The Daiso Detergent for Puff and Sponge is the stuff of legends. How can something so impossibly cheap work so impossibly well in getting your makeup sponges and brushes looking so clean and as good as new? How??
Well the answer really, is that its a detergent. One formulated for cleaning makeup sponges, but a detergent nonetheless. I’d heard a lot about it for ages, and back then, the only Daiso in town was at The Curve i.e. too far for me to get to. Thankfully for good friends, I got my hands on this iconic Daiso product.
Now, I must say that this Daiso Sponge Cleaner is da bomb. It cleans makeup sponges and restores them to look as good as new. If you’ve ever fretted over your foundation sponges and wondered how to get the stains out of the sponge or puffs, this is your saviour. If you use it to wash brushes, even the filthiest of brushes cannot withstand the cleansing powder of this liquid detergent as I’ll show you below. It is THAT powerful!
However, despite the many raves and recommendations to use this for cleaning makeup brushes, I personally do not recommend it for makeup brushes and I’ll tell you why.
The primary reason I do not recommend it for brushes, is because the Daiso detergent is too harsh. I was using it to clean my brushes quite regularly – once a week or once a fortnight, and it was excellent. White brushes were pristine again and every brush looked clean and new.
However, I also noticed that my natural hair brushes looked dry and felt dry and pokey. Most of my natural hair brushes are of the pricier variety so naturally I was concerned. So I stopped using this Daiso cleaner and went back to my trusted Johnson’s & Johnson’s baby shampoo.
After a few washes, the brushes felt and looked normal again. Granted, the baby shampoo doesn’t get out colour very well from stained bristles but I’d rather not spoil my natural hair brushes. Synthetic brushes, being well… synthetic, don’t react to this cleaner.
So if you use synthetic brushes then this Daiso Sponge Cleaner is a good one to have. It cleans out dense kabuki brushes like nothing else. Stains and liquid makeup cannot stand up to the cleaning power at all! Let me show you below.
On the left is the MAC 239 brush that I especially like for applying eyeshadow (never thought you’d see “MAC” and “like” in the same sentence, did you? 😉 ) after using it with the Guerlain Les Aqua eyeshadow palette. The royal blue in that palette is very intense and the white bristles are quickly stained.
On the right is the same brush after washing with the Daiso Detergent. The pristine white state is almost restored! It is therefore very easy at this point to fall to your knees, raise your hands to the sky and cry “Hallelujah!” for having your clean brushes returned to you. And I would, if this was a synthetic brush. But not for a natural hair brush (which the #239 is)
If you use natural hair brushes, my advise if not to use this Daiso cleaner as a primary brush cleaner, because it can dry your brushes out and spoil them. It is really, just too harsh for your delicate natural hair brushes. You paid a lot for your brushes and I’m sure you do not want this cleaner to spoil them. For me baby shampoo works so I will continue using it. For others, they prefer using a brush cleaner. Either way, don’t use this Daiso one as a primary cleaner. If you really wanted to get your brushes squeaky clean and looking pristine and new, you could perhaps, use this Daiso Detergent once in a blue moon to get the worst of the stains out.
However, if you want to clean makeup sponges, this Daiso cleaner will do the trick impressively well. It is after all formulated to work to clean makeup sponges.
How to use:
Squeeze some Daiso Detergent into a container and dilute with water. I use 1 squirt of detergent in about 200ml of water because I personally find this product harsh. Mix it up and then dip your brushes into the water and swirl around until clean. For sponges, immerse sponges or puff into the water and squeeze until clean.
I know of many people who swear by the Daiso Detergent for cleaning their makeup brushes. Heck, it even won 2nd place at the @Cosme Best Overall Cosmetic Award of 2011 in Japan! (see here)
If you are a fan of this product and disagree with my thoughts and think me a bit of a party pooper, please feel free to say so 🙂 Or if you agree and have experienced the same, tell me I’m not alone in this? 😉
Paris B
Daiso Detergent for Puff and Sponge Price: RM5/$2/100 Yen Availability: Daiso stores worldwide
Me too. I find that it leaves the fibres on my brushes looking limp. Otherwise, it is the bomb when it comes to cleaning sponges! 😀
Indeed! Its wonderful for sponges, and perhaps for those dense synthetic brushes but definitely learnt the hard way not to get it near my natural hair ones!
EEK! You’re brave to test it out on natural bristles. Yeah, it should *never* be used for natural brushes. It’s popular in Japan but mostly for puffs, and definitely only for synthetic brushes like Shiseido 131. It’s also good for getting stubborn foundation stains off of clothing before laundry. My rule of thumb is, if I’m not going to wash my own hair with it (or if it’s not specifically a brush cleaner) don’t use it on the animal hair.
Good to see you blogging, btw! 😀 Hope you have a good remainder of your holiday!
Everyone was raving about it being “the bestest ever brush cleaner” so I thought it was an easy way out 🙁 But I’m glad I noticed it about my brushes, and not use it until my brushes started breaking off! But I like your rule of thumb 😀 Some MUA told me to use conditioner on my brushes too to keep them soft, but I don’t usually. I’m definitely back and happy to be back blogging too! Seems like its been forever 😀
Agree! Will only use something I use on myself for my brushes. Actually, I pretty much just use my shower stuff to clean sponges too. Not that I have a lot, just a couple, used randomly. So I don’t mind cleaning them with more expensive cleansers.
The big plus is that my brushes and sponges smells really good! Not detergent… …
I only use that to clean my sponges. Other than that, no way hosea man! That fact that its CHEAP and its from daiso, come on… N to use it on expensive brushes, my heart will bleed. Good thing you realized it earlier. I just cant imagine ppl actually raved abt it. I know some cheap stuffs are good but not all. Do not risk your expensive brushes ladies!
Yes indeed Grace! There are so MANY raves about it being a brush cleaner! Granted, it would be awesome if it was good, because its so cheap but really, if you won’t let anything labelled “detergent” near your face or hair, you probably shouldn’y let it near your brushes 😀
Never seen this in my entire Daiso Life! heheh I think you guys have better Daiso there than here! Thanks for sharing, I dislike cleaner that can dry out bristles so I’ll give this a skip 😀
Its excellent to clean sponges and puffs though 😀 Its one of those iconic things in Daiso that always run out every time so perhaps its available, just that its run out? 😀
I’ve only ever used it for my sponges, never my brushes. It’s too crazy good (and hence, would be too harsh la kan) so was afraid of using it with my brushes.
Good move! 😉 it does make washing brushes, especially foundation brushes a cinch though 🙂
Agreed, this detergent is too harsh for natural hair brushes. I only use it for sponges and a few of the denser synthetic brushes. Like yourself, I prefer baby or mild shampoos to clean my brushes and they smell nicer too 🙂
Yup! I rather like the smell of baby shampoo too and I think I’m just more comfortable with the fact that they are mild and so brushes hold up better
Pariisssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!! Long time no see!!!!!! LOL!! Not that long, but felt ages!
I’ve never tried this before… but I’m really kiasu with my brushes (since they are expensive) so I use more expensive brush cleansers if that makes any sense. I like Bobbi Brown’s for deep cleansing (went through 2 tubes of it), I sometimes even use my own conditioning shampoo to wash them, and I just discovered Barbara Hoffmann’s (recommended by a reader) which is pretty good so far.
Hi Lily! 🙂 yeah it seems like its been ages since I last sat down to blog. Actually feeling a bit rusty lol! I never really thought to buy brush cleaners but I totally get your logic. Whatever works for us, eh? 😉
Jenn told me about the cleanser being rather harsh and I never use it for my brushes, synthetic or natural. even the sponges i am rather wary, usually if i wash them weekly or every other day the stains aren’t that difficult to get rid. but if it’s stained really badly, time to throw the sponges eh?
still prefer to use baby shampoo for washing my makeup tools. btw, what do you think of using hair shampoo to clean natural hair brushes? they are technically made of hair too, though I don’t see many people doing it though~
I’ve been told that if a shampoo can be used on our hair, they’ll work on brushes. Some makeup artists even tell me to use a conditioner after washing so brushes remain soft. I don’t do that all the time though. Just vey occasionally because I felt the brushes were. Bit too soft after that
Your #239 looks like that because it’s still wet right? Does it return to same shape when dry??
I’ve never heard of the Daiso detergent being good. I normally use the mildest shampoo I can find in the house, like Body Shop or organic one.
But recently, I bought the Sephora Brush Cleaner, which is only around S$10. Really cheap considering I bought the MAC Brush Cleaner. So I’m using it.
I definitely will not use a detergent to clean my brushes, no matter how cost-saving it is.
Yep the brush looks a bit bedraggled because I’d just washed it for the camera 🙂 it fluffs back up when dry.
It never even occurred to me to use the Daiso detergent as a brush cleanser! I just used it for puffs and sponges, as per the label name. As you can see, I’m quite unimaginative that way. LOL
Haha good on ya for following instructions! 😉
Paris, noob question, how do you dry your brushes? Do you use a hair dryer or air dry it? I’ve tried blow drying it coz I swear they take forever to dry naturally but I find the brushes all over the place when I blow dry it so was just wondering. Help please 🙂
This is an excellent question Cas! I’ll borrow it for a future post 😉 the proper way to dry makeup brushes is to lie them flat after patting dry on a towel and reshaping. Don’t dry them in the sun, but in a cool airy place away from direct sunlight. In our weather, brushes usually dry in a day, then fluff them back into shape and store as usual. a hairdryer may spoil the brushes although I can totally understand your frustration at brushes taking forever to dry!
Experience the same thing. Hence I spend on Bobbi brown brush cleaner. I find baby shampoo don’t clean well face brush, especially the kabuki brush. But I still used in on synthetic brush. Work like a charm to remove stubborn ‘war paint’
I have to agree that if you use a foundation brush with liquid foundation, or concealer, cleaning can be a real pain! As my foundation brushes are mostly synthetic, I wash them with this detergent once in a while. But for powder products, I stick to shampoo 🙂
I saw these before in Daiso Queensbay! Will give it a try. Thanks for sharing Paris! 🙂
You’ll wonder where it’s been all your life! 🙂
I love this Daiso detergent but I do agree with you. When I first discovered this, I thought it was magic so I used it for everything… Well, I used it to clean my Bareminerals natural brushes and they died. Well, not died but went so dry & harsh against skin. Hmm…maybe I need some baby oil to restore it… I’ve been using conditioner on them…better but still straw-like bristles…sighs…
Eeks! You had the same experience too! I must say though that this detergent makes cleaning brushes so quick, it’s a pity it kills natural hair
Think I’ll stick with my Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaner!
Good call!
Gong xi fa cai Paris! 🙂
I’ve used a few brush cleansers- Sephora’s, Barbara Hoffman, MAC and even Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Shampoo for my natural hair brushes (Lunasol and RMK), and find that MAC does the job the best, and second place goes to Johnson & Johnson. It removes colour and residue well (Because I mainly use them for foundation, and my Burberry powder foundation contains silicones which can make the brushes look raggedy and limp like a wet brush after a while), but the plus point of MAC for me is that it dries fast, and the con of Johnson & Johnson is the lingering smell. As for synthetic brushes (Sephora), I find that all perform quite well except for Sephora.
Gong Xi Fa Cai, Stephanie! Thanks for sharing your experiences with the various brush cleaners. Since you’ve placed j&j 2nd after MAC, I guess I’ll just stick to it! 😉
I find that this is the only thing that will get my concealer brushes clean. And you are right, this is DA BOMB for sponges and puffs.
Indeed! For concealer or stubborn liquid foundation I find nothing beats this cleaner. So I use it once in a while since my brushes for those are mostly synthetic 🙂
The first time I went to Daiso, the first thing I picked up was the sponge detergent due to all the raves. After the first of using it, I was a complete convert.
I swear by it to keep my beautyblender clean as it manages to get my beautyblender back in pristine condition, even from constant application of EL DW foundation (which is a bit*h to clean!). But for some reason, it never occurred to me to use the detergent on my brushes. Must be the label, it specifically says Daiso Detergent for Puff and Sponge, and I am nothing but a stickler for details and following instructions. lol
Haha not experimental eh? 😉 I don’t have the beauty blender but I have a dupe that I never got much use out of. I’m not sure why, but it might have been due to the mess it looks after use. Totally icky! Too bad I didn’t know about the Daiso cleaner then! I wonder if I can still find my dupe 😉
Ooooo. My kabuki brush needs cleaning. Do you know whether the one frm Loving minerals is synthetic?
It should be synthetic – most mineral makeup brushes are 🙂
Wow thanks for this review! I almost–ALMOST–got the Daiso detergent due to lots of rave reviews. And being a makeup newbie, I only follow what other people do, lol. And all my brushes are natural so I would have panicked. I was planning to buy it tomorrow so reading this post is perfect timing! I guess I’ll have to try J&J then or any natural alternative, if I can find one that actually works.
Lol glad to have saved your brushes in a timely manner! 😀 Many people rave about this cleaner but perhaps they use synthetic brushes so they don’t notice the deterioration of natural hair brushes. Many people don’t like natural hair and the best thing the mineral makeup boom has given us is affordable soft synthetic brushes! 🙂