Drying Makeup Brushes



Trying out the whatnot I bought from Japan Store, P88.00

I'm not gonna talk about washing brushes here, though I've already blogged about 'spot-cleaning' them. This is about drying brushes. Plain and simple. If you don't have makeup brushes, you probably think this post is a joke. C'mon, how complicated could that be, right? Sic. I used to think so, too, before I started buying makeup brushes.

 

Also, don't wash them in such a way that the water
is running towards the handle. Not like this
either,  this photo was totally staged!

I've mentioned how caring for makeup brushes is important. Dirty brushes = bacteria. Bacteria = acne. Acne = NO THANKS. Properly drying brushes can also help them remain cleaner. Not just that, it extends your brushes' lifespan. Yep. You don't want dead brushes. That's $$$$$$$ down the grave :P You've invested enough in this pile of glorified packed bristles, so make sure you get your money's worth.

 

Aside from deep cleansing, spot cleaning, and proper storage, drying is also a key factor to healthy, happy brushes!

 

I'm not an expert at makeup brushes, but I do know that you do not, by any means, blowdry them. No. No. Noooooo. That's one way of ruining them. Some bristles could melt due to the sheer heat of the hairdryer. The quality and texture of the brush would get altered. Direct heat is a no-no for drying brushes. That includes letting them out in the sun to bake.



This picture is actually here to portray my Spelling Bee credentials. Nice, ei

 

You also shouldn't dry them laid flat. I know that's the most convenient thing, but try not to do this. Just look at how the brush is made. The brush bristles are coiled together inside the ferrule (this is the metal thingy that's directly next to the brush hairs), and the ferrule is glued to the handle (uhm, pretty obvious what that one is). Drying them flat means the liquid or moisture from washing the bristles can pool inside the ferrule. This can cause the material holding the bristles together to loosen- thus, hairfall! Or in WoC, shedding. A bit of shedding is not out of the ordinary when prepping new brushes, but it should be insignificant. Shedding due to damage inside the ferrule is like brush cancer! That brush's days are numbered. The water there could also weaken the glue between the ferrule and the handle,  AND of course can be an ideal ground for harboring bacteria.



DONT dry them this way.

Following the same principle, you shouldn't dry brushes upside down. Or is it right side up? Just don't dry them standing up with the bristles on top!

 

Tada! Brush to Guard. Guard to Hook. Hook to Hang...er.

The ideal way to dry makeup brushes is to invert them, handle side up and bristles pointing down. This is quite an unnatural state for these brushes, I know. That's why you're gonna have to get a bit creative.


That'll do!




just keep rolling.

You can buy drying racks or rolls, which have slots and elastics to keep your brushes in the right position til they dry. You can roll your brushes on a towel (like you would if you were doing a cinnamon roll? What's that, you don't make cinnamon rolls? Me neither.) with the brushes inside, and prop the entire roll up so it stands. There are many tricks to drying brushes. Here is mine.

 

Just a wee bit of the guard covering the bristles

I use mesh brush guards that are at least an inch longer than the brush it holds, hang on end to a hook, and hang the hook where ever it's good to have it dry. In my case, the terrace. I prefer this method because it seems to be the most 'breathable' option for the brushes. And as an added bonus, the brush guard can hold the bristles in place, so they don't dry flaring out. Take note some brush bristles hold the shape they dry in. I get a bit OC with this.

 

 

To dry, just pop the brush (again, bristles pointing down) through the bottom tip of the brush guard, and find a good place to hang them. When they are dry, pop them out by pushing them upwards to the top end of the brush guard, so the brush glides out without going against the direction of the bristles.

 

I purchased the brush guard by 40inches over at Amazon (the Wilderness, as I call it) for $5. If you were to make 8-inch brush guards, that's 5pcs. There are also pre-cut brush guards available. You don't necessarily need a brush guard for EACH makeup brush you have. Just make sure you wash them by batch, so the guards can accommodate the brushes that need drying.

 

I over-purchased the brush guards, not sure what to do with my spare.... does it mean I need more brushes???? Nooooooooooooo :P Maybe I should give one roll away? Hmm..



A Family Portrait.