How To Clean A Mascara Tube

You might want to clean out a mascara tube for a number of reasons, whether it is to keep it as a spare or to use it to store lash or brow serum.

Instead of throwing an old mascara tube away, it is better to clean it out and repurpose it – you’ll definitely find a way to use it!

How do you clean a mascara tube? There are a few ways to clean a mascara tube. You can clean it with makeup remover or clean it with soap and warm water. It also helps to know how to clean the mascara wand separately, so you can use that again if you needed to.

Keep reading to find out the ways you can clean a mascara tube to prevent wasting it and to give your lash serum or growth a new easy home, and learn how to clean the mascara wand to make it easier to apply these products too.

Cleaning A Mascara Tube With Makeup Remover

Cleaning a mascara tube with makeup remover is really quite easy, as the makeup remover does most of the work for you, and helps to remove even the most stubborn mascara products.

The best makeup remover to use is a water-based makeup remover (like this effective one from Bioderma), as it will not leave behind a residue like an oil-based makeup remover will.

Here is how to clean a mascara tube using makeup remover:

1. Empty the mascara tube as much as you can, getting out as much product as possible and wiping it away on a paper towel.
2. Once there is as much product removed as possible, fill the mascara tube about halfway full with some makeup remover.
3. Add some eye makeup remover into the tube, filling it all the way up. Once again, avoid oil-based remover as this could leave behind a residue, and it also will not mix with the water-based makeup remover.
4. The makeup remover will help to break down any remaining mascara that is left in the tube and make it easier to clean.
5. Place the wiped-down wand into the tube and swirl it around, pumping it up and down.
6. Remove the wand from the tube a few times and wipe it down on a paper towel before using it to clean the tube again.
7. Once you have done this a few times with the wand, close the lid of the tube and leave the makeup remover to sit for around 3 hours. If there is quite a bit of residue in the tube, you might want to pour the old makeup remover out and put new makeup remover in.
8. Once left to soak for long enough, pour the makeup remover out and wipe the wand down on a paper towel.

You might have to do this a second time depending on how much mascara is left in the tube, and how stubborn the mascara is. However, the makeup remover really does help to remove mascara left in the tube and make it easier to clean.

Cleaning A Mascara Tube With Soap And Water

You can use soap and water to clean out a mascara tube, and this is a particularly useful method if the mascara is not too stubborn, and if there is not much residue left in the tube.

To clean a mascara tube with water and soap, you will need warm water, gentle dish soap, and a paper towel. 

Here is how you can go about cleaning out a mascara tube with soap and warm water:

1. Fill a large bowl or a sink with some warm water.
2. Add in a drop or two of dish soap and swirl it around to combine it into the water properly.
3. Dip the mascara tube into the soapy water until it is fully submerged, and until it fills up with the soapy water.
4. If there is a rubber insert on the tube, remove this and wash it while it is in the soapy water.
5. You can then loosen the mascara that is left in the tube by keeping it submerged, plunging the wand into the tube, and swirling it about. This will loosen the mascara in the tube and bring it out of the tube.
6. Once you have removed as much of the mascara as you can, add a drop or two of dish soap into the tube. Swish this around with the wand to cover the inside area.
7. Drain out the soapy water from the sink, wipe the sink down, and fill it up again with clean warm water.
8. Place the mascara tube into the clean warm water and move the wand in and out to remove the soap and to ensure that it is fully clean inside.
9. Rinse the tube with warm water and leave it to dry.

This is a good method to use if you do not want to waste any makeup remover and if you have more than one tube of mascara to clean at a time.

Cleaning The Mascara Wand

If you have a particular wand that you love to use, then you need to clean it before placing it into your new mascara or using it with a new serum.

You can definitely clean a mascara wand to use it over again, and it is easy enough to do so.

Here is what to do:

1. Use a paper towel to wipe down the mascara wand to remove excess mascara.
2. Fill a bowl with some warm water, and place the mascara wand into the water.
3. Leave the wand to soak for 15 minutes.
4. Once it has soaked and any excess product has been softened, place a small amount of shampoo or dish soap onto your hand and lather this into the wand, removing as much product as possible and cleaning the brush thoroughly.
5. Pour out the water from the bowl and fill it up with clean warm water.
6. Place the wand into the water and rinse it out properly.
7. If there was quite a bit of product left on the wand, you might want to rinse it under warm running water until the water runs clear.
8. When the water runs clear, rinse the wand under cold water and then leave it to air dry fully before using it again.

While this is a great way to clean your mascara wand, it can also be a good way to clean your eyebrow wand too!

Sanitizing The Mascara Tube

No matter the method you use to clean the mascara tube, it is a good idea to sanitize it before placing a new product in it, to make sure it is clean and sterile.

The best thing to use to sanitize a clean mascara tube is rubbing alcohol. This is easy to come by and fairly affordable, and a little bit goes a long way.

This is what to do to sanitize a clean mascara tube with rubbing alcohol:

1. Make sure the mascara tube is fully cleaned and free from residue.
2. Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol into the mascara tube, about halfway full.
3. Close the lid on the mascara tube properly and shake it around to cover the whole inside of the tube.
4. Pour the excess rubbing alcohol out and leave the mascara tube open to dry out.
5. If you are sanitizing the wand too, you can put it into the tube with the rubbing alcohol to sanitize it all at the same time.

Once sanitized, you need to leave the wand and the tube to dry out properly and this can be done quickly in the sun. It is important to dry out the tube and the wand completely before adding in any new product.

If you’d like a visual tutorial, check out this video below from WikiHow on YouTube.

Should You Clean Your Mascara Wand After Each Use?

It is not a bad idea to clean your mascara wand after each use. This does not have to be a long cleaning process, but you can simply wipe off excess mascara on the wand with a wet wipe or a tissue.

You could also use some micellar water to cleanse the wand before placing it back in the tube. 

Final Thougths

It is not impossible to clean a mascara tube, no matter how stubborn your mascara might be! You can either use makeup remover or warm water and soap to get all the excess product out and then sanitize the mascara tube with some rubbing alcohol.

Do not throw old mascara tubes away, and rather use them for your lash or brow serum, cleaning the wand to use that too!

Related Questions

What can you do with an old mascara wand?

Once you have properly cleaned the mascara wand, you can use it to separate your lashes, use it as an eyebrow brush, to combat flying hairs, and to clean your fingernails!

How long should a mascara tube last?

A mascara tube should last between three to six months. It is advised that mascara should not be kept for longer than six months, and you should dispose of it and purchase a new tube to use going forward.

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