When was the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes? If your answer is not a few days ago, a week ago, or at a stretch the week before that, you need to keep reading, take notes, then go and clean your makeup brushes.

Keeping your makeup brushes clean (no matter how small) is one of the simplest ways to guarantee your tools are working as they should, as well as keeping your makeup looking fresh and ensuring that no unwanted dirt and bacteria are making their way onto your face. The easiest way to avoid pesky bacteria is to — you guessed it — wash your makeup brushes. But like a lot of beauty practices, there are certain dos and don'ts, plus some top tricks that can make it a much less tedious task. And who better to ask than professional makeup artists who have to wash their makeup brushes after every single use?

We quizzed two top London-based makeup artists, Hannah Martin and Neil Young, on exactly how they clean their makeup brushes, including the exact materials they use every day and the supereasy drying techniques they swear by. Read on to get all the tips and tricks, then go forth and clean your brushes — you've got no excuse now with all this expert advice.