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How do you store your makeup brushes?


How do you store your makeup brushes? Share!

I have two large Le Creuset utensil holders in Caribbean and then I have some marbles/beads, but they’re pretty large and I wish I had smaller ones.

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Mimielle Avatar

I store most of mine in pretty, mismatched cups that have caught my eye. But they are stuffed full and getting tippy so I need to find a better solution. The long, low rectangular vase full of rice is looking better and better…
Re: The pretty stones and marbles yep, I bought big, pretty ones too and have one glass container where I have to stab the brushes in too hard! I’m thinking of taking 1/2 out, do black aquarium sand on top of the marbles with a layer of plastic wrap invisibly separating them. That way I can still enjoy looking at the opalescent marbles in the bottom.

Jen Avatar

I use two of these large ELF brush holders –
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/studio/tools/accessories/large_brush_holder

With these bean bag filler pelletts as fillers to hold them up –
http://www.amazon.com/Darice-Bean-Filler-Plastic-Pellets-16/dp/B001O5SQCO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372259497&sr=8-1&keywords=bean+bag+filler

It’s perfect as both the container and filler are really light, I store them in an under the counter drawer to keep them dust free and then pull them out when I need to use them. I own very high end brushes, and the filler beads are very gentle and do not damage brush handles.

Julia Avatar

My big, fluffy brushes I store in a drawer or else my kitten thinks they are toys and will drag them around. My smaller eye brushes I keep in pencil holders. When I wash them I use one of the cases they came in (I have a lot of Real Techniques brushes) and put them in upside down, then shut the top bit in a drawer so they dry hanging upside down. I believe I would have to change the way I store my brushes if I had more, but I have a moderate amount so what I have works for now.

Sarah Avatar

I have a glass container I got at Michaels. It is long and slightly curved. I have sand in the bottom to keep the brushes up right. I have a mug that says “love” that I keep brushes in. I have the Sigma Miss Bunny collection stored in the travel containers they come in. I have Real Technique brushes stored in the stands they come in. I have a silver vase like container and a glass container that my mom gave me. (I have too many brushes!) xD

Ellen Avatar

I store mine in a big square glass vase with rice in it to keep them upright! It makes it so much easier to find things than when they’re splayed out in a cup. The only problem is the ends of the brushes (and eyeliners I put in there) get a little dusty from the rice…

xamyx Avatar

I have them in random pencil cups, which are in an oblong wicker basket. The brushes are on one side, and I keep my spray bottle of brush cleaner on the other, with a large stack of baby wash-cloths (they were my daughter’s) in the middle. Next to the basket is a plate, with a towel on top to lay them flat to dry. This set up makes it more convenient to clean them as I go. For those occasions I can’t clean my brushes immediately, I keep a small pail on my makeup shelf to toss the dirty brushes in, so I’m reminded to wash them ASAP. This also prevents me from having brushes scattered everywhere, making me less likely to lose one, yet they’re easily accessible when I need them.

I keep my double-ended brushes in a rectangular clutch that came with a set of Sonia Kashuk brushes next to the basket.

I’ve thought of creating a “prettier” set-up, but this one is so effective that I don’t care about aesthetics. It’s a fairly new one, which I put together on a whim, but it’s the best one I’ve ever had. I also keep them in a cool, dry place, outside of the bathroom, along with the rest of my makeup.

aeri Avatar

I keep mine in the top drawer of my vanity, grouped by function and bound with hair elastics. (I also have cats that would never leave them alone if I kept them out) Liners/brows are in one bundle, foundation/concealer in another, eyeshadows in the third and lastly, cheeks/highlighters. I have one lonely lipbrush that roams free!

Wwendalynne Avatar

No not at all pretty, but I get caught up in what can be made available to grab quickly and this works for me..In pencil holders sitting in a wicker basket with my brush cleaning supplies in same basket. I also have my pencil style eyeliners/ lipliners / eyebrow pencils in the similar holders in the same basket. The rest of my things are stored in plastic bins and sorted according to product type.

Lauren Avatar

I store the ones I use regularly in a large glass cotton ball container from Target (no top). Brushes that are not currently in the rotation (i.e., foundation brushes I prefer to use with a foundation that I’m not currently using, extra blush brushes) are stored in an empty makeup bag.

Lisa Avatar

I have a mosaic holder and two ceramic vases from Edible Arrangements. They make the perfect holder for now; but I predict my brush collection will outgrow them.

Malinda Jane Avatar

I use vintage vases and compote dishes. You can pick them up for cheap at thrift shops/flea markets and etsy but they look so elegant!

Jangsty Avatar

I’ve bought big Ikea glasses, filled them with scented yellow and green decorative sand and put brushes into like on a display 🙂 I like the way it brightens my makeup table and my mood!

Malia Avatar

I agree, show please! My aunt uses stoneware for art brushes. I used to have some large acrylic Tupperware type containers, but I had to look hard for ones with smooth ( not ridges) tops!

kendrixloves Avatar

I store mine in a drawer using a kitchen utensil separator. It’s not pretty but it works really well to organize brushes by type; It also protects them from heat, light, and dust particles.

I used to keep them in a pretty glass vase with vase filler until I read an article about how this isn’t a good way to store brushes if you are trying to extend their use life. If your brushes have natural hairs in them you want to keep them away from heat, humidity, and light to keep them from fading and becoming brittle and frizzy which promotes hair fall out. My vanity is right in front of my window because I like to use daylight when applying my makeup, so I moved them out of the vase and into my Ikea Alex unit which is protected from the window. The dirty ones I keep in the same empty vase on top of the unit until they are cleaned.

Danii Avatar

I recently bought one of those cups of brushes (the ones on eBay that are fake MAC brushes; they’re wonderful brushes though), so the brushes that came in stay in that :3 For my other brushes, when they’ve just been washed, I put on Brush Guards ($5 at Walmart yay!) and stand them bristles down in an empty, cleaned out candle jar. I want to get rectangular glass jars for storage but I can’t right now sadly.

Nikki Avatar

When at home, I keep them in a small, cute pail I purchased for cheap from Target. When I’m traveling, I carry my make up and tool in a roll-out make up bag. Each section is separated by zippers, so I just keep them all together in one zipper section.

Lisa J Avatar

I use Cozette vessels and I love them! They keep my clean brushes dust free and look really cute on my vanity, I think. I use to keep mine in large candle jars with beads and though it looked really cute, I always had to clean a brush before using because it had dust on it (just grossed me out). Plus, though they look slim, I can fit the entire collection of Real Techniques brushes (fat bottoms and all) in just one vessel. I love them!

Geneva Avatar

I store mine in a cute Martha Stewart coffee creamer pitcher, a cute coffee mug a friend bought for me and my travel sized brushes in a votive holder.

Laura Avatar

I used to keep all of my brushes in a Shu Uemura cup I got as a gwp when I bought some Shu products in South Korea. Since I’ve expanded my brush collection, I found another cute cup to separate my eye brushes from my face ones.

K Avatar

Silver wire mesh pencil holders for everyday.

When travelling, I store them in a large ziploc and roll it up to keep them bound tightly. As I use them, I store the dirty ones facing the opposite direction so the bristles don’t dirty each other up.

Lynne Avatar

I like swap meets, antiques shows and vintage stores so I collect interesting old drinking or decorative glassware for this purpose. What I’m using right now include a cranberry glass souvenir from the 1904 World’s Fair, an etched vaseline-glass cup, even Queen Victoria commemoratives in ceramic and enamelware. I store and apply makeup at a vintage desk so these are visible and look great. And I can store brushes according to type e.g. eye, cheek, etc. so I don’t overlook something. I also keep lip and eye pencils in these.

rebecca Avatar

I bought a brush roll off Amazon that I use to keep most of my every day brushes – I bought it for traveling but I’ve just kept my brushes in it since because it’s convenient and they stay clean and dust-free. I also have a few Snapware plastic sets – they’re snap-on drawers, the top drawer has a lid with a handle–and I keep odd-sized brushes or brushes I don’t use as often in one of those. I have a Benjabelle brush tree I use to dry my brushes when I wash them.

Jen Avatar

OMG – THANK you for mentioning the Benjabelle tree! I’ve been searching for something exactly like this, I just ordered the set. I’m always so paranoid about drying my brushes flat, and always balance them over the edge of the counter but hate doing that. Thank you!!!

Aida Avatar

I bought an acrylic container from The Container Store that has four compartment, which I use as follows: short eye makeup brushes; long eye make-up brushes; concealer/foundation brushes; face brushes. Nothing fancy :)).

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