After Testing 18 Makeup Brush Cleaners, These Options Made Our Tools Look New Again (2025)

Owning a good makeup brush cleaner can feel optional, but it shouldn’t. Your brushes and sponges are chock-full of product buildup, residue, dirt, and bacteria just waiting to irritate your skin if you don’t clean them properly. “Using dirty makeup brushes can cause rashes to develop and your skin to break out,” says Howard Sobel, M.D., a dermatologist and cosmetic dermatologic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital. “Additionally, the buildup of oil and dirt on makeup brushes can cause harmful bacteria to develop, which would then get transferred to the skin.” Another plus of keeping your makeup tools clean is that it can significantly extend the life of your brushes and sponges. Conditioned bristles reduce the risk of damage and shedding.

With all of this in mind, our editors researched the best makeup brush cleaners and then tested them ourselves. We spent an entire day in the lab, individually trying the most-hyped formulas, rating them on ease of use, how well they cleansed and conditioned our favorite makeup brushes and sponges, and which makeup products they removed best.

Why We Love It: Investing in quality makeup brushes can upgrade your routine significantly, so you want to maintain them for as long as possible. We love that this brush cleanser prioritizes the condition of all types of brushes and sponges. With just a dime-size amount of product, we were able to get our beauty blenders, eyeshadow, and foundation brushes clean in three minutes (basically no time at all). The cleanse was gentle but effective, too—it lathered well and removed 95 percent of the makeup without stiff, shedding bristles.

Who It’s For: This product provided a versatile cleanse that left our expensive brushes feeling soft and flexible. Plus, a little goes a long way in lathering up the product. All that said, it won high marks across the board for its effectiveness. If you need a makeup brush cleaner that will prolong the longevity of your expensive brushes, look no further.

Active Ingredients: Sodium chloride, peppermint, ammonium lauryl sulfate | Size: 3.4 oz

Kristin, tester: “It took about three minutes to fully clean the Beautyblender and maybe a minute and a half for the eyeshadow brush with just one round of cleaning. This product was able to break down foundation effectively and cleaned eyeshadow with very minimal effort.”

Why We Love It: Clean makeup tools do not have to come at a cost. With a little bit of elbow grease and a couple rounds of cleansing, this solid cleaner thoroughly removes foundation residue and stains from makeup sponges. With an eyeshadow brush, our tester found that it worked instantaneously. Her brush bristles felt soft, conditioned, and renewed. The cleaner is infused with charcoal which is commonly used in skin care products for removing excess oil and unclogging pores.

Who It’s For: For the everyday makeup enthusiast, this cleaner is great. It’s effective and painless to use. However, we’re not sure the process is work-friendly enough for a makeup artist or anyone short on time on account of how long it takes to clean and dry the tools after using.

Active Ingredients: Charcoal | Size: 2, 8, 16, 32 oz

Stephanie, tester: “I did not see or feel any detectable residue on the brushes after cleaning. They appear and feel very clean and smooth, like new.”

Why We Love It: This cleanser is totally unscented and has a light, foam texture once lathered up. To use, compress the sponge into the solid cleanser and then swirl it around on the wet mat that comes with it. While the application can be tricky to understand for some, we love how compact it is.

Who It’s For: For sensitive skin, we know how easy it is to break out from really anything. Some makeup cleaners are overly scented or harsh so that your newly clean brushes are counterproductive to your skin health. You don’t have to worry about irritation with this solid sponge and brush cleanser. It even rinses out easily without leaving any residue.

Active Ingredients: Glycerin, coconut acid, sodium chloride | Size: 0.56 oz

Talya, tester: “I like how compact and portable it is, with all the necessary components packed up in a small tin.”

Why We Love It: There are brush people, there are sponge people, and sometimes there are people who use both. Whichever one you are, make sure you’re properly cleaning your makeup sponges. This liquid cleanser got our tester’s sponges clean in a few rounds. It worked especially well for deep cleaning stained tools thanks to the concentrated formula. A little goes a long way too—so you really get your $15 worth.

Who It’s For: A deep clean of your sponges is paramount as they can easily hold harmful bacteria without you knowing. We loved how effective it was in really getting in our dirty sponges. It didn’t leave any residue but it does have a lavender scent, so make sure you completely flush the cleanser out before air-drying your sponges.

Active Ingredients: Potassium palm kernelate, potassium oleate, glycerin | Size: 3 oz

Sunita, tester: “I love that this product cleanses all kinds of makeup—liquid and powder. It makes my makeup tools look and feel clean.”

Why We Love It: This oil-based cleaner removed product from our brushes quickly and painlessly. The instructions say to dip the brushes a quarter of the way into the solution, but our tester found that much product was only necessary for more dense brushes. We loved that we didn’t need to do multiple rounds to get all of the product off of the brushes. It’s effective on all types of makeup, too. The best part? It doesn’t require water: Just wipe it onto a towel and wait seconds for it to dry.

Who It’s For: Thanks to the quick-drying, rinse-free formula, this is an ideal cleaner for makeup professionals or anyone who needs to keep their tools clean on the go. We love how versatile it is—you can get both a deep cleanse and a quick one based on how much product you use.

Active Ingredients: Naptha, lightalkylate, isoparafin hydrocarbon | Size: 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 32 oz

Kristin, tester: “They didn't require multiple rounds of cleaning, and all of the parts of the brush were able to be cleaned by the product. It removed all types of makeup equally well.”

Why We Love It: This cleanser comes in the form of a spray. It’s easy to use a few quick spritzes to refresh your brushes and keep them in optimal condition. Rinsing is equally simple since the spray is super lightweight. Our tester appreciated the process included minimal shedding and clean-feeling bristles. While it does leave a thin residue (reminder to rinse well), it doesn’t feel harsh or irritating on the skin.

Who It’s For: The delicate cleanse this spray offers isn’t effective for deeply stained brushes. It’s better served as a way to keep your brushes clean daily. We suggest using a deeper cleanse and then maintaining it with this product.

Active Ingredients: Sodium trideceth sulfate, disodium lauroamphodiacetate | Size: 8 oz

Chelsea, tester: “It's light and definitely cleans the brushes. I would recommend it to people looking for a quick daily-use product.”

Why We Love It: We can always rely on Rihanna for an effective makeup product and this dry brush-cleaning sponge is no different. We loved how well it cleaned our powder brushes—the product literally came off in seconds. It’s extremely compact and easy to use in case you want to carry it around. You simply open the tin and swirl the brush around on the mesh sponge. It doesn’t affect the texture of the brush either.

Who It’s For: Powder-product lovers, this is a cleaner you need in your kit. It saves you from having to buy several versions of the same brush. Plus, thanks to the portable design, you can easily use it to quickly clean your touch-up brushes on the go before applying a fresh layer of product.

Tool Type: Sponge housed tin case and lid

Talya, tester: “I think it's especially well-suited to eyeshadow and would allow you to use just one brush for multiple colors when completing a more complex makeup look.”

Why We Love It: Real Techniques is known for its effective and affordable products—take this cleansing palette for example. For under $10, it comes with a cleansing shampoo and handheld textured palette for purging your brushes. The various-sized grooves help remove all types of makeup from brushes without excessive shedding or stiffness. Our tester found that you need a significant amount of shampoo to achieve a thorough cleanse. The palette does a great job of scraping off makeup once it suds up and rinsing out the cleanser so you don’t have to worry about leftover residue.

Who It’s For: We love this palette for keeping brushes clean inside and out thanks to the textured design. It has everything you need in one package and doesn’t take long to use.

Material: Silicone | Size: 1 oz

Kristin, tester: “This allowed for an easy scrubbing of the makeup brushes, getting them fully clean.”

Why We Love It: This NYX spray is true to its name—it gets dirty brushes clean on the spot with minimal product. Our tester found the best results when she spritzed the product directly on the areas of the brush with stains and buildup. With several sprays, it easily cleaned a densely packed brush in two minutes—impressive, we know. The product rinses out just as well.

Who It’s For: NYX is a go-to brand for travel-friendly beauty products. It’s just over the TSA limit for your carry-on but can easily go in your checked suitcase without taking up too much space in your makeup bag. If you use your brushes for full-coverage looks, you may require more product for squeaky clean tools.

Active Ingredients: Polysorbate 20, methyl gluceth-20, cetylpyridinium chloride | Size: 4.1 oz

Stephanie, tester: “I love how fast the spray cleaner removes the product—it starts removing the product literally right after I spray it.”

Why We Love It: When it comes to solid cleansers, this one took the cake. It left our tester’s dark-stained sponges and brushes looking and feeling brand new in two tries. All you have to do is rub the products against the soap bar capsule and rinse them with water and it gets rid of all makeup, no matter the category. The brushes we used this on felt especially soft and conditioned. Though just a tiny soap bar, this product packs a huge punch.

Who It’s For: This high-performance bar is perfect for lazy makeup lovers who often skip out on cleaning their brushes consistently. It leaves brushes and sponges spotless with minimal effort.

Active Ingredients: Sodium palmate, sodium cocoate, glycerin | Size: 1 oz

Katie, tester: “It’s very easy to use for brushes and sponges alike no matter the size. I think for the sponge I used a good amount of product and for the brush I used a minimum amount of product. Either way both products came out spotless (the sponge especially looked brand freaking new, I couldn't believe it).”

Our Testing Process

Our editors are always searching for new products to review to keep our readers informed. In the past, we have extensively researched the best makeup brush cleaners, but it was time to officially test them in our lab. Eighteen of us brought in the dirtiest, most stained makeup brushes and sponges we could find in our collections. We picked top-rated cleaners and cleaning tools to help us remove all eyeshadow, foundation, concealer, and more from our tools. This list consists of the 10 best makeup brush cleaners that left our brushes and sponges feeling soft and looking spotless.

What to Keep in Mind

• Type: There are several types of brush cleaners available, each of them offering their own set benefits and uses. Cleansers that come in a solid bar form lather up when they come into contact with water. These cleansers are "ideal for deep cleaning your makeup brushes and should be used after each client if you're a makeup artist or weekly for your personal brushes," says Natalie Dresher, a Miami-based makeup artist. While this type of brush cleaner requires more time and effort, they're great for dense brushes as well as brushes you'd use for thick, creamy products, according to Lori Taylor Davis, Smashbox Cosmetics Global Pro Lead Artist. "They work well for beauty sponges, too, because you can directly rub the sponge against the bar, which helps to lift product." Spray cleaners are a great on-the-go cleaner if you're looking to spot clean or to quickly switch eyeshadow colors in between application. These don't have a drying time, but Davis says they're not a replacement for deep cleaning and may be drying out your brushes over time. There are also brush cleaning wipes, which don't require water and are a convenient and portable option for on-the-go cleaning, like spray cleaners, says Davis. That said, they're not effective for deep cleaning and Davis says they can be wasteful and more expensive in the long run.
• Ease of Use: Spray cleaners and brush cleaning wipes are definitely easier to use than a solid bar cleanser or liquid cleanser because they're portable, don't require water, and are less messy. That being said, they won't give you a deep clean. Davis recommends using a solid bar cleanser for beauty sponges since it allows for a more thorough cleaning. This is necessary for sponges because they absorb foundation and concealer.
• Formula: Davis says to look for mild surfactants to help break down oils and powders as well as conditioning agents (like glycerin) to keep bristles soft. Avoid harsh detergents (like SLS and SLES), as they can be drying and damaging to the bristles. Also, anything with artificial fragrance can irritate your skin, especially if you're sensitive, says Dr. Sobel. Finally, alcohol, especially in high concentrations, can quickly dry out and damage bristles, says Davis.

Your Questions, Answered

How do I deep clean my makeup brushes?

Should I soak makeup brushes before washing?

Soaking your brushes before washing isn't necessary. In fact, Dresher recommends against it. "I don’t believe in soaking brushes as it can damage the bristles and loosen the glue in the ferrule," she said. A good brush cleanser should be enough for eliminating stubborn product buildup.

How often should you wash makeup brushes and sponges?

No matter what brush material, shape, or type you choose, keeping them well-maintained is key for preventing bacteria buildup, skin irritation, and eye infections. Not to mention, properly caring for your brushes helps them maintain performance, as product buildup on a brush can make for streaky, patchy application. Dresher recommends cleaning your personal makeup brushes and sponges once a week. If you're a makeup artist, clean and sanitize after each client.

How should you dry makeup brushes?

After washing, your brushes should be dried "laying flat so the water does not damage the structure of the brush or glue in the handle," says Dresher. Lay them face down on a towel, or use a wire cooling rack.

Why Shop With Us

Michelle Rostamian is a writer with over a decade of experience covering all things beauty, makeup, and skin care. As a skin care lover, she knows the importance of keeping your brushes clean for the health of your skin and eyes. For this story, she researched the best makeup brush cleansers of all types and interviewed the following experts to inform her work:

• Dr. Howard Sobel is a board-certified dermatologist, cosmetic surgeon, andfounder of Sobel Skin.
• Natalie Dresher is a Miami-based makeup artist.
• Lori Taylor Davis is a Smashbox Cosmetics Global Pro Lead Artist.

Essence Wiley, who updated this story with tested products and insights, is a fashion and beauty writer at InStyle. She loves playing in makeup and trying new products—which means she is constantly cleaning her brushes and sponges. For this story, she compiled hours of testing insights from our lab to share the best makeup brush cleaners with our readers.