How many of us take the time each week to wash all of our make-up brushes properly as well as tossing our make-up bags (yes, all of them) into the wash for a good scrub?

The only time we ever really seem to care about the state of our make-up bag is when we buy a shiny new product and it just doesn’t do it justice to throw it in the pit so we make everything shiny.

Here is what you need to be doing in order to keep your make-up bag free of harmful bacteria and germs:

Wash your brushes…often
We know it’s an obvious one but it’s probably the most important. Your make-up brushes are being used ON your skin EVERY day and they need to be clean. Take ten minutes once a week and wash your brushes thoroughly in either hot soapy water or special make-up brush cleanser.

Throw your make-up bag in the laundry
Another chore to do once a week. There’s no point in washing your brushes and then throwing them into a germ-filled make-up bag now is there?!

No fingers please
If you have any foundation or pot product make sure to use a cotton bud to scoop out what you need. Your fingers are germ-magnets and every time you pop them in there you’re leaving some behind to transfer onto your face next time. Not cool. If there is a tube version of the pot product available, even better.

That pencil sharpener though…
Your pencil sharpener needs to be kept spick and span. Your lip pencils and eyeliners need to be sharpened regularly as they are used on your skin, and more importantly – your eyes! This means the sharpener itself needs to be perfectly clean too.

Sharing isn’t caring
We know it’s in our nature to wear each other’s clothes and do each other’s hair but the line needs to be drawn at sharing make-up. Everyone’s skin is different and by allowing someone to use your brushes/lipstick/mascara you run the risk of transferring skin issues to them or getting them yourself.

Regular clean-out
Make-up has an expiry date. Here is how long common beauty products last and how often you need to replace them, even if they haven't run out:

Mascara: 2-3 months
Eyeshadow: 6 months
Foundation: 6-12 months
Stick concealer: 2 years
Liquid concealer: 1 year
Eyeliner: 3 months