Kayla Young
The awesome Beauty Blender blending sponge was first launched over ten years ago. Its unique edgeless teardrop design blends smoothly for a flawless finish that you can’t get from your typical drugstore triangle sponges.
This has made it a cosmetic bag staple for makeup artists, celebrities, and us regular folks alike.
But without that proper care, blending sponges can get, well… pretty gross.
You may be asking yourself “why does my beauty blender have black spots all over it”.
If you’ve found that your Beauty Blender has developed black spots, then you need to up your sponge maintenance game. In this article, we are going to tell you how to get rid of black spots on Beauty Blender, and give you some proper Beauty Blender care tips so you can avoid them in the future.
Contents
What Are The Black Dots On A Beauty Blender?
Your Beauty Blender, just like any sponge, is porous. Over time it will get inundated with makeup over. And of course, it will absorb dirt and oil from your face and hands as well as the air.
Oh, and let’s not forget the dirt and grime from everything it comes into contact with, be it your bathroom counter, your cosmetic bag, makeup drawer, that time it rolled off the counter and across the floor…
Sponges can be the perfect environment for mold and bacteria to thrive if given the right conditions.
You can try and convince yourself that those little black spots are mascara or eyeliner residue, but it’s straight-up mold.
And don’t go blaming the manufacturer – black spots on your blending sponge are due to “user error”. And means you are not handling and taking care of it as you should be.
Ahem.
Now you might be thinking to yourself: is it really such a big deal?
Yes. Yes, it is.
If you have a blending sponge contaminated with mold then you touch your bottle of foundation with it, you’ve just contaminated your foundation.
Then you close up the lid, making it a nice dark place for mold and bacteria to breed.
Now not only are you rubbing a moldy sponge on your face, but you’re also using it to spread around a mold and bacteria-contaminated foundation.
You are just asking for some kind of bacterial or fungal infection.
So, bearing that all in mind, do you still really want to be using a moldy sponge on your face and eyes to blend makeup?
Probably not, and no doubt why you’re here.
How To Get Rid of Black Spots On Beauty Blender
Before we get into how to properly care for your Beauty Blender, let’s focus on cleaning it up and trying to get rid of those black spots first.
When it comes to mold, vinegar is your secret weapon. White vinegar is a mild acid that is known to kill roughly 82 percent of mold species. And it can even help prevent mold outbreaks in the future.
It has both antifungal and antibacterial properties.
Because of the strong pH level of the acetic acid in the vinegar, it’s able to disrupt and stop the growth of mold, fungi, and other organisms.
Don’t let people convince you that you need to use apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is actually less effective because it’s less acidic.
Use the plain old white vinegar and keep the (often more expensive) ACV for your salad dressing.
Salt is another mold fighter – but only as long as the environment around the mold is wet enough to keep the salt in solution – hence the soaking in a bowl part…
STEP 1 – Soak your sponge overnight in a mixture of 1 cup hot water, ½ cup white vinegar, and 3 tablespoons salt.
STEP 2 – The next morning, squeeze the sponge out and give it a rinse under warm water.
STEP 3 – Squeeze out the excess water and place your sponge on a clean surface to let it air dry.
Your sponge may not be completely rid of the black dots, but the mold spores will be gone.
How Often Should You Clean Your Beauty Blender?
You should clean your Beauty Blender after EVERY use. There are lots of different manufactured makeup sponge and brush cleaners out there that are all effective.
However, using liquid or bar soap, dish soap or baby shampoo will work just as well.
How To Wash Your Beauty Blender
- Get your Beauty Blender completely wet in warm water. You can put it into a bowl or just hold it under the tap until it expands in size.
- Pour a bit of cleanser onto the sponge and massage it in with your fingertips gently, rubbing the soap into a lather.
- Rub and bounce the Beauty Blender against a cosmetic brush cleaning mat or a similarly textured surface to clean and dislodge any dirt. If you don’t have a fancy brush cleaning mat, you can use the palm of your hand.
- Rinse thoroughly, making sure to get all the soap out. Then gently squeeze out any excess water.
- This is the MOST important step. Allow your sponge to air dry before putting it away*. Wherever you allow it to dry, make sure it’s sitting on a clean surface.
Storage and Travel
You may have noticed that a sponge takes a while to dry. If you are heading out and want to take your sponge with you and it’s still damp, keep your sponge in a breathable bag.
The second you throw a wet sponge into a plastic container or ziplock bag and toss it into your purse, you’re screwed. You just created that dark, moist, warm (a.k.a.perfect) environment for mold, fungus, and bacteria to breed.
Keeping it in a bag made of breathable material will allow residual dampness to evaporate.
When Should I Throw Away My Beauty Blender?
Your Beauty Bender needs to be replaced about every three to six months. It will depend on how often you use it and how well you take care of it.
If you’ve been using the same sponge for a while and notice that it’s not as squishy or pillowy as it once was after cleansing, it might be time to get a new one.
How do I keep black spots off my Beauty Blender?
Just a recap and a few extra tips to make sure black spots on your Beauty Blender are a thing of the past:
- Use a damp blender sponge for makeup blending. This will ensure the bulk of your makeup is going on your face, instead of into your sponge.
- Wash after every use.
- Let air dry.
- Wait until it is completely dry before storing it in a plastic bag or anything that won’t let the blender breathe
- Use a bag made of breathable material if it’s still damp and you must take it with you.
- Don’t squeeze your blender too hard and don’t scrape it with your nails while you’re cleaning it.
Conclusion
You now know the answer to the question “why does my beauty blender have black spots?”
If you want to keep black spots off your Beauty Blender, make sure you properly care for it when you’re done. Store it in a breathable bag, and replace it every six months. If you don’t, you’ll likely keep getting those black, moldy dots on it.
Of course, you could always just buy a black Beauty Blender and while the mold will still be there, you won’t be able to see it.
Problem solved!
