6 Beauty Tools You SHOULD Be Cleaning

It doesn't matter whether you have a couple of beauty products or are slightly obsessed with them: (that'd be me--hi, I'm Elle!) you have beauty tools you need to clean. I'm sharing some reminders for those beauty tools you SHOULD be cleaning. It's all painless, I swear!

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Hair Brushes and Combs
WHY: Brushes trap oils, dirt, hair, products, germs and more
WHEN: Weekly is ideal but absolutely monthly
HOW: Simply remove the hair or cut it and pull if there is a lot of it. Generally, if you're removing hair weekly, you shouldn't have that problem. I also like using this tool to get hair out. I then add a tablespoon of shampoo to hot water (I use a clean sink) and leave my brush or comb in it for 30 minutes. Wash and let air dry. Don't forget to do this for all types of hair brushes.

• In case you missed this: Blow Out Brushes 101: A guide

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Clarisonic Brush Heads (and similar brands)
WHY: Water, cleanser, oils, germs, skin, etc, gets trapped under the brush head. Don't believe me? Pop off the brush head and take a look. Gross!
WHEN: Brush heads should be replaced every 3 months, and should be cleaned monthly.
HOW: The head twists off, allowing you to clean the brush head on both sides as well as your Clarisonic device. I use a soft cloth and Qtips (if needed) to get in those crevices. If you use a facial brush that isn't battery/electric powered, clean it as you would a hairbrush.

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Heat Styling Irons (curling irons/wands/flat irons, etc.)
WHY: Styling products can cause buildup which can lead to your hair getting stuck to the tool. It won't work as well. You've all seen that video of the girl burning her hair off? Nightmares.
WHEN: 1-3 months, depending on usage
HOW: Unplug first--some cleaners work best with a hot tool and others have the tool cooled. I shared how to clean your flat iron in this post, but there are some products you can purchase like this spray and these pads. Follow directions on product. I find if you clean it regularly, you won't have stubborn buildup and

Cosmetic Sponges, Face and Eye Brushes
WHY: I couldn't do this post without mentioning these, of course! It amazes how many don't clean their tools! Ever! Not cleaning your brushes can lead the spread of bacteria. I discuss it more (I even did a bacteria test complete with petri dish test) below:

• Which is Better? Fingers, Brushes or Sponges?

WHEN: Every week. I admit, I have enough brushes to rotate through, so I clean them all every 2 weeks-monthly. Depends on makeup usage, sickness, etc. It does take time, but it is worth it, plus I linked to some quick cleansers to help for those occasions.
HOW: Inexpensive cosmetic sponges can be discarded after a couple of uses, but those like the BeautyBlender are meant to be cleaned and resused.There are several techniques for each, which I've linked to below:

• How to Clean Beauty Blenders FAST
• 4 Brush Cleaners to Try
• How to Clean Brushes

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Eyelash Curler
WHY: Product from primers, foundations, eyeliners, mascara, and shadows, can build up on your curler. This can cause it to not work as effectively, could cause product to transfer to lids (making a mess of your shadow or liner) and could possibly hurt lashes.
WHEN: Before or after every use. Make sure the curler is clean before you use it for best results. This is another tool I am shocked that people never clean.
HOW: Use a soft cloth to wipe away any buildup. Takes seconds!

I use this one

Hair Dryer (and attachments)
WHY: Hair and dust can get trapped in the air intake vent (usually at the back of dryers or there is one on each of the sides of older models). It could cause the dryer to not work as well--I've even seen older ones burn up. You clean your clothes dryer lint trap, right? The same basic principle works here.
WHEN: Every 3-6 months, depending on usage. I check the vents at the front and the back, as well as my diffuser (if you have curly hair you'll use this) and concentrator attachment (this handy tool comes standard with all dryers and is essential for a blowout).
HOW: Make sure it's unplugged. Many have removable lint traps that make cleaning easy. I use a lint-free cloth to wipe them free or I use Qtips to get into any spots. The attachments can be cleaned with a clean cloth if needed. I find my diffuser gets more buildup on it than my concentrator--just do a quick check!

You've officially been reminded! Now go clean those beauty tools!

Extra Elle:

• I started watching The Jinx last night and made it through 2 episodes. What a crazy story--don't want to give anything away in case you've not seen this doc-series on HBO.
• Did you celebrate St. Patrick's Day? My nails were green, of course, but that's about all I did this year. Next time!