Spring might have the reputation for being the season to clean and organise but autumn presents just as good an opportunity. When it seems like everyone is coming down with a cold, it’s important to ensure your everyday essentials are kept clean and sanitised and we’re talking about more than just your make-up brushes.

Because yes, while we all know that we should be cleaning our make-up brushes more regularly than we actually do (dermatologists recommend once a week!), it’s not just our brushes that harbour bacteria. Our make-up products could be awash with germs that can cause infection and blemishes. And be honest: when was the last time you gave your make-up bag a wash? No judgment – we can’t remember either.

In fact, a study published in the Journal Of Applied Microbiology found that the majority of “in-use make-up products, such as beauty blenders, mascara and lip gloss are contaminated with potentially life-threatening superbugs”, including things like E.coli (a sickness bug) and staphylococci (which can cause skin infections and conjunctivitis). Now if that doesn’t make you want to instantly wash your make-up bag, we don’t know what will.

How to give your make-up brushes, storage and other beauty products a deep clean this autumn