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Regularly cleaning your makeup brushes is essential to any hygienic skin and makeup routine. However, how you clean your brushes and whether you use a specific cleaning tool to help is completely preference-based.
One efficient, easy, and affordable way to keep your brushes clean is with a makeup brush cleaning mat. These mats come in a variety of shapes and sizes, are all made of eco-friendly, non-toxic silicone, and have a variety of textured areas that will address and clean different types, sizes, and density brushes.
In addition to the brush-cleaning mats, some of our options come in sets and include a makeup brush drying rack and protective mesh covers that stretch to fit a variety of makeup brushes. And, these mats all come in fun color options to help make cleaning your brushes a less onerous task.
Our Picks of the Hottest Makeup Brush Cleaning Mats
Norate Silicone Mat — Best Overall
Thoroughly clean all your makeup brushes with this brush cleansing and rinsing pad. Made from a durable silicone material, the pad is easy to carry and useful for both home and travel while the specially designed, multiple textured designs make it suitable for cleaning all types of makeup brushes. This scrubber mat is also easy to use and simply requires a squirt of your favorite cleansing solution on the pad, cleaning and rinsing off the brush.
Pros
- The silicone is environmentally friendly
- There are six different nub patterns to ensure a deep clean
Cons
- The handle may prevent it from laying completely flat
Ranphykx Makeup Brush Cleaning Mat — Runner Up
The Ranphykx Makeup Brush Cleaning Mat is an excellent choice for anyone looking to take their brush cleaning routine to the next level. This mat features seven different textures designed to clean various makeup brushes, from facial and eye brushes to even larger ones. Moreover, the mat is large enough to accommodate many brushes in one go. Plus, it is made of environmentally-friendly and healthy silicone material and has a suction cup design that allows you to attach it to any surface.
Pros
- Large size with different textures to clean various brushes simultaneously
- Effectively cleans brushes and removes build-up of old makeup
Cons
- May not be suitable for all types of makeup brushes
Diolan Cleaning Mat — Honorable Mention
This convenient set includes a makeup brush cleaning mat and makeup brush drying rack for an all-over easy cleaning experience. Made from premium quality materials, the drying mat is non-toxic, odorless, and has several different perforated silicone rubber shapes that will help clean a variety of brushes. Once your brushes are clean, the brush tower is the place to put them to dry and comes with 28 different sized silicone holes that can accommodate both makeup and paintbrushes.
Pros
- The brush tower folds for easy storage and travel
- There are 28 different brush slots, so it can hold a wide variety of brushes
Cons
- There is only one color option
Tenmon Cleaning Mat — Contender
For a slightly different take the on cleaning mat, this option is both a makeup brush cleaner and handy brush drying storage stand and holder in one convenient product. One side of the mat contains a multi-textured, brush cleaning area that requires only a cleanser and when you are done, turn the mat over and store the brushes upright in the holes until they are dry.
Pros
- This mat is easy to clean and will protect brushes from bacteria
- There are no suction cups on this product
Cons
- There are only two color options
MelodySusie Brush Cleaner — Best Value for Money
If you prefer a more compact makeup brush cleaning option, this set comes with two portable tools that slip easily over three fingers to ensure a tight grip. The egg-shaped silicone mat makes a great travel partner and can be kept in your travel bag at all times so they are always with you. These mats also have tiny textured granules designed for cleaning small makeup brushes while the striped area is designed for larger brush heads.
Pros
- This set comes with one mint green and one baby pink-colored cleaning egg
- The silicone is durable yet soft
Cons
- There are no other color options
Hisight Cleaning Mat — Also Consider
This two-pack set comes with a portable makeup brush cleaning mat along with 10 makeup brush mesh covers. The cleaning mat comes in a unique soapbox shape with a back handle giving you complete control of your pad and can be easily stored in any drawer or makeup bag. This pad also features a varied textured pattern similar to our other options to make cleaning all your brushes easy. Additionally, the included mesh covers will protect your brushes.
Pros
- Use this mat to clean paint brushes as well
- It features a handle on the back so you can get a secure grip
Cons
- Brush cleaner is not included
Buying Guide: Makeup Brush Cleaning Mats
Makeup brushes are perhaps the most important items from your cosmetics kit. Do you know these brushes will get dirty due to the leftover makeup products, dead skin, dirt, and bacteria? Using such dirty brushes is unhygienic and can cause acne, breakout, or allergic reaction. This is why the makeup experts suggest washing all of your brushes efficiently to keep these problems at bay. The top makeup brush cleaning mats in 2024 will help you clean the brushes in just a few swaps without putting in a lot of effort.
To know about this wonderful product and how to buy them, go through our buying guide.
What Are the Chief Factors to Consider While Buying Makeup Brush Cleaning Mats?
Material type
If you want your makeup brushes to last for a long time, you should consider buying mats that can withstand a lot of pressure that you will certainly put to take out all the residual. The material should be durable yet soft in nature to keep the brushes like new for years to come. If the surface is rough, it may cause degradation of the brushes and you will not be able to do your makeup properly after cleaning them. And, this isn’t what you want.
If we see the most reputable makeup brush cleaning mats around us, we will come to know that many of these are made up of silicon material. Additionally, the material you go with should also be thicker and collapsible so that you may not have to change the mats every few weeks and can carry them with you anywhere.
Ease of use
Always ensure that you shortlist the options that are easy to use and that you can get maximum results with minimum effort. For example, some cleaning mats come with suction cups on the backside. It can make your work easier than ever. These suction cups will not allow the mats to slide past the table when you are busy cleaning your brushes. A stronger grip will make the whole process as convenient as you like.
Price tag
It is always important to consider the price of whatever you are planning to buy. Similarly, when you want to purchase cleaning mats for makeup brushes, you should do thorough research on the internet to get an idea about the appropriate price. However, make sure you never compromise on the product’s quality for the sake of a few dollars.
How Are Makeup Brush Cleaning Mats Helpful?
When you do makeup on a regular basis, the brushes might get dirty every few days. They may have dirt, germs and other unwanted particles stuck in them that you will not like your face to get in touch with. Nobody likes the idea of investing in a new makeup brush just because the older one is dirty. If you want to maintain hygiene and keep your brushes clean, you need to buy a durable makeup brush cleaning mat.
It helps in the effortless cleaning of the brushes without breaking the bristles. If you buy one with a suction cup, the task will be even easier. All you need is to place it on any shelf and the suction cups at the back will firmly stick to the surface. After that, put some cleaning liquid on the mat and rub your brushes gently on it.
Moreover, it is also portable and you can easily place it in your makeup bag. When the brushes are clean, your face will be less prone to any skin issues like acne or allergies. The human face is sensitive and it needs extra care in the best possible manner. So, waste no more time and order a lightweight and durable makeup brush cleaning mat for yourself.
Lastly, these mats are produced by using eco-friendly silica gel material. You can use them easily without having any concerns about carbon footprints or pollution.
What Are the Main Types of Makeup Brush Cleaning Mats?
The suction cup cleaning mat
These are the cleaning mats that contain suction cups on the backside. The main function is that they help the mats to stay intact and prevent slipping past the surface every when you are cleaning the brushes. You can stick such mats on the wall, your sink, or any other place where you want to clean the brushes and you are good to go!
Two-piece mat
One main type that is getting popular among people is a two-piece makeup brush cleaning mat. One piece is textured, which helps in the perfect cleaning of the brushes. The other piece is a towel-like material that assists in drying the brushes after the cleaning process so that they are ready for use right after cleaning.
Silicone mat
The most notable and common cleaning mat is silicone, as it ensures the best cleaning and quick drying of the brushes. Some mats come with a microfiber structure that helps in cleaning brushes of different types due to having unique thread-like patented structures to provide versatility in the cleaning process.
