Exactly When to Replace Your Beauty Tools

Think your expired skin-care and beauty products are the only thing in your arsenal that need replacing? Think again! Aside from old, used — not to mention smelly — beauty tools being super gross, they can get in the way of clear, healthy-looking skin — and nobody has time for that. We recently sat down with board-certified dermatologist, cosmetic surgeon and Skincare.com consultant, Michael Kaminer, M.D. to find out just how long you can go before it’s time to replace (or at the very least, clean) your loofahs, sponges, derma-rollers, Clarisonic brush heads and more. 

When to Clean or Replace a Clarisonic Sonic Cleansing Brush Head

Unsure whether you should replace your Clarisonic brush head? The brand recommends that you change out your brush head every three months. Good news is, replacing your Clarisonic brush heads are super easy, as the brand offers an automatic refill plan that allows you to choose how often you’d like a new brush sent to your doorstep (doing so can even save you money!). It’s also important to keep your brush heads as clean as possible and wash them weekly or bi-weekly. 

When to Clean or Replace a Loofah

If it’s been awhile since you last replaced your loofah — or, worse, you’ve never replaced it — you might want to consider getting yourself a new one...stat! According to Dr. Kaminer, it’s time to say goodbye the minute they start to discolor or develop an odor. This of course all depends on how often you use your loofah, but just to err on the side of having a clean one, make a mental note to replace your loofah each month. Be sure to clean your loofah after each use with soap and water.

When to Clean or Replace an At-Home Derma-Roller

Think your at-home derma-roller lasts forever? Think again! Similar to your razor head, Dr. Kaminer suggests replacing micro-needling rollers as soon as they start to feel dull. Make sure to also run it under water after each use to clear it of any gunk or grime.

When to Clean or Replace Tweezers

Wondering when to replace your trusty pair of tweezers — or, if you should replace them at all? According to Dr. Kaminer, so long as you take good care of your tweezers and clean them with rubbing alcohol after use, your tweezers should last you a very long time and may not ever need to be replaced. If you find that your pair is getting dull and you’re having a hard time plucking those stray hairs, though, it may be time for a new one.

When to Clean or Replace a Body Sponge

Not sure when to part ways with your body sponge? Dr. Kaminer suggests keeping an eye on the color and stability of the sponge. When the color starts to change, or the sponge appears ratty or fraying, it’s time for a new one. Kaminer also suggests increasing the lifespan of your body sponge by running it through the dishwasher every so often to clean it.

When to Clean or Replace an Exfoliating Towel

If you are the owner of an exfoliating towel, we’ve got great news. Instead of tossing — and replacing — your towel after a couple of months, you can actually stick it in the wash with the rest of your bath towels to clean it. It won’t last forever, but it’ll definitely increase its lifespan. As a rule of thumb, we suggest replacing the towel when it starts to lose its exfoliating touch, gets ratty or both.

When to Clean or Replace Exfoliating Gloves

Similar to exfoliating towels, if you take good care of your exfoliating gloves, you should be able to use them until they become frayed or lose their exfoliation properties. We like to rinse ours thoroughly after each use and leave them to dry in a cool, dry area on top of a bath towel. When they need a deep cleanse, we toss them in the wash on a low cycle and let them air dry.

When to Clean or Replace a Beauty Blending Sponge

When it comes to beauty blending sponges — or any makeup applicator tools for that matter — you’ll want to cleanse them once a week to ensure a longer lifespan. That being said, these blenders don’t last forever. If you’ve had your beauty sponge for more than three months — and use it regularly — you might want to consider replacing it. The same goes for blenders that look like they’re deteriorating, are discolored even after washing, and may even be causing you to break out.

Want to know the right way to clean your beauty blending sponges? We share a step-by-step guide, here. 

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