The 13 Best Makeup Brush Cleansers for Flawless Application and Clear Skin
- Publication/Blog
- Jun 25
- 9 min read
Updated: Aug 21
Goodbye bacteria and buildup, and hello clean, fluffy bristles.
By Melanie Rud and Esme Benjamin
Published on June 25, 2025 05:00 PM
Cleaning your makeup brushes is essential for maintaining skin health and the efficacy of your brushes. Dirty brushes and sponges can quickly become breeding grounds for bacteria, oil, dead skin cells, and other grime. This buildup transfers onto your skin and into your products every time you use them. Plus, unwashed brushes simply don’t perform well.
“Taking the time to clean your makeup brushes will give you the best application possible,” says beauty expert Anisa Telwar Kaicker. “Built-up product and pigment on dirty brushes can leave your makeup looking streaky and discolored.”
The Importance of Clean Brushes
Here’s the good news: A variety of makeup brush cleansers makes it easier than ever to get your brushes (and sponges) squeaky clean with minimal effort. We researched dozens of makeup brush cleaners, evaluating each on size, key ingredients, lather, and ability to keep brushes soft. After consulting with a makeup brush expert and professional makeup artist, we landed on these top-rated choices.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Best Budget:
Best Drugstore:
Best Mat:
Best Antimicrobial:
Best for Sensitive Skin:
Best Solid:
Best Wipes:
Best Electric:
Best Spray:
Best Overall
Credit: Nordstrom
What We Like:
Cleans quickly and effectively
Keeps brushes soft
Conditions bristles while cleaning
What to Consider:
Can come out too fast
Key Ingredients: Sodium trideceth sulfate, hydrolyzed wheat protein | Size: 7.9 oz | Cruelty-Free: No
There’s a good reason why the MAC Cosmetics Brush Cleanser is a longtime best-seller. It’s super easy to use—you can apply it directly to the brush or onto a towel and rub the brush against the towel. It helps condition bristles while cleaning them. It’s a top pick for Kaicker, who says it’s extremely effective at removing debris from brushes.
Best Budget
Credit: Elf Cosmetics
What We Like:
Travel-friendly and affordable
Can be used daily
Fast drying
What to Consider:
Only available in one small size
Key Ingredients: Alcohol denat | Size: 2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Not only is this a super affordable pick, but it’s also very portable, making it the ideal addition to any makeup bag. Mist the quick-drying spray onto your brushes after each use to ensure they’re fresh and ready to go for the next day.
Best Drugstore
What We Like:
Rinses out easily
Lightweight gel texture
Removes powder residue well
What to Consider:
Hard to get a good lather
Key Ingredients: Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate, glycerin | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This wallet-friendly pick has a gel-like consistency, lathers nicely, and rinses and removes residue easily. It also pairs beautifully with a brush-cleaning mat. Since it’s alcohol-free, you don’t have to worry about it drying out your natural bristle brushes.
Best Mat
Credit: Nordstrom
What We Like:
Cleans multiple brushes at once
Made from BPA-free silicone
Seven textures designed to clean different types of brush
What to Consider:
Doesn't include a cleanser
Key Ingredients: Silicone | Size: 9 x 6.5 inches | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Up your cleansing game by pairing your favorite cleanser with this clever multi-textured mat. Suction it to your sink, and you can effectively clean all your makeup brushes in one fell swoop. It touts seven different textures designed to clean all sizes and types of brush. Just swirl your brushes against the mat and let the BPA-free silicone nubs do the hard work for you.
Best Antimicrobial
Credit: Sephora
What We Like:
Antimicrobial properties to disinfect
No rinsing required
Smells nice
What to Consider:
Can leave a residue
Key Ingredients: Isoparaffin hydrocarbon, hydrotreated heavy naptha | Size: 8, 32 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This is a staple for many pro makeup artists. It’s not just a cleanser; it’s a 99.99% antimicrobial disinfectant. This makes it the choice for anyone who wants to ensure their brushes are completely bacteria-free. The pro-grade formula works equally well on synthetic and natural bristles alike, and it comes in three sizes.
Best for Sensitive Skin
What We Like:
Gentle formula
Budget-friendly
A little goes a long way
What to Consider:
Can leave a residue
Key Ingredients: Decyl glucoside, sodium lauryl sulfoacetate | Size: 6 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Cleaning your brushes regularly is even more imperative if you have sensitive skin. Using a gentle cleanser is also paramount. The last thing you want is a formula that could cause irritation. This pick is ideal. It’s gentle, plant-based, free of potentially irritating fragrance, and dermatologist-tested. Just FYI, it’s meant for a weekly deep clean rather than a daily freshening.
Best Solid
Credit: Credo Beauty
What We Like:
Natural formula
Travel-friendly
Antibacterial and antimicrobial
What to Consider:
Requires a lot of rinsing
Key Ingredients: Coconut milk | Size: 2.6 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Solid cleansers are the choice for travel since there’s no stressing about spills. This popular solid is a great option for anyone who wants a natural, vegan-friendly cleanser. It contains coconut milk, vegetable-based glycerin, and vitamin E. Plus, it’s naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial and also deeply conditioning for your bristles.
Best Wipes
Credit: Artis
What We Like:
Easy to use
Travel-friendly
Locking-lid
What to Consider:
Doesn’t clean as thoroughly as a wash
Key Ingredients: Alcohol | Size: 30 wipes | Cruelty-Free: Yes
While it’s advisable to deep clean your brushes frequently, it’s not always possible. If you're in a rush or on the go, these cleansing wipes provide an easy alternative. Gently massage the bristles with these wipes until they’re free of product build-up. Let the brush dry for a few minutes, and you’re good to go.
Best Electric
Credit: Amazon
What We Like:
Works like a washing machine for your brushes
Works on many different size brushes
Dries bristles in 10 seconds
What to Consider:
Doesn’t come with a cleanser
Size: Package, 5.63 x 5.51 x 4.21 inches | Cruelty-Free: Yes
If you really want to make the brush cleaning process easier, this electric device does all the hard work for you. Attach your brush to the electric spinner (it features attachments for eight different sizes). Add some water and the cleanser of your choice to the bowl. Turn it on and watch as the gunk and residue immediately come off. Dump out the liquid and spin again to get your brushes dry in 10 seconds flat.
Best Spray
Credit: Ulta
What We Like:
Cleans and disinfects brushes
Can be used dry
Nice fragrance
What to Consider:
Not for deep cleaning
Key Ingredients: Cetylpyridinium Chloride | Size: 4.05 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
When you need to clean your brushes between makeup applications, reach for this handy spray. It dries quickly and doesn't need to be rinsed, making it great for on-the-go use or when you're applying different shades. This lightly scented option from NYX cleans and disinfects brushes, leaving them feeling soft.
Best for Deep Clean
Credit: Nordstrom
What We Like:
Helps remove stains
Simple ingredient list
Lathers really well
What to Consider:
Must rinse nozzle after use
Key Ingredients: Coconut oil | Size: 6.76 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
There’s something satisfying about using a foaming brush cleanser like this one from Sigma Beauty. It lathers up nicely thanks to coconut oil, not sulfates. This means bristle softness and quality are maintained. It even helps get rid of tough foundation and blush stains. This large bottle should last quite a while, as a little goes a long way.
Best Quick Clean
Credit: Urban Outfitters
What We Like:
Sanitizes in five minutes
Doubles as a brush holder
Kills up to 99.9% of viruses and bacteria
What to Consider:
Not a substitute for cleaning with water and soap
Size: 9.8 x 3.5 in. | Color: White and gold
In an ideal world, we’d properly lather, rinse, and dry our full collection of makeup brushes each week. But real talk: who has that kind of time? To keep your brushes bacteria-free between washes, reach for this sanitizer. It uses UV-C light and ozone technology to eliminate 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. Simply pop your brushes inside the chamber (it fits seven), close the lid, and press the button. Five minutes later, they’ll be good to go.
Best Natural
Credit: Blue Mercury
What We Like:
Uses natural ingredients
Works on natural and synthetic bristles
Good on-the-go option
What to Consider:
Not for deep cleaning
Key Ingredients: Witch hazel, grapefruit oil, seaweed extract | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
If you wouldn’t use chemical products on your skin, then why would you use them to clean your makeup brushes? This quick-drying cleansing spray from Jane Iredale relies on a cocktail of botanical ingredients to remove grime and reduce bacteria. A quick spritz and you’ll have cleaner, fresher, fluffier brushes in a flash.
What to Look for in a Makeup Brush Cleaner
Type: Ideally, you'll have plenty of time in front of a sink to do a thorough wash with either a brush shampoo or a solid formulation that lathers nicely. For those times you don't, a spray cleaner that air dries is a great bet. Choose a brush cleaner based on your daily habits and beauty routines.
Gentle Formula: With proper care, your makeup brushes should last for years. Byrdie contributor and makeup artist Ashley Rebecca notes, “if you don't wash your brushes and take care of them, they will become stiff over time, usually resulting in them needing to be thrown out.” Choose a gentle, ideally alcohol-free formula that won’t damage your brush’s bristles.
Effective Key Ingredients: While you don't want to overdo it with harsh chemicals, a cleaner should contain some type of solvent to help break down product build-up. You can even choose one that doesn't require water, like a spray.
FAQ
Is a makeup brush cleaner worth it?
Yes. It's best to clean your makeup brushes with a gentle cleanser specifically meant for them, rather than a harsh cleanser like dish soap that can strip your brushes and leave them damaged.
What is the easiest way to clean makeup brushes?
For liquid makeup cleaners, Rebecca instructs users to massage the product “into the hair [of the brush], move it back and forth on the mat to really work the product into the brush, then rinse under water until it runs clear.”
How often should you clean your brushes?
Kaicker says it depends on how frequently you use the brush and the type of formula you’re using. “Cream and liquid formulas tend to pick up and hold on to oil and dirt more so than powder products,” she explains. As a general rule, she suggests cleaning your complexion brushes at least once per week and others (eyeshadow, highlighter, etc.) every two to three weeks.
Meet Our Experts
For this article, Byrdie consulted the following experts:
Anisa Telwar Kaicker is a makeup brush expert and the founder & CEO of ANISA Beauty and Anisa International.
Ashley Rebecca is a professional makeup artist in New York City and a contributing writer for Byrdie.
Why Trust Byrdie
Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites. After years of not cleaning her makeup brushes regularly, she recently committed to making it a weekly activity. The Jenny Patinkin cleanser on this list is her current go-to. For this article, Melanie spoke with experts and researched dozens of makeup brush cleaners before narrowing it down to these high-quality picks.
Esme Benjamin is a writer, editor, and podcaster based in New York. She began writing and editing for the Byrdie team in 2023. As a wellness expert, she has a particular interest in naturally-derived beauty ingredients and the intersection of beauty rituals and self-care.
Edited by Caitlyn Martyn
Updated by Syden Abrenica
Byrdie is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
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