If you wear makeup, chances are there are a fair few makeup brushes in your drawer. Whether you have a trusted favourite or a collection of many, can you remember the last time you washed them?

Me either. It’s a chore you forget about, one that’s easily pushed to the bottom of your to-do list. And you’re not the only one – a 2019 study by the Society for Applied Microbiology found 93% of beauty blenders hadn’t been cleaned, 90% were contaminated with bacteria, and 64% had been dropped on the floor but continued to be used. Gross.

Lurking beneath the bristles lie a build-up of product residue, dirt, oil, and dead skin cells, explains Dr Zainab Laftah, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson. “They’re a breeding ground for microorganisms,” she says. Bacteria and fungi in particular thrive in wet conditions, so your foundation brushes may accumulate bacteria faster than dry powder brushes, she adds.

“Putting off cleaning your brushes can have serious consequences for your skin too,” says Dr Laftah, leading to congestion, acne breakout and severe skin infections like E.Coli. Contaminants on your brushes may also speed up the ageing process, as they’re not giving collagen and elastin – the two fibres that keep your skin plump – the best environment to thrive. 

So how often should you clean your makeup brushes?

Cleaning your makeup brushes regularly will put a stop to the build-up of dirt on the brushes. Simple. 

Dr Laftah recommends doing this every seven to 10 days – yep, that’s basically once a week. And this includes everything from your eye makeup brushes, to beauty blenders, foundation brushes and blusher brushes.

If you use your brushes less frequently, they still need a wash every now and then – think of how much dust they’ll pick up when they’re left on the side. Put aside half an hour on a Sunday afternoon to get it done and turn it into a habit. 

How do you actually clean them?

Dr Laftah explains the simple steps to keeping your brushes clean:

1. Under lukewarm running water, rinse the tips of your makeup brushes to remove residual makeup. Don’t submerge the whole makeup brush into water, as this will eventually cause the glue that connects the brush head to the handle to dissolve.

2. Then, add a tablespoon of shampoo to a bowl of lukewarm water and swirl each brush tip in the water. For an additional clean, you can lather up the brush further by massaging it in the palm of your hand. Plain soap and water isn’t advised as this will dry out the bristles.

3. Then, under running lukewarm water, continue to shampoo and rinse the brush tips until the water runs clear from the brush.

4. Squeeze out excess water from the brush tip with a clean, dry paper towel.

Makeup artist Lisa Potter-Dixon cautions over using a shampoo you haven’t washed your hair with yet. “Make sure you test it on yourself first to ensure it doesn’t irritate, you can pop a bit behind the ear for a few hours, if it doesn’t react then you’re good to go,” she adds. 

As well as DIY methods, you can buy products to help you clean your brushes. Potter-Dixon says her go-to is the Solid Pro Soap by Beauty Blender (£40).

“It’s meant for the sponges but works brilliantly for brushes, too. You wet the brush, rub it over the soap and use the Sigma Brush Cleaning Mat (£24), that attaches to the bottom of the sink, to deep clean your brush using the textured areas [see below].” Potter-Dixon recommends using the larger bumps for larger brushes – foundation, blushers and bronzers – and the small bumps for smaller ones like eyeshadow, concealer and lip brushes.

If you don’t have time to wash all your makeup brushes at once, Potter-Dixon suggests trying the Makeup Forever Instant Brush Cleaner (£15.95), a dry spray that doesn’t require rinsing. Ideal if you’re in a rush.

Simply spray it onto a tissue and rub the brush in it to clean the fibres and get rid of any makeup residue. 

And what about drying the brushes?

Once your tools are clean, squeeze out any excess water and lay them flat on a towel with the tips hanging off the edge. 

Don’t make the mistake of leaving them to dry in an upright container, as the water dripping down from the bristles will loosen the glue connected the brush head with handle over time – and all your hard work will be ruined.