Wow....
The scent of this brush cleaner brings me back to the wonderful memories of my childhood growing up in the 70's and early 80's.
You see... when I was growing up, my parents owned a multi-family apartment house. As a kid, my parents were always fixing things up, painting, etc. and keeping up with the property while my siblings and I ran around trying to "help" but definitely causing more trouble than anything else. My gosh - we had the best times! :)
Some other reviewers mentioned this brush cleaner smells like vanilla, but that's not the scent that I detect.
The overwhelming scent I smell is turpentine.
The same turpentine my parents used to clean non-latex based paint from paintbrushes used to fix up the apartments when a tenant was about to move in.

Yes sirree... that kind of turpentine.

Will this brush cleaner clean your makeup brushes? Oh... I bet your MAC Studio Fix Fluid it will! There is no doubt in my mind that no matter how gunked up with product your goat hair brushes are, they WILL be white again! Your duo-fibre skunk brushes will glisten! (If duo-fibre brushes can "glisten", they will.)
However... make no mistake about it. This cleaner is a chemical solvent.
I don't know the exact ingredients (ironically, I can't seem to find them... even with a google search.) However, my nose can detect turpentine (or something awfully close to it).
Now, in all fairness, this makeup brush cleaner is made by Cinema Secrets. The same company that makes special effects products to create horns coming out of your head, open sores, missing limbs, etc. This brush cleaner is designed to remove all of that rubberized plasticized oil-based or latex-based gunk off of makeup brushes, so it truly does make sense that it is solvent based to remove that type of product.
However, as an average makeup user that just wants to get that stubborn concealer or foundation off of her brushes, I have to admit, this product seems to be a bit extreme.
It is VERY GOOD at what it does, but there is a reason why they claim that your brushes will dry after 30 minutes of cleaning them. It's because there is no water present. All of the solvent evaporates; therefore your brushes dry quickly.
If I could offer an alternative, I have had good success using an oil-based face cleaner (e.g. MAC Cleanse Off Oil, DHC Deep Cleansing Oil) or something similar to clean my brushes. It is able to dissolve the heavy concealer gunk, and after rinsing with water, you can follow up with a regular brush cleaner and a spritz of isopropyl alcohol to remove any oil residue and disinfect your brushes afterwards as well. It isn't as convenient as a one-step brush cleaner, but it is something to keep in mind...
Please don't get me wrong. I think this is a superb brush cleaner. However, be forewarned of its chemical/solvent nature. If that doesn't bother you, than I think you'll be happy with this product. If that does bother you, you may want to try something less extreme.
UPDATE:
I was able to find the ingredients to Cinema Secrets Brush Cleaner (http://www.woochie.com/index.php/Ingredients/Ingredients/Ingredients.html):
Hydrotreated Heavy Naphtha, Dichloroflourooethane, 1-Methoxy-2-Propanol, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparabenn, N-Butylparaben, Fragrance, D&C Green #6

Here are the ingredients in Turpentine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_turpentine):
Low Aromatic White Spirit - 60%
Solvent naphtha (petroleum), light arom. - 20 – 40%
Contains < 0.1% w/w benzene

I don’t know how similar "solvent naphtha" is to "hydrotreated heavy naphtha", but I suspect that is the reason why this brush cleaner smells like turpentine. continued >>

Its fumes are probably bad for you, its scent is disgusting, but the bottom line is that it works. My brushes have never been so clean in my life. My powder brushes even dry in under 5 minutes with this product. I say use cautiously.. as someone else stated below i do believe the ingredient did have an intentional misspelling.

I was on a Mac kick for a while and bought the Studio Fix foundation, blot powder, brush cleaner, blushes, and mineralize skin finishes, but I should have known something was wrong from the burning when I wore that crap something was wrong. So fast forward like a month I had HORRIBLE ACNE all over my cheeks and forehead and I never break out there. It was so bad I've been seeing a dermatologist for 2 years now and its better minus the scars it left. :( But anyways I'm sure it could've been either an ingredient in mac powder products or their pathetic excuse of a brush cleaner but ever since I found out about Cinema Secrets I haven't had anything like that since and thank god! I love this stuff it is a godsend the only thing that sucks is their bottle, DO NOT TRAVEL with it because it will leak and you will waste a lot of it and this stuff isn't cheap. Your best bet is to find a travel safe bottle and pour some in.

After using this brush cleaner for two years, I googled for the ingredients and am worried by what I found. The main ingredients are solvents and gases that can be harmful to one's health and the environment. I believe the second ingredient, which wasn't recognized by google when I searched for it, is an intentional misspelling for dichloromonofluoromethane, aka Freon 21. The ingredients list is posted at http://www.woochie.com/index.php/Ingredients/Ingredients/Ingredients.html. "Woochie.com is a service of Cinema Secrets. All Content ©2010 Cinema Secrets, Inc. All Rights Reserved."
I was curious why Cinema Secrets didn't post the ingredients on the bottle; now I understand why. It may be argued that the amounts of this or that aren't significant in this product, but the first ingredient is a solvent about which cdc.gov says, "EFFECTS OF SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE:
The vapour is slightly irritating to the eyes . The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system . Exposure to high concentration of vapours may result in unconsciousness. Swallowing the liquid may cause aspiration into the lungs with the risk of chemical pneumonitis.
EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM OR REPEATED EXPOSURE:
The liquid defats the skin."
That's disturbing. This may be the only brush cleaner I'll ever find that can get Estee Lauder Double Wear and Double Wear Light Foundation out of my makeup brushes, but I'm through with this stuff. Chemicals used to make fuel don't belong on something that will be touching my skin.

Let me count the ways that I love thee! I have been on a hunt for the perfect brush cleaner. The Ulta one makes me cough every time I use it (what does that tell you?), the Parian Spirit smells like orange cleaner and leaves a film on my synthetic brushes, the Napoleon Perdis one is just gaggingly strong of lavender, the Vincent Longo one is OK but smells TOO strong of vanilla, the Smashbox one also makes me cough when I use it.
I was going to the Makeup Show in Chicago and set out to buy the Cinema Secrets one as I had heard it was the best one. But Cinema Secrets had problems getting their product to the show and therefore had none to buy! But my girlfriend told me that the Monda Studio one sold at the Nigel's booth was the same thing so that is actually what I bought. But since the two are indeed the same brush cleaner made by the same manufacturer, I feel its fitting to review it under the Cinema Secrets listing.
I have found the holy grail of brush cleaner and I am not even joking. The Parian Spirit guy at the show tried to talk trash about this one saying it was nothing but "drycleaning fluid" to get me to buy his instead. Well buddy, yours smells like oven cleaning fluid so touche. I don't care even if it IS drycleaning fluid because it cleans my brushes very well, leaves my natural fiber brushes soft, doesn't leave a film on my synthetics, dries fast and smells good.
I put mine in a spray bottle and use it that way. I spray my brushes with it and then wipe on a towel. Even my concealer brushes and foundation brushes that have heavy wax based makeup in them, it takes it out of them EASILY when normally I have to wash them with dishwashing soap to get all the crap out of them.
The bright blue color is a bit off putting because it just screams "CHEMICAL" so if you're a freelancer and using this on set or at a wedding, I think it might be wiser to put this in an opaque spray bottle like an aluminum one.
It leaves the brushes smelling so nice that one of my clients actually remarked on how nice they smelled!
A 32 oz bottle costs $35 which your average hard working freelancer will go through probably very quickly. I've only been using mine for a week and I'm half through one bottle. So in that regard, its pretty expensive. But if you get the Cinema Secrets pro discount, at least you can get a discount on it. They do sell 12 packs of the 32 ounce bottles for around $300 or something. I wish I knew what the ingredients were that's in it so I could make my own.

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW! i bought this 2 weeks ago and finally used it. I AM IN LOVE ! HANDS DOWN BEST BRUSH CLEANER EVER! I has washed some of my brushes already with baby soap and decided to clean them with this just too see what happens. THE AMOUNT OF MAKEUP THAT CAME OFF MY CLEAN BRUSHES WAS GROSS! I was like "OMG, My brushes aren't really clean!" But now they are and they smell delicious! I love vanilla! I am so glad I listened to the reviews and bought this! I am def gonna buy it again as soon as I am halfway done with it. AMAZING! BUY IT! NOW!

Wow! I was shocked at how much "stuff" came out of my brushes after cleaning with this vanilla scented blue goodness. I bought it at the Cinema Secrets shop and the guy sold me a little tin to use with it. Pour the cleaner into the tin, dip the brushes in. I got the small bottle and I have a feeling I used waaaay too much - but you learn. I'm going to try what another poster suggested as far as pouring it into a spray bottle.

I don't know where this product has been all these years but this is truly a godsend. Prior to using this CS brush cleaner, I washed my brushes (not as often as I should) with soap/shampoo and the occasional wipe down with alcohol (bad, I know). This cleaner cleans and dries your brushes in minutes. As others have mentioned, this cleaner does smell heavily of vanilla. I'm not a big fan of vanilla scented products; however, the time this cleaner saves, it's worth it. I ordered the 32 oz. for $35 on their website and I'm sure it'll last me forever. TIP: You can save a lot of product by pouring the cleaner into a spray bottle (instead of dipping it in a container as the directions suggest). Just spray some on a paper towel or old cloth/towel and swipe back and forth until it swipes clear. Lay out flat to dry so cleaner doesn't drip down the ferrule and damage glue that holds the bristles together. There's NO need to rinse, which is the BEST part & it dries in a matter of minutes. For heavy duty brush cleaning, you may want to dip/swirl in a container. Will definitely repurchase.
(1/29/12)-It's been a little over 2 years and I'm just now running out. It was definitely worth the $35 I paid for back in December 2009, will repurchase soon. continued >>

Best brush cleaner! It is totally worth the price because it actually prolongs the life of your brushes and prefects brush hair loss. Leaves a nice vanilla scent on the brushes and dries quickly!

This is the best brush cleaner on the market. It is more expensive than you would like to pay...but then again proper care for your expensive brushes deserve the best.
I still use baby shampoo for my brushes but it doesn't get out everything that the CS cleaner will. So I use the CS as a weekly deep clean for my brushes. I am talking about brushes that were used for foundation, water resistant cake makeup, lipstick...it all comes out.
Now of course the instructions tell you to submerge the brushes for cleaning but if you did that with a dense brush, such as a kabuki brush, it will suck all the cleanser in and you will need more. It is a very quick way to waste all of your expensive cleanser. It is much more efficient to use something that is shallow, like the lid from a jar, and just dip the tips of the brush then rub it out on a paper towel. For regular brushes, a quick dip will bring the makeup out of the brush into the bottom. I don't mind the scent at all. A previous reviewer said vanilla and it very well could be. It leaves brushes clean and soft and the scent doesn't linger long. It really is amazing and it does dry pretty fast.

Awesome brush cleaner. I've tried others before but keep going back to this even though it is expensive.
Easily cleans my brushes and leaves them so soft.

I use this all the time! It's the best for cleaning your brushes. Just add a little to the CS metal jar and dip and stroke on a clean paper towel until clear. A godsend!

OMG! Let me just tell you how much I loo00o0ove this cleaner! sux for the gal who hated it =O(
Anyway this cleaner has a strong vanilla scent to it and makes your brushes smell yummy. Every time I do a makeup, my brushes always smell nice (this is what my clients always tell me) and are always clean! I love how clean it leaves my synthetic brushes there are no oils, gunk, or funk lol the first dip loosens everything up and second takes it all out you might have to dip 3 or 4 times but big deal! Yeah it's a bit pricey, but I think a little goes a long way and because it's such a good cleaner it's totally worth it. Then deep clean your brushes 1-2 times per week with whatever antibacterial cleanser you use on a regular basis.

I bought this cleaner having heard so much about it. I usually use soap or shampoo and water to clean my brushes, but I was doing wedding makeup for a friend and wanted to be able to clean and disinfect brushes quickly.
When I first got it (a small bottle) I set about cleaning all of my brushes. I found that it got used up very quickly, and that it required a lot of paper towel. Many of my brushes weren't clean on the first "dip," so that really needed more product and paper.
And then came the smell. The smell stunk up my entire apartment -- for days. When I travelled with it to the wedding, the bottle leaked (or something) stinking up all of my other cosmetics, my backpack, clothing, books, and in fact, the plane. This is such a disgusting smell, and it's truly hard to get rid of. I wound up tossing the leftover product into the airport trash can, jsut so I wouldn't take it home with me again.
Short summary: soap and water cleaned better, and was cheaper, though not as fast (to dry, not to clean). The smell of this product still turns my stomach, so I'm not sure why I should want to use it to clean brushes I put on my face. I will *never* buy it again.

For what it does, I don't mind paying the price. Previously I washed my brushes with baby shampoo and water, and found that I could never get all the liquid and cream foundation off my foundation brushes - so much so that I'd actually bought a few. When I checked the middle of the brush, I would always find bits of foundation which didn't get cleaned out. I'd even used dishwashing liquid, to no avail. NOT ANYMORE. When I received it I promptly cleaned out all my brushes (including my Coastal Scents ones) and was amazed at how product-free they became. My Becca, BodyShop and Lancome foundation brushes felt practically new again. This product also solves the smelly-brush syndrome that is the bane of natural product brushes because this cleans without damaging them, thus reducing the amount of fall-out. What is also great is that all the product falls to the bottom of the jar, so that the liquid where you dip the brush in has not been contaminated. To clean particularly large brushes, I use a syringe plunger to draw the liquid out and release onto a small bowl, where I wipe my kabuki brushes clean. I would buy and buy this again, confident that my high end brushes (NARS, Cinema Secrets, Lancome, Becca) will be cleaned thoroughly yet gently. Great stuff.

This is THE best brush cleaner for synthetic brushes. You just dip the brush in and the m/u literally flows out of the brush. Then you just wipe it off on a towel. No need to rinse. Has a fresh smell and it's inexpensive.

I use mineral e/s and always wipe my brushes either with a baby wipe or microfiber cloth. I used to wash my brushes with baby shampoo or BE brush shampoo which was a hassle, I even used the quick change spray where you spray on the tissue but it still didn't feel clean. I read the reviews about this product, ordered the big bottle and cleaned all 10 of my e/s brushes, even though they were "clean" I couldn't believe all the gunk that came out. The smell is okay, but atleast I know there clean and I am now getting more vibrant eye colors when I apply my e/s.

With oily skin, I struggle with trying to keep my brushes clean so as to not cause my face to break out. After reading the reviews for this product, I quickly found the product on eBay. I purchased a 4 oz. bottle and as soon as I received it, quickly started cleaning my brushes. I had a brush used with liquid foundation that I could not get clean - using Cinema Secrets it now looks and feels brand new! I was amazed at how clean my brushes turned out to be and also at the drying time. The only downfall is the amount of product that you have to use - therefore the product is not cheap overall. I just purchased a 32oz bottle as it will last me a lot longer. If anyone has any tips for use, please share!!! Overall quality product. +++

This is a fantastic brush cleaner. I used to use the MAC cleaner, and although there wasn't anything wrong w/ it, I just wanted to experiment. I poured some of the cleaner into the CS brush cleaner tin and swirled my brushes around in it. Then I rinsed my brushes in water, and hung upside down to dry. The result: super clean, really soft, lightly vanilla-scented brushes. There are only 2 downsides to this cleaner: the price (very expensive: $13 for 4 oz, $24 for 8 oz) and the stinging/burning sensation when it comes in contact w/ skin. Still, I would TOTALLY buy this cleaner again. It makes me feel like my brushes are super clean, sanitized, and conditioned.

This product was rather on the expensive side, in my opinion, but it was definitely worth it, and I will be purchasing again. My face and eyes are sensitive, so it is very important to me to keep my brushes clean. Plus, they last much longer if they are properly cleaned. I had previously used baby shampoo to clean them, but this is a fantastic alternative. (I plan to alternate from now on between baby shampoo and this, just to be a bit more cost effective.) It dries much, much faster than baby shampoo and water, and I was absolutely astonished at how much makeup it removed from my brushes. Another perk is that it sanitzes the brushes, as well. Hooray for Cinema Secrets!