Makeup can be a lot of fun. Experimenting with different colors and textures allows for a lot of creativity. It can be easy to forget the potential threats hidden in beauty products. Bacteria like to grow in makeup cabinets if items aren't properly cleaned.

Makeup Tools

Brushes make great bacteria conductors. They tend to pick up dirt and oil from the face and transfer it to whatever surface they touch next. Most often, that surface is your powder compact. That dirt will eventually get brushed right back onto your face, leading to clogged pores and blemishes. And residue that gets left on the brush hairs stays there.

A quick cleaning is easy. Spray the brush head with a cleaning mist, like Clinique's makeup brush cleaner ($12.50, clinique.com). Run the bristles over a clean section of paper towel to take off dirt and powder. Keep cleaning until no more color rubs onto the paper towel.

Clean more thoroughly every three to four months. Gently work a dab of baby shampoo through the bristles and around the base of the brush head. Be careful not to pull out on the bristles as you wash them. Doing so loosens the brush, so it falls apart faster than it should.

Rinse under cool water and pat off excess moisture with a soft dishtowel, if necessary. Lightly reshape round brushes with your fingers, but don't fuss with them too much. Lay the brush sideways on a clean towel so that the brush head hangs freely over the edge of a counter. Resting the wet bristles against a flat surface will cause the brush to flatten. Natural brush hairs absorb more liquid than those made of nylon, so they may need extra drying time.

Never use heat to dry brushes quickly. The glue that holds everything together will melt, and the bristles will fall out in clumps. Also, don't store wet brushes vertically. The brush head loses its shape easily if it dries resting on the handle.

Powder Compacts

About once a month, tissue off the surface of any powder products you have -- this includes eyeshadows and blushes. Even a light dusting can remove some of the dirt that may have collected there. For frequently-used products, mist a tissue with rubbing alcohol and wipe it over the compact. Just make sure the tissue isn't too damp, as drops of liquid can change the texture of pressed powder.

The sponges that come with compacts get dirty easily. They collect bacteria and oil from your face as you do your afternoon touch-up. These should be washed with soap and water at least twice a month, and changed regularly to avoid problems.

Never store the sponge directly on top of the powder, as oil can accumulate between the two. This will shorten the life of the powder. Most compacts now come with a separate area for the sponge, or a thin plastic sheet to divide the two sections.

Other tips

Your eyelashes trap particles in the air before they infect your eyes. Your mascara wand then picks them up. Over time, any bacteria that get mixed in with the mascara can grow and become very dangerous if applied to the eyelashes. The whole tube of mascara, including the wand, should be thrown out and replaced at least every three months. Every six weeks is even better.

Eyeliners can stay around about twice as long. Wiping the tip off with a tissue that has been sprayed with rubbing alcohol helps keep pencils clean and safe. And, of course, if you develop any kind of eye infection, immediately discard both your mascara and eyeliner.

Lipstick should also be cleaned off from time to time, especially after a period of nonuse. Wrap a tissue around your thumb and wipe off the slanted tip, and you're ready to go. Remember to do this before and after you let a friend try on any lipcolor from your stash.

Once a month, Makeup Junkie obsesses over the latest beauty trends and tips.   E-mail Break Room