HOW...I clean my brushes!

     Since January is "brush month"...at least it will be to us, I am going to tell you how I clean my brushes.
     I tried everyday to at least spray my brushes with a gentle cleaner and wipe them off, but that never worked out because I was always in a rush :/
I do clean my brushes weekly. I feel that after 7 days of use, my brushes, ESPECIALLY the eye shadow brushes need a good cleaning to remove the left over colors from the last application.
     Since I am blogging and testing, I often rotate my brushes weekly. This isn't necessary for the non blogger/tester. You can use your same brushes over and over again.
SO what do I do to clean my brushes?
I use several things to clean my brushes for different reasons.
-chemical brush cleaner
-mild dish soap (preferably dawn olay blend, it cuts through oil)
-brush shampoo
-olive oil
-gentle brush cleaner

NEW BRUSHES:
I use the mild dish soap OR brush shampoo mixed with water to clean my new brushes before I use them. I let them soak in the mixture for a few minutes, swish the brush around, then rinse with warm water.

CREAM MAKEUP BRUSHES:
For brushes that you have used with cream and liquid based products, I find it VERY hard to get them clean with just soap and water and even some brush cleaners. I use a shot glass and to hold the olive oil. Then I swish my brush around in it, coating the brush and making sure the oil gets in between the bristles. Then I wipe the brush on a paper towels, until there is nothing left on the brush. Lastly, I wash the bristles (using the above method) with dish soap and water to takeout the oil and any left over makeup residue.

POWDER BRUSHES:
I like to clean these brushes by spraying the bristles with a chemical brush cleaner, them wiping the brush on a towel or paper towel until the residue on the brush is barely visible.
The step might have to be repeated for thicker brushes.
Then I rinse them using the method I use to clean new brushes.

For any of these above methods, I usually shake off excess water, slap on a brush keeper and dry on a towel on a flat surface.

DAILY CLEANING:
For daily cleaning I will use a gentle brush cleaner in a spray bottle. I'll spray the brush a few times, wipe it on a paper towel or towel and place it right back in my brush cup for the next application. Since it's a gentle cleanser, you don't need to rinse them.

Come back later for a product review of Brush Cleaners...and products that act as brush cleaners.
I'll let you in on my personal faves and hot messes :)