Spring clean your make-up bag

Spring is well and truly here and a new season sparks change, it’s time to spring clean your make-up bag and invest in some new products!

Follow these six tips to clean up your make-up bag and create a fresh new look this season.

1) Make-up bag – a dirty cosmetics bag can be a breeding ground for bacteria so you should really change this every 12 months or so. If you don’t want to part with it then many make-up bags are machine washable, or if they have a waterproof lining you can clean with soap and water or antibacterial wipes.

We love the Victoria Green range of make-up bags at Debenhams, the Brighton Cosmetics Pouch (right) is our favourite (£8).

2) Brushes – these need cleaning regularly as they easily gather bacteria and dirty brushes can often be the causes of break outs, eye and skin infections.

Use the Bare Minerals ‘Brush Conditioning Shampoo’ (£10) to wash away traces of dirt, make-up, oil and debris, it also conditions the brush fibres for a soft finish.

3) Foundation – this will generally last for one to two years, if yours looked separated or has changed colour it’s time to get rid! For spring / summer invest in a lighter or BB foundation  ideally with an SPF to protect from the sun, particularly if you are going on holiday.

Try Estee Lauder ‘Double Wear All Day Glow BB Moisture Make Up’ (£29). This lightweight oil-free make-up protects skin with SPF30 while brightening skin tone and creating a flawless, healthy glow. It comes in a range of shades to suit all skin tones and blends into the skin beautifully.

4) Bronzer – chuck any powders that are cracked or broken as they only create mess and put an uneven amount of product on your brushes. Use bronzer to create a buildable tan all year round, dust along the edge of your forehead and under cheekbones to create a natural sun-kissed glow.

‘Ready Bronzer’ (£24) from Bare Minerals is a compact all natural bronzer with rich golden tones. Available in 3 shades this product is ideal for adding a bronzed glow to dull skin.

5) Lipstick – lipstick has a live span of about two years, replace darker wintery shades of reds and browns with more subtle tones for spring such as pinks, peaches and nudes.

Clinique ‘Pop Lip’ lipstick has a weightless formula merging bold, saturated colour with a smoothing primer and keeps lips moisturised for 8 hours. Try ‘Melon Pop’ for a peachy-pink shade (£16).

6) Mascara – mascara generally has a shelf life of 3 to 6 months, throw away anything dried out or clumpy. No make-up look is complete without mascara and it is probably THE most important item you can own, opening up your eyes to make them look bigger, bolder and more defined.

Benefit’s  new ‘Roller Lash’ mascara (£19.50) creates a super girly look. The Hook n’ Roll brush separates, lifts and curls lashes creating a volumised curl which holds for 12 hours. 

So what are you waiting for? Get spring cleaning and shopping, our make-up picks are all available at Debenhams The Rock.