Don't clean your makeup brushes regularly? You might wanna start being a bit more routine about it.

Why? The side effects can be more dramatic than a smoky eye! Brace yourselves gals -- it turns out your favorite go-to beauty solution could actually be your skin's worst enemy. OMG!

A recent survey of women just released by Anisa International found 39% of women who use makeup brushes don't clean them even once a month. Even worse, 22% admitted never cleaning them at all.

From breakouts to blemishes to bacteria, these grimy germs multiply on your brush moments after use and can cause serious grunge on your face. But with so many women not makeing brush cleaning a top beauty or skin care priority, there's gotta be a legit reason.

"Interestingly, 65% of women who clean their brushes do so to avoid bacteria, breakouts and blemishes. They understand the consequences, but they still don't clean them as often as beauty experts recommend," explained Anisa Telwar-Kaicker, founder and CEO of Anisa International to BusinessWire. "We suggest cleaning cosmetic tools a minimum of once a month, but twice a month would be best." 

So why are women avoiding the makeup brush cleanse? Check out the statistical reasons:

  • 22% of women say they take too long to clean or dry
  • One in five (21%) weren't even aware they needed to clean their makeup brushes
  • 17% say they don't know how to clean them properly -- ask Millennials and that number jumps up all the way up to 31%

"Today's consumers are spending a significant amount on cosmetic brushes in order to achieve desired makeup looks, but they're not protecting their investment or their skin by properly caring for these tools," said Telwar-Kaicker.

"This survey indicates that there's a need for beauty brands to educate consumers about the importance of cleaning, the proper techniques and the revolutionary new products available that minimize the amount of time it takes." 

Look out for our exclusive Q&A with Anisa Telwar-Kaicker for tips on the perfect way to keep your brushes clean and your skin blemish free, coming soon!

This article was originally published on Fashion Times