictured), $9.95 for 2.5 oz
• citrus scent
• This was the first solid cleanser I ever purchased, and it was created for artists' brushes.
• Pros: very inexpensive, easy to find (try any craft store or art supply store), great for tough-to-remove makeup stains
• Cons: small size of container makes it useless for face brushes, and difficult for Beauty Blenders once the product gets low in the container; can leave a film on brushes if not cleaned off thoroughly

Clean Brush Shampoo with Olive Oil

• $15 for 2 0z, $20 for 4 oz
• available in 5 types: unscented (pictured), lavender, lemon, rose, grapefruit (limited ed)
• ingredients: Olive oil, glycerin, palm oil, tea tree oil. coconut oil, safflower oil
• great for brushes of all types and Beauty Blenders
• Pros: works best with natural brushes and brushes/sponges that do not have creme products (like foundation or concealer) in them
• Cons: I felt it took longer to clean any brush/blender that was dirty due to creme products

Soap

• This super-affordable and accessible cleaner works well in a pinch. I don't use this regularly.
• While I prefer glycerin-based soaps, I've been able to use any gentle soap with no problems. I just make sure there is no residue.

OVERALL:

• I have used these products for years (the Clean since June) and have experienced no reactions from them, and my brushes are still in great condtion.
• I use the Clean Shampoo or Beauty Blender cleanser the most often, but have used the other options successfully. It all comes down to personal preference.

Benefits of a Solid Cleanser:

• great for travel (no spills, no liquid)
• most have disinfectants in them, as opposed to just cleaning ingredients
• less product is wasted
• MUCH faster
• really cleans and removes any product buildup
• scent as not as heavy as with alcohol-based products

How to Use:

• Wet brush or sponge. Swoosh in jar. Rinse and repeat (if needed). Dry flat.
• I make sure there is no water in the solid cleanser container, and usually leave the top off for a bit.