Quick Tip for Drying Makeup Brushes

If you spend a fortune investing in quality makeup brushes it’s worthwhile to take good care of them. One essential is to wash brushes regularly, but another is to dry them properly. When the bristles of the brush are wet you want to lay the brush either flat or at an angle so water doesn’t drip into the ferrule (the metal bit between the bristles and the handle) of the brush. When water gets up there it can break down the glue holding the hairs in place and it can also rot wooden handles. Plenty of websites sell fancy stands and contraptions to hold brushes upside down to ensure that all water drips away from the ferrule and reduce drying time. However, if you don’t feel the need to invest in another gadget there’s a simple trick you can try to help your brushes dry properly!

All you need is a towel; I prefer large hand towels. Brush Guards are optional but recommended. They’re kind of like little plastic Chinese finger traps that help your brushes keep their shape after multiple washings. (My MAC 217 would probably be long gone by now if not for the simple brilliance of this product.)

To start, fold over a 1-2 inch section of one of the longer sides of the towel and start to roll it up. Continue rolling until the towel is about half it’s original size, or until you’re left with just enough width for brushes to lay. Then I like to place the towel on a flat surface with the rolled side facing down.

Next you can take freshly washed brushes (with or without Brush Guards) and lay them with the handles on top of the rolled part of the towel. Your brushes will now be laying at a slight angle with the bristles pointing downward so water is encouraged to flow away from the ferrule. Voila!