To help you pick which cleanser is best for you, we spoke to eight experts about the makeup brush cleaners they use to keep their tools in tip-top shape. Quick dry time is important too, so many of their picks are liquid, which clean and dry brushes in just a few minutes, versus cake soaps which require lathering and saturating the brush. All of our experts agreed that a good makeup brush cleaner is one that cleans effectively without having to scrub or tug on the bristles to get the job done. While the makeup artists we spoke to clean their brushes almost daily (between clients, sets, and the like), if you’re only using your brushes on yourself, cleaning them once or twice a week is plenty, unless, says Rosado, you’ve used blue eyeshadow or pink blush (both of which are stubborn pigments). Well-cared-for brushes perform better - allowing product to sit on bristles can ruin the integrity of the brush, thus shortening its lifespan, and, needless to say, dirty brushes are also breeding grounds for germs and bacteria that can cause breakouts and infection. It’s an easy step to skip, but properly maintaining your makeup brushes can mean the difference between buying new brushes every year or two or keeping them for much, much longer - Isabel Rosado, an editorial makeup artist, says she has had some of hers for a decade.

Whether you’re wearing makeup daily or just occasionally applying an eye shadow look, you should be cleaning your brushes regularly.

Mac brush cleaner directions