by Morgan Rullmann.

Bacteria-ridden makeup brushes can bring about unsightly blemishes or irritations. Ideally, makeup brushes should be cleaned every day after use. But for those who don’t have that kind of time, cleansing brushes once every three weeks is sufficient.

To clean makeup brushes, it’s best to use a gentle shampoo or liquid soap. After placing a dollop of the shampoo or liquid soap in a small container, take a brush and dip JUST THE TIP into the cleaner. Submerging the metal part of the brush that connects the bristles and the handle can cause the bristles to fall out. After sparingly coating the bristles of the brush, swirl it around beneath a drizzle of cold water until all of the soap is has been rinsed out and the brush no longer leaves any traces of color when swiped across your hand.

After the brushes have been thoroughly cleaned, fluff them out to their original shape and leave them to dry overnight. It can take several hours for the brushes to dry depending on their density, so its best to plan in advance when wanting to clean makeup brushes.