Clean AI

What it does

Makeup hygiene is overlooked—most users skip cleaning due to hassle. Existing tools clean only some items. This device fits in any kit and with one app tap, uses ultrasonic waves, vacuum, and UVC light to fully clean and sanitize all makeup tools and surfaces.

Your inspiration

Watching my sister, who creates Instagram makeup reels, struggle to clean her kit before every video made the problem real to me. She’d complain that prepping brushes and tools took so much time it became a barrier to doing what she loved. I realized that even beauty enthusiasts find cleaning inconvenient and inconsistent. Contaminated tools can cause skin and eye infections and harbor more bacteria than a toilet seat. In salons, tools are rarely sanitized, leading to outbreaks of staph and fungal infections. These risks and hassles inspired me to create an effortless, accessible solution for makeup hygiene.

How it works

This portable, tech-integrated device sticks inside any makeup kit or case using silicone suction cups or magnetic pads. With one tap on a mobile app, it automatically cleans every tool and surface, from brushes and blenders to palettes and the bag lining. Tiny ultrasonic plates create high-frequency sound waves to loosen makeup, oil, and dirt, while electrostatic or microfiber pads attract fine dust and boost dry-cleaning power, all without water or chemicals. A brushless vacuum motor pulls in loosened debris through airflow channels into a removable dustbin with washable HEPA filter. The transparent window and app alerts notify you when the bin is full. After cleaning, built-in UVC LEDs kill 99.9% of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Pressure and proximity sensors ensure it works only when the case is shut. The slim device fits any case, has an MCU to coordinate functions, is USB-C rechargeable, has a simple app, Bluetooth speaker and SOS button for safety

Design process

The journey started when we realized cleaning is inconvenient and inconsistent, and fast beauty needs fast hygiene. We saw that 90% of brushes, sponges and bags carry bacteria like E. coli and contaminated tools have been linked to skin and eye infections, yet people still skip cleaning because it’s tedious, time-consuming, and messy. No product existed that could deliver true all-in-one cleaning—brushes, bags, palettes—at once and automatically. This gap drove us to develop a compact, portable, tech-integrated device that can stick inside any kit with suction or magnets for smart, hands-free hygiene. We started with sketches and tested flexible silicone suction cups and magnetic adhesive pads. Prototypes used tiny ultrasonic plates for high-frequency sound waves to loosen makeup, oil, and dirt. We added electrostatic or microfiber pads and a mini brushless vacuum motor with airflow channels, removable dustbin, HEPA filter, and transparent window. User feedback led to built-in UVC LEDs, smart sensors, a slim antimicrobial shell, and a connected app. A Bluetooth speaker and SOS button complete the design, refined through beta testing for effortless, hands-free hygiene. Today, the result redefines convenience, safety, and hygiene, making tool hygiene seamless for every routine.

How it is different

It is the first all-in-one cleaning and sanitizing device that fits discreetly inside any makeup kit or case and works on every tool—brushes, sponges, palettes, and the inner lining—simultaneously. Unlike brush-cleaning spinners, which only work for certain brush sizes, or UV boxes that sanitize but leave behind visible dirt and residue, this device uses ultrasonic vibration to loosen debris, vacuum suction to remove particles, and UVC light to kill 99.9% of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. No other product combines these methods in a single, compact, portable solution. With a one-tap app, it automates the process, while smart sensors ensure safe operation. A washable HEPA filter, replaceable pads, and battery optimization maximize efficiency. Added features like a Bluetooth speaker for music and an SOS emergency button bring modern lifestyle convenience. This is more than a cleaner—it’s a total hygiene upgrade, delivering true peace of mind.

Future plans

We plan a beta launch targeting 50 testers by Jan 2026, with a retail-ready version by Q2 2026 and launches on Shopify and Amazon. Early sales will focus on D2C, offering the device at $99–129 with a $9.99/month filter subscription delivered every three months, and co-branded accessories to boost recurring revenue. Bulk B2B sales to salons, makeup artists, and beauty schools, along with tech licensing, will expand reach. We’ll build a community of Gen Z beauty lovers, makeup artists, and hygiene-conscious skincare fans. The roadmap includes a mini travel version, pro artist edition, smart cleaning scheduling via app, and global expansion.

Awards