Take care of your makeup brushes...

I can't stress enough the importance of having good brushes as your makeup tools. Everyone has got one's own preference in the brands one chooses. I have always invested in my makeup brushes which are my working tools as a makeup artist.
The only brushes that I use are from By Terry and Jane Iredale. All the other brands that I had purchased as an one-off trial, have all been put aside.  I have to say that I've had my first By Terry brushes for almost 7 years now and they are still in excellent condition. 

By Terry brushes

The new By Terry brushes have changed and look very premium. I love them! For the time being, I'm keeping them for my sole use! :)

Newer By Terry brushes

My Jane Iredale ones are about 6 months' old but I'm very satisfied too! There are so many brushes that I love from this brand - the Handi Brush, the Blending Brush, the Detail Brush, the Eyeshader or the Crease Brush... Fab stuff!!!

Jane Iredale brushes

The reason why I'm writing about "How to take care of your makeup brushes" is because I heard a few people saying that these brushes aren't good quality because they lose their hairs.
This is not a brush loses a few hairs that it is not "good quality". What makes the price of the brushes differ from one brand to the other depends on many things: 1.  the hairs are hand-tied and not done by machines 2.  whether the hairs are natural or synthetic 3.  the quality of the natural hairs, which animal it comes from etc. 4.  how the hairs are cut so that they are absolutely smooth and not prickly to the skin 5.  the quality of the handle 6.  the brand
Moreover, besides all these requirements that a good-quality brush must meet, there are also other factors which play an important role in the lifespan of your brushes. For instance, the way you treat your own makeup brushes at home.
Brushes are either with natural or synthetic hairs.  If they are made of natural hairs, then you have to use a good shampoo to wash your brushes at least once a week. 
How to wash your brushes? 1.  Pour some shampoo in the palm of your hand. 2.  Make it foam by using one brush at a time. Do circular motions with the brush in your palm until most of the colour and makeup have dissolved. 3.  Rinse abundantly the hairs under the running tap water by pressing them from time to time to get rid of all the shampoo.  4.  ALWAYS place the brush head down under the running tap water so as to prevent water from sinking inside the handle. This is VERY important as if not, with time, the band tying all the hairs together will loosen, causing the hairs to fall off. 5. Use a towel to dry the brush. Place the brush in the folded towel and press gently on the hairs without any rubbing. 6.  Then open the towel and let the brush dry flat. NEVER leave your brush to dry standing upright in a makeup glass or jar. That is the WORST thing to do. The water will sink inside the handle and may rot the band tying the hairs or rot the wood. 7.  Another very important thing is to always put back all the hairs together so that when they dry, they don't stick apart, making it difficult for precise makeup afterwards. Remember they're made of natural hairs and react exactly the same way as your hair if treated badly.
Conclusion: I hope that this post will help you in keeping your makeup brushes in good condition. It is one thing to invest in good makeup brushes but it is another thing to take care of them. It is not because you have paid more for good-quality makeup brushes that they will automatically remain as they were when you first bought them. They also need TLC - Tender, Love and Care!