This Makeup-Brush Cleaner Is Also Bug Spray. Wait, What?

When you consider all of the easy, inexpensive ways you can clean your makeup brushes, an $18 cleansing spray may seem pretty indulgent. Well, what if that spray was not only more effective than cheap brush-cleaning alternatives but also an awesome bug repellent?Take my money, right?

Jane Iredale Botanical Brush Cleaner is a favorite among makeup artists because it’s convenient for quickly purifying both natural and synthetic makeup brushes. However, the very ingredients that cleanse and condition the brush fibers — alcohol, witch hazel, and grapefruit extracts — make this spray an unexpected multitasker because they’re also ideal for preventing summer bugs from biting.

You probably don’t love the idea of dousing yourself in rubbing alcohol, a well-known bug repellent, to keep mosquitos away. But, spraying your skin with a blend of alcohol, witch hazel, and grapefruit would work just as well — if not better — and with a far more pleasant experience for your skin and nose.

That’s because, as much as we humans appreciate witch hazel’s cleansing and astringent properties, insects want nothing to do with it. Plus, grapefruit contains a fun-to-say compound called nootkatone, which has been shown to ward off ticks, mosquitos, and other insects.

This blend is also perfectly safe to spray on your skin — after all, it’s meant to be spritzed on the brushes that touch your skin every day. Awesome, indeed.

Jane Iredale Botanical Brush Cleaner, $18, available at Jane Iredale.