If you've ever had your makeup done by a professional artist or gotten a facial from a skincare specialist, you might have noticed that they often apply skincare products like serums, moisturisers, and masks with spatulas or brushes similar to the ones you do your makeup with. Well, did you ever wonder if it's actually more effective? If the experts are doing it, it must be good, right? That’s exactly what we’re here to find out.

 

Do we need to apply skincare products with a brush?

Do we need to apply skincare products with a brush?

Makeup artists and other beauty professionals use skincare brushes on their clients to maintain hygiene and minimise bacteria exchange. Using a brush allows a no-touch rapport between the client and professional. However, if you are the only person using your beauty products, the skin benefits of brushes are debatable.

If you are touching your finger to a container of a skincare product and then recapping it, there is a good chance of bacterial transfer over time.

If brushes are cleaned regularly with a true antiseptic, they might be cleaner than hands, especially if you are not starting with freshly washed hands.

While using a brush has its own set of benefits, nothing beats using your hand on your skin. Using your fingers allows you to feel your skin's texture and gives room for a more robust rub-in.

 

Does the packaging of the product determine how to use it?

Does the packaging of the product determine how to use it?

A product's packaging can play a big role in whether or not you might want to apply it with a brush instead of with your hands. While products with pumps like the Lakmé Absolute Hydra Pro Tinted Moisturiser can be squirted directly onto a brush without much risk of contamination, others need a little more caution. Especially products that come with a twist-off cap like heavy moisturisers or lip balms are most prone to contamination because they are frequently opened to the air, and our fingers or brushes are more frequently placed into the product. It is a good idea for these products to have some type of spatula to scoop the product out of the container instead of putting hands or brushes directly into the product.

 

Cleaning brushes and tools

Cleaning brushes and tools

Although the idea of putting on skincare with brushes seems fascinating and relaxing, it's important to clean your brushes and tools because dirty brushes harbour bacteria and lead to acne and skin irritation. Because of that, skincare brushes used by a single person at home should be cleaned once per week.