As any make up fan knows, good brushes are the superstar of any look – they make applying and blending your make up products a dream, resulting in a much more polished end result.

But how should you be caring for your brushes? Dead skin cells, dirt, sebum and bacteria build up on your make up brushes, which can lead to acne and skin rashes/dermatitis. To prevent this, experts say you should be washing your brushes used to apply creams (foundations, concealers, etc) at least once a week, while your powder brushes (eyeshadows, bronzers, etc) should be washed every 2 weeks. If you’re sharing your brushes with someone else, they should be washed in between uses – dirty brushes can transfer pathogens from one person to another, so you never want to use a brush that someone else has used without cleaning it first.

Specialty cleansers exist for your makeup brushes, and these are fantastic as they are formulated to remove oil and dirt while still being gentle on the brush bristles, but if you don’t have one on hand a gentle shampoo or hand soap will work wonders.

Mix a small amount of your cleansing agent in your hand with a little water, and gently work into your brush. Rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear, squeeze out the excess water, then lay flat on a paper towel to dry, making sure the bristles are all sitting in the same direction. Brushes should be replaced as the bristles degrade or start to shed.