Q: I just bought my first set of make-up brushes. What's the best way to take care of them?

A: Here are some tips from Beno Lim, creative artist for M.A.C.

While professional make-up artists typically clean their brushes every day - Lim even cleans his brushes in between every make-up job he does each day- average gals like us who are using the brushes for our own faces do not need to be so vigilant.

Assuming you use your brushes every day, cleaning them three times a week should be more than enough to keep bacteria at bay.

Regular cleaning also extends their shelf life by keeping them in tip-top condition.

Plus, says Lim, clean brushes give a nicer effect when applying make-up: 'The colours you are applying will look truer when they are not mixed with the colours left on the brush from a previous occasion. The effect will be more precise.'

I like the Bobbi Brown Conditioning Brush Cleanser ($25), which always leaves my brushes clean and soft. But you can use any drugstore shampoo (gentle baby shampoo works especially well) on your brushes.

Just pour a small amount onto your palm, roll the make-up brush over the shampoo, rinse thoroughly and let the brush air-dry overnight.

'There is a shape to the make-up brush; just don't break that shape by pressing too hard when you are washing the brush,' Lim advises.

If you are in a hurry, you can use a hairdryer on wet brushes but do use the cold blast function to make sure you do not damage the bristles.

The M.A.C. Brush Cleanser ($18) is also an excellent, fuss-free option: Just pour this onto a towel and then wipe down your brushes. There is no need to rinse with water and your brushes will dry in about five minutes.

Another trick is to keep your brushes in a drawer instead of on your vanity table - this means they will not trap dust and dirt.

This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.