January 31, 2017

NYX On the Spot Brush Cleansing Pad Review

Affiliate / Purchased
I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

NYX On the Spot Brush Cleansing Pad ($10.99) is a new, permanent makeup brush cleansing pad that launched with the NYX Spring 2017 Collection. Makeup Brush Cleansing Pads broke ground about two years ago and now, suddenly, everywhere you turn someone has a new version out. If you asked me a few years ago if I needed a cleansing pad to clean my brushes I’d have likely laughed and said, “What’s wrong with my hands?!” After trying out Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette I have most definitely changed my mind about these brush cleansing tools.

If you use your brushes with creams, liquids, or even harder to remove eyeliner or eyeshadow and you have a tough time getting brushes completely this is where a cleansing palette will help. Cleansing palettes are typically made out of soft silicone and have tiny spikes which you can rub your brushes across to get them cleaner, faster. Those little groves and spikes in the cleansing palette really help to get gunk and buildup out of your brushes. I know I can’t get my concealer brush completely clean using my hands! The palette removes all the concealer very, very easily. So yes, cleansing pads sound like a gimmick in some ways but I promise they aren’t.

Here’s my thoughts on the NYX On the Spot Brush Cleansing Pad.

Compared to other cleansing pads/palettes the NYX On the Spot Brush Cleansing Pad comes up a sad miss. The Real Technique version is $5 more in price ($14.99 compared to NYX’s $10.99 price tag) but well worth the splurge in comparison.

This is an black oval shaped pad with a single hoop in the back for your finger. You’ll slip the hoop over your finger to hold the pad in place so you can gently swirl your brushes over the ridged surface. Personally, I thought the hoop was useless because it kept the upper part of the pad steady but the bottom portion was just flapping around towards the middle and bottom of my hand where there wasn’t a hoop in place to hold it. The Real Technique’s Palette has a hoop in the middle of the palette that’s slipped over your entire hand which keeps it steady as you swirl your brushes across it. I kept struggling to keep it place as I swirled by brushes over it as it kept moving around. Unlike the Real Technique’s palette this flat with small ridges which means it isn’t getting your brushes as clean. I like the way I can squirt a dollop of brush cleansing into the Real Technique’s Palette and a little water remains in the well so, as I scrub water I’m not losing any of my cleanser. The NYX Palette is flat which means it doesn’t keep retain any water and the brush cleanser kind of slips right off. The ridges in NYX’s palette are also very short and it seems to struggle removing liquid foundations and cream concealers where as the Real Technique version has stiffer, pointer, and taller spikes that remove creams and liquids a lot easier.

One thing that NYX version did have going for it would be the fact it did well with smaller brushes. If you have smaller eyeshadow brushes this did an ok job cleaning them up but honestly, that’s not really a reason to buy this considering the Real Technique Palette already handles both smaller and larger brushes with ease.

NYX On the Spot Brush Cleansing Pad is an interesting addition to their line up and could be an essential one as well IF it worked correctly. I think the design wasn’t too well thought out and it struggled at the basic task that it was designed for. I love NYX for jumping into this current brush cleansing pad trend but I just wish they had spent a little more time designing it because I know as a brand they can do so much better.

NYX On the Spot Brush Cleansing Pad is available now at Ulta.com.

Tried it?

Do share!

Affiliate / Purchased
I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  • Isabella

    Saw this last week
    And passed
    Thanks for ur input
    Will look again at the RT

  • Deb

    I don’t like the ones like this that you have to hold in your hand. My skin is so dry that by the time I’m done cleaning my brushes, my fingers are chapped. I have the mat from Sigma that attaches to the sink basin with suction cups. It’s perfect. Gets the brushes really clean and does a great job getting the soap out too. No more chapped hands!

  • Michelle Luna

    Woah! This is the one I need! I got the Sephora one that comes with the little cloth because I ONLY want to use a nubby surface, I think the lines and zigzags on the brush cleaners are silly and useless, as those aren’t going to “comb through” the bristle of the brushes, really. The Sephora one is half finger nubs and half dashed ovals, and I only bother with the nubs half and it works great. However, not only am I attracted to this one more because it’s 100% finger nubs, I also am in love with it because it comes in black. So. I need to return my Sephora one and get this instead. Thanks a bajillion for reviewing this because I didn’t even know it existed!