Review | Best $4 Spent on Easy Brush Cleaning Solution

Cleaning makeup brushes is one of those tasks that no one cares for, so a lot of us slip up. This $3.90* treat from Forever21 has made the daunting task of washing brushes much less formidable.

      I'm just as guilty as the next gal for not cleaning my brushes nearly as often as I should. I've tried DIY hacks for brush cleaning and I've resorted to just using my hands, but I've always been interested in the silicone mats/tools to help make the cleaning process easier. I know that there have been maaannnyyy different products on the market for years, but I've never been convinced to spend that much money on a cleaning tool.

     So I've looked around for more affordable versions but never got around to picking one up. I had the Brush Egg on my list for quite some time and was very close to picking it up once or twice but always hesitated because it seems so small. So, when I was in New York last February, I took a quick peruse around Forever21 when I spotted several brush cleaning tools. 

     I had picked up one for $4.90 that was round and fit more in your hand while cleaning but then while glancing around at other shelves this one popped up, all alone, and it was bigger (almost twice the size) and a dollar cheaper (in the US - it's $4.90 in Canada*)...so you already know it was the winner! 

Forever21 brush cleaning mat in the sink

​​     I really like the idea of different sections, though I didn't use them quite the way they were initially designed. There are two sections for washing eyes and two for rinsing, but I find that each of the sections work best for different size/shapes of brushes. Brushes that are fluffier and round I use in the dog bone shape or the little dot nubs in the middle and those that are flat and  more dense, I will use the large mounds and the lines/squiggles to really get deep into them. 
     Here is a before and after:

eye makeup brushes before being cleaned on the mat

eye makeup brushes after being cleaned on the Forever21 brush mat

     It does a really good job cleaning overall. I place some baby shampoo over the mat and then I rinse my brush before starting to swirl it around. I'll wash a few of my brushes before the shampoo gets too grimy and then I rinse the mat off along with the brushes and give them a once over along the mat. Then I will leave them to air dry - occasionally I'll run them quickly through a towel to get excess moisture out of them. I will dry the mat off after its rinse and store it under my bathroom sink as it's only about 6 x 4 inches in size. 

   I don't find it overly hard or damaging to your brushes because it's all dependent on the pressure you apply to the brush. My BH Cosmetics brush is getting old and that's why it looks a little ruffled post-wash. You just need to be mindful of the type of brush and the style when washing to find which area of the mat is the best for it. Overall I think this is a great purchase, incredibly affordable, decent size and could easy be packed for travel if you didn't want to bring too many brushes with you. 

     I would love to know you what you use to clean your brushes and how often you do it! I let it pile up and then I do it all at once which can take a while and I fear the time has come once again!

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