Alright, you’ve got your fabulous makeup brushes and now you’re wondering what to do to take care of them. And if you’re not, you should, because it’s important to keep your brushes like new.

If you take proper care of your brushes, not only will they last longer, but keeping your brushes like new will keep your makeup application looking flawless. Listed below are some of the common care and maintenance routines associated with taking care of your makeup brushes.

Where should I keep my brushes?

I like to keep my brushes standing in a glass in my bathroom, or when I’m freelancing they always have their own little bag with a special pocket for each brush. I do this so my brushes will keep their shape and the bristles won’t get frayed. Plus, getting ready is so much faster when I can see my brushes instead of digging for them in my makeup bag.

Do I need to wash my brushes?

Yes, you do! You can wash them with your facial cleanser as long as it’s a foam or a gel. A creamy cleanser can leave behind a residue or film and cause streaking or uneven application of your makeup. You can even use a gentle shampoo like a baby shampoo to clean your brushes, or you can head down to your local beauty supply store and get soap specifically made for cleaning makeup bushes.

How often do I need to clean your makeup brushes?

Once a month at the very least. You don’t need to be obsessive about it, but it’s important to clean your brushes not only to remove the residue of old makeup, but also to get rid of bacteria that can live on the brush and transfer to your skin causing breakouts and other problems. If you have oily skin you’ll need to clean your brushes more because of the excess oils and bacteria on your skin, but no more than once a week.

How do I take care of my makeup brushes when traveling?

When traveling with your brushes, you want to take care that they don’t get smashed and deformed. Once a brush’s shape has been compromised, it’s almost impossible to get it back the way it was, although you can sometimes get the shape back by wetting and reshaping the brush depending on the bristles and how badly it’s damaged. To prevent damage while traveling, you can either invest in a travel case for them or carefully wrap your brushes in a washcloth and put them inside your makeup bag.

So that’s it for makeup brush care 101! I wish you and your brushes a very long and happy life together. Remember, if you take care of them, they’ll take care of you!

Have you ever wondered which makeup brushes are worth your hard earned money? Maybe you’re wondering if there’s something better to use than the brush that came with your compact or a Q-Tip? No worries, I’m here to shed some light on the subject.

In all honesty, no, you don’t “need” to use makeup brushes. Unless you want your makeup to look good, and in that case you do! One of the biggest secrets of flawless makeup is blending, and using the right makeup brush will make such a huge difference in giving your makeup even application and seamless blending.

I’m not saying you have to run out right now and buy every makeup brush ever made, but here are a few that every girl should have:

• Cheek/Blush Brush:

  You can blend foundation and concealer with your fingers or a sponge, but for smooth and even application you’ll need to use a brush. You can, in a pinch, use the brush that comes in the compact, but I think you’ll find the shape and size of the brush, as well as the quality of the bristles, to be a hindrance when trying to put your blush on evenly.

  What you’re looking for is a brush with soft bristles, and preferably with a “dome” shape (having a bit of a curve in the bristles) like the Bare Escentuals Full Flawless Face Brush. An angled brush will also work well, as long as it’s not too skinny.

  TipFor blending, the fatter a makeup brush is, the better. Why? Because you’ve got a larger surface area to blend your makeup on, and a wider brush distributes the product in a more even fashion. Of course, this applies only to powder blush, powder foundation or for a setting powder. If you use a cream blush, just use your fingers.

• Eyeshadow Brush:

  Ideally you would have two brushes for your eyes. A large one with looser bristles for blending, and another, slightly smaller version, with the bristles tighter together for applying color like the Sephora Retractable All Over Shadow Brush.

  The shape of these aren’t as important as the texture of the bristles and how they pick up the eye shadow. The bristles should be soft and not shedding. If you can only get one brush, get the blending brush. You can always apply the contour color with a Q-Tip or the applicator in the compact, but you’ll find it more difficult to blend eye shadow without a brush.

• Multipurpose Brush:

  The only other must-have brush I would recommend is either a flat or angled bush like the Makeup For Ever Eyebrow Brush. This brush will fill in nicely for anything that the blush and eyeshadow brushes above don’t cover. You can use this makeup brush for many different purposes such as applying brow color, eyeshadow contour, eyeshadow as eyeliner, or blending your eyeliner pencil for a softer look. Be sure to pick a brush that’s on the skinny side with stiff bristles that are tightly compacted together.

As a makeup artist, I’ve never met a brush I didn’t like, but you should do some shopping and see what you like, what fits your style, and most importantly what’s within your budget. Remember that a decent set of makeup brushes will, if taken care of properly, last you a very long time and will be an important tool in your makeup bag to achieve glamarific makeup! Happy painting!