The Stylpro Makeup Brush Cleaner is just about the coolest – and most functional – thing on Instagram right now. So, just what is the Stylpro Makeup Brush Cleaner, and what makes it so good? Created by Alan Sugar’s The Apprentice 2011 winner, Tom Pellereau, it’s the solution to the dreaded brush cleaning problem, and tackles those pesky questions: “how to clean makeup brushes”, or more importantly, “how to clean makeup brushes more quickly?”
I’m pretty sure everybody hates cleaning their brushes – I know I do. It takes ages, it’s messy, and you have to time it just right so they can dry properly ready for when you next need them. So, cleaning your brushes sucks, but you know what sucks even more? Not cleaning them. By leaving make-up, particularly foundation, on your bristles means bacteria build-up, so you’re literally going to be wiping and buffing bugs and dirt into your skin, ew! I try to remember to clean my brushes every week, usually on a Sunday and it takes about half an hour, so when I heard about the Stylpro and its speedy advantages, I had to try it.
Powered on AA batteries, the device looks a little like an electric toothbrush, and comes with eight rubber grips which you can attach to the handle, to hold various sized brushes securely in place. You can pick up the Stylpro for £35.95 at Boots at the moment, and having used it, I also highlight recommend the Makeup Brush Cleanser Solution, a little pricey at £20.99, but really powerful on sticky foundations. And while I’m recommending, if you’re in the market for new brushes too, do check out the beautiful Powder Bleu range from Real Techniques here.
Once you’ve selected the right size for your brush simply add some of the cleansing solution (you can use your own here, it doesn’t have to be branded) into the bowl, with some warm water, and get ready to spin! It’s important that the brush is level within the holder, so try a little test whizz first. Then pop into the solution, give a dunk to wet the bristles and help work in the cleanser, and spin away for just a few seconds before lifting the brush out of the water, but keeping it in the bowl to spin off dry for just another few seconds more.
That’s it! I can honestly say I’m just so impressed with this gadget, and didn’t think it would work as efficiently as it does. The brushes come out super clean (see before with red eye shadow above, then after), and impressively dry, so I was able to use them again straight away. I even tried it out on a particularly grim foundation brush where I’d been using Urban Decay’s All Nighter, which, for anyone who’s used it, will know how thick and sticky it is to clean off. Two goes in the solution and I was good to go – amazing!