Machine Washable Makeup Brushes: How Kleanr Is Redefining Brush Hygiene

Introduction

Almost everyone who wears makeup owns brushes. Very few people enjoy cleaning them.

Hand washing makeup brushes is time consuming. Many users delay it for weeks or months. Product buildup, oils, and bacteria eventually affect both skin health and makeup application.

Kleanr Cosmetics saw an opportunity to rethink a beauty tool that has remained largely unchanged for decades. Instead of making another brush, the company developed an entirely new system. Detachable brush heads, a protective silicone washing bag, and specially formulated cleaning pods work together to simplify brush care.

Turning that vision into a manufacturable product required extensive industrial design, engineering, prototyping, testing, and refinement. Every detail had to balance aesthetics, usability, durability, and production requirements.

Rethinking the Makeup Brush from the Ground Up

Most cosmetic brushes follow the same formula.

A fixed brush head.
Manual cleaning.
Hours of drying.

Kleanr challenged every one of those assumptions.

The idea centered around removable brush heads that could safely be cleaned inside a washing machine. While the concept sounds simple, developing a reliable system proved far more complex.

The project began with industrial design exploration.

Numerous concepts were developed for the brushes, removable heads, and silicone washing bag. Each component had to work together while maintaining a clean, premium appearance that reflected the new Kleanr brand.

Brooke Hegedus, Founder of Kleanr Cosmetics, envisioned a modern product with minimal visual clutter. Every surface, transition, and proportion was carefully refined to create a simple, elegant aesthetic.

The challenge was creating something that looked effortless while hiding sophisticated engineering underneath.

Several brush profiles were explored before arriving at the final collection.

Likewise, multiple washing bag concepts were created to determine the ideal shape, capacity, flexibility, and opening patterns.

Every design decision supported one goal.

Make cleaning makeup brushes dramatically easier without sacrificing performance.

Engineering a Brush Built for Real-World Use

Good industrial design must also perform.

One of the biggest engineering challenges involved the removable brush head. The connection needed to feel secure during makeup application while remaining easy to remove for cleaning.

Finding that balance required numerous design iterations.

The team explored several attachment methods before developing a mechanism that provided the tactile response Brooke wanted. Users needed to immediately recognize when the brush head had been properly installed.

To achieve this, engineers developed a custom shim that produced positive feedback during assembly.

Although the concept performed well, manufacturing introduced new challenges.

As production discussions progressed, the factory identified opportunities to simplify assembly while maintaining product performance. Reducing part count also reduced manufacturing complexity and potential assembly errors.

The final solution delivered the user experience Brooke envisioned while improving production efficiency. This type of evolution is common during product development.

Engineering solutions rarely remain unchanged from prototype to production.

Instead, every iteration moves the product closer to a design that satisfies performance, manufacturing, cost, and quality requirements.

From Prototype to Production

No successful product reaches manufacturing without extensive testing. Kleanr followed that same path.

Early functional prototypes were produced using FDM 3D printing. These models allowed the team to evaluate ergonomics, proportions, and assembly before investing in higher-quality prototypes.

As confidence grew, CNC-machined prototypes were introduced. These stronger parts better represented production materials and allowed Brooke to begin real washing tests.

The silicone washing bag also evolved throughout development. Early versions were produced using softer prototype materials that closely mimicked silicone flexibility. Multiple sizes were evaluated. The goal was finding the right capacity for approximately ten brush heads while maintaining proper water circulation during the wash cycle.

One of the most noticeable changes happened to the bag itself. Early concepts explored a simple circular shape, but the design was soon refined with a flattened base so it could stand upright on a countertop. This made inserting and removing brush heads much easier during everyday use. As the product continued to evolve, the bag eventually took on Kleanr’s signature water droplet shape. The final design not only reinforced the brand’s identity but also balanced functionality with a clean, modern aesthetic.

Opening sizes also received significant attention. The holes needed to allow water and detergent to circulate freely while protecting the brushes throughout repeated washing cycles.

Parallel to the hardware development, Brooke spent considerable time perfecting the cleaning pods. The formulation combined cosmetic brush cleaning performance with washing machine compatibility.

Repeated testing ensured makeup residue, oils, and debris were effectively removed while protecting the brush bristles. The brushes themselves also evolved continuously.

Numerous combinations of synthetic and natural bristles, finishes, colors, threading details, and component geometries were evaluated before finalizing the production design.

As manufacturing progressed, Design for Manufacturing (DFM) reviews became increasingly important. Every component required adjustments to accommodate tooling, molding processes, tolerances, and assembly techniques unique to the manufacturing partner.

This stage often surprises first-time inventors. While a prototype may appear complete, production tooling almost always requires additional refinements before full-scale manufacturing begins.

Each revision improves manufacturability while preserving the original design intent.

The Kleanr system followed that same journey.

Every prototype became another opportunity to improve performance, durability, and manufacturability until the product reflected Brooke’s original vision.

Conclusion

Every successful product has a story behind it, and Kleanr Cosmetics is no exception. Working alongside Brooke Hegedus from the earliest concepts through prototyping and manufacturing, the team at Spark Innovations helped transform an ambitious idea into a production-ready product. The journey involved industrial design, engineering, countless prototypes, Design for Manufacturing (DFM) refinements, and close collaboration with manufacturing partners to ensure every detail supported Brooke’s original vision.

Like many innovative products, the path from concept to commercialization was longer and more complex than initially expected. Each prototype uncovered new opportunities to improve the design. Manufacturing introduced new challenges, and every refinement brought the product one step closer to the final result. That iterative process is a natural part of developing products that are both functional and manufacturable.

Today, Kleanr’s machine washable makeup brush system represents far more than a new beauty product. It demonstrates how thoughtful design, rigorous testing, and collaborative product development can solve everyday problems in a meaningful way. From the removable brush heads to the custom washing bag and cleaning system, every component was refined with the end user in mind. The result is an innovative product that reimagines brush hygiene while setting a new standard for convenience, performance, and modern cosmetic design.