A: Caring for your makeup brush investment is much easier than most people realize. I typically wash all my brushes every two weeks. All you need is a good, slightly moisturizing shampoo or liquid soap, and a towel.

Start by wetting the brush bristles thoroughly, then apply a small dab of shampoo or liquid soap directly to the bristles, and work it in for a few seconds like you would shampooing your hair. I like to swish it around with a little water in my palm to work off any stubborn eye shadow or concealer. When the shampoo and water are free of debris, rinse the bristles thoroughly under lukewarm running water, very gently squeeze the excess water out, reshape the bristles to their normal shape, and lay the brush on the towel in a flat position. The brush must be dried flat for two reasons:

1. If the brush is upright, any excess water will run down into the brush and break down the glue that is holding the bristles in place
2. The bristles will bend and flop over into a completely different shape, making normal makeup application very difficult

I usually clean my brushes at night so they are completely dry and ready to go in the morning. Be careful not to overwash your brushes, as this can make the bristles brittle and scratchy. If you find you are using multiple colors that require the brush to be clean, consider buying more than one of the brush you use most often.