Another Target run, another spur-of-the moment beauty purchase from Sonia Kashuk. Allegedly, I swung by the store for detergent (I’m a Gain girl. How about you?). It’s not my fault I always end up in the beauty section.
Heck, though, since I was already there, I figured I’d look for a full-size bottle of Sonia’s Making Waves Nail Colour, and bring one or two or five home, LOL!
(Remember it, the bright sea green, from her new A Powerful Punch Set? Yep, I like it that much.)
But while I was searching for it, something else got my attention: this bottle of Sonia’s Brush & Sponge Cleanser ($7). It was hidden behind some makeup bags, as if someone had squirreled it away back there for safekeeping (I’m totally guilty of doing this many times).
Now, I’m still happily engaged to Burt’s Bees Mango & Orange Energizing Body Bar as my de facto brush cleanser, but I’m also curious like a cat.
A single word in the directions on the back of the bottle sealed the deal for me.
To use the cleanser, you’re supposed to wet your brushes or sponges by spraying them with some of the product, which you then work into a lather (weird!). Then, rinse until the water runs clean.
Most of the liquid brush cleansers I’ve used before, like the one from MAC, don’t usually work up a lather, which makes this one kind of unusual.
Color me intrigued…
Back at home, I put this bad boy to work on a big ol’ pile of brushes caked with concealer, foundation and powder. Per the directions, I wet each brush, sprayed one spritz of cleanser on each of the brush heads (just one), and then rinsed them until the water ran clean. I used just one spritz for each of the brushes except the ones caked with foundation and concealer. For those I spritzed twice.
And this stuff worked great! It quickly dissolved every morsel of makeup from the bristles, even cutting through the caked on and crusted liquid and cream makeup. I was able to thoroughly clean about 20 brushes in five minutes, which is pretty darn fast!
After air drying, the bristles of the brushes felt as soft as they did when they were new, and they looked and even smelled clean (ah… faintly floral).
With this, I think Sonia has another drugstore gem on her hands, and I suspect that a lot of women out there already know about it, because it always seems to be out of stock at my local Target.
If you are able to get your hands on a bottle, hold tight! And don’t let go. 🙂
PRICE: $7 for a 5.1-ounce bottle
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Target stores and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
This sounds awesome! I’m not gonna lie: I normally use antibacterial hand soap to clean my makeup brushed. But I wouldn’t mind getting this since it’s only 7 bucks. And apparently really awesome. 😉
Also, I go to Target for my cleaning supplies, too, but I get the Target Up & Up brand instead. I prefer it for dishwasher detergent, for instance. And paper plates. And trash bags.
You and I are like Target-loving twins. 😀
Ahhhh! Sounds as good as (or even better than) the Daiso detergent! Thanks for the review, I’m gonna try and get it. It’s gonna be very difficult though!
I always end up in the beauty section too. I can stay in a Sephora store for 3 hours without realizing. Haha
I love Sonia Kashuk products! I haven’t tried her sponge cleanser though, but have you tried her new brushes? I’ve been loving her Dense Blush Powder brush for buffing out over applied products and it feels super duper soft! <3
I usually use Dawn dish liquid but I will have to give this a try.
Oooo! I’ll have to try this! I have yet to find a dud from the Sonia Kashuk line. She makes some really great products!
This sounds wonderful! What a shame it isn’t available here..
I love Gain smell too! Do you know get a Febreze plugin & room spray. I disagree with PineSol, Gain is the smell of clean. I always walk-through the beauty & clothing depts in Target. You never know what you will find. I was using Ivory dish liquid, I can’t wait to try this.
Whoa, this stuff sounds amazing! My recent discovery is L’Occitane Women’s Day Soap. It cleans natural-bristle brushes really well, and I can skip the conditioning step because there’s a very high percentage of shea butter in it. However, for some reason the duo-fiber and artificial brushes don’t get along with it. The hair becomes really stiff, so I save it for natural bristles now!
Sounds like a winner! I don’t know if I told you that I finally got Sonia’s bent eyeliner brush (I know – I’m slow to act). 🙂 I really like the Burt’s Mango and Orange bar, too. I just wish it was a body wash instead of a bar soap. I think I’ll use the remainder of it as a brush cleaner. You’re always so full of good ideas and advice!
Oooooh, I’ll be on the hunt now!
I ran out of my Japonesque brush cleaner (which I absolutely adore) and remember reading your post about that Burts Bees soap. Well, I couldn’t find it anywhere! I ended up buying the ULTA brush cleaner and it’s just a bummer compared to the Japonesque which cleans so well and smells like fresh grapefruit! From this review, I will now be on the hunt for Sonia Kashuk, love the sound of it!
Since I’m at Target on what seems like a daily basis, I’ll have to hunt this down. I was there last night but with the hubby and kids to which all three said, “Mom, I hope you don’t have to buy any make up. We’ll be here forever!!” lol!
Wow! I’ve been using E.L.F.’s Brush Shampoo, which has been working fine for me. But for a few bucks more, I wouldn’t mind trying the Sonia Kashuk one. Thanks for the review! 🙂
I have this. I like it alright. But I HATE the smell.
This is cheaper than MAC brush cleaner, and WAY cheaper than Cinema Secrets. On my list it goes!
I bought this and didn’t like it (hated the smell), but I didn’t know I was using it wrong!! I’ll have to try using it again after reading about it here LOL
I have this. In a mini size it came with my SK beauty blender. As a cleaner for the sponge and for brushes as well. I’ve only used it to clean my SK blender and by original Beauty blender and it works well. I’ve never tried it for my brushes I still use the Mac one b/c it’s alot easier for spot cleaning. I’ll have to try it for my brushes next time they need cleaning.
i might need this to wash the sonia kashuk beauty blender dupe. i rediscovered it lately and ive been using it a lot!!!
I tried this and dont really like it. The smell is awful, and it doesnt really get the brushes as clean as what I was using previously (Pangea Organics hand soap or babyshampoo).
I found i had to use a TON of it, and it the brushes still werent clean. One or two spritz didnt cut it, the water never ran clean and the brushes still felt dirty. Mind you I wash my brushes no more than bi weekly, so there isnt THAT much gunk to get out.
For the price, idk it works as an ok pre treatment for really gunky brushes (foundation/cream products), but baby shampoo works just great for me.
Love how affordable this Sonia line is!
I LOATHE Gain. LOATHE it. The fragrance actually gives me hives (but then, I have hypersensitive skin, so most things with parfum/perfume/fragrance will break me out in hives!) I use Tide Free Cold Water detergent with Bounce free! It’s the only combination that leaves my skin hive, rash and itchy free!
I definitely am not ashamed to say I use a combo of evoo and dawn to power wash my brushes. Gentle, clean, and fragrance free which means no bad reactions for me! I’ve tried a lot of brush cleaners and 99% give me a reaction. That combo doesn’t! Dirt cheap and multi functional too!
The original scent of Gain is my absolute favorite! If they made Gain and/ or PineSol perfume, I think I would wear it LOL. I love for my clothes to smell of Gain and my house to smell like PineSol!! Lavender Gain is nice, too, but I usually buy the original scent. 🙂 I need brush cleaner (my giant Tarte foundation brush is quite gross) and I saw the Elf brand and SK brand at Target, but I got distracted and forgot to get either. I might have to give the SK a whiff before buying though. I am weird about how things smell.