The most common mistake people make with their makeup isn’t applying makeup at all. It’s improperly caring for your brushes.
Almost everyone is aware that they don’t clean their brushes often enough. However when you do clean them, how do you dry them? Can you use a blow dryer on makeup brushes? And if you
can’t, is there an alternative that gets them ready to use faster?
Let’s take a look at how to dry (and care for) makeup brushes.
Table of Contents
- Why You Shouldn’t Blow Dry Makeup Brushes
- What is the best way to dry makeup brushes?
- How to Dry Makeup Brushes in a Hurry
- Some FAQs on drying makeup brushes:
- What is the best way to dry makeup brushes?
- Should I let my makeup brushes air dry? How long does it take for brushes to air dry?
- How do makeup artists clean their brushes between clients? How do you clean and dry makeup brushes fast?
- Is it OK to soak makeup brushes?
- How long does it take for makeup brushes to dry after washing them?
- How often do I have to wash my makeup brushes?
- What is the best way to clean makeup brushes at home?
- How do you reshape makeup brushes after washing?
- How long does it take to clean makeup brushes?
- How do you dry makeup brushes upside down?
- Hot tip: Fall in love with microfiber instead
- Conclusion
Why You Shouldn’t Blow Dry Makeup Brushes
There are a number of reasons why you should never use a blow dryer on your makeup brushes. Whether they are natural or synthetic makeup brushes, many of the reasons apply to both.
We know that it can be a chore to wait for your brushes to dry, but blowdrying them isn’t the best way how to dry makeup brushes quickly, despite what you might think.
Damages the fibers
Even if your brushes are vegan, the bristles are as delicate as your own hair, and can be damaged, over-dried, and even develop split ends.
Incidental styling
If you blow dry your brushes, you can basically end up heat-styling them, which damages their shape.
Brushes are designed with a specific use in mind, so preserving their shape is an important part of preserving the brush.
Damages the glue
The glue that holds makeup brushes together can degrade or be damaged by excessive heat, just like any other glue.
In other words, not only should you not blow dry makeup brushes, but you should protect them from extreme heat in general, and not store them in sunlight, near heating vents, or in a hot vehicle.
What is the best way to dry makeup brushes?
- After you wash your brushes, use your hand to gently squeeze out excess water.
- Place them on a microfiber towel, fold the towel over the top, and press gently to remove even more water.
- Reshape the damp brushes to restore and preserve their shape
- Hang them upside down from a makeup brush drying rack. This allows water to evaporate naturally without staying in the bristles, drying them faster, since air circulates on all sides. Faster drying prevents bacteria and mildew from growing, and preserves the glue that holds the brush together. Hanging makeup brushes upside down also preserves the shape, without flattening the brushes. There are a variety of racks and hacks for precisely this purpose. This one from QGAKAGO is a great example.
- Place your makeup drying rack in a cool, well-ventilated area (like near an open window) but out of direct sunlight.
- Allow your brushes to dry completely before use. For thick, dense bristles, this can take several hours or overnight.
How to Dry Makeup Brushes in a Hurry
If you don’t have time to gently hang your brushes dry, you can occasionally use a hair dryer to save time. If you absolutely must, here’s how to blow dry makeup brushes:
- Use the coolest air and lowest speed on your blow dryer.
- Don’t aim the blow dryer down the center of your brushes, splaying out the fibers. Instead, hanging or holding the brush upside down, blow the air gently down the brush from the handle to the tip.
- Rotate the blow dryer around the outside of the brush bristles, not allowing heat to build up in any one area.
- Pause often to reshape the brush and allow it to cool down.
- Keep going until the brush is completely dry.
Some FAQs on drying makeup brushes:
What is the best way to dry makeup brushes?
Let them air dry while they hang upside down from a makeup brush drying rack. You can also put a microfiber cloth underneath your set up so it can soak up the water and other gunk as it dries.
Should I let my makeup brushes air dry? How long does it take for brushes to air dry?
This is the best method to dry and care for your brushes. Depending on where you are, how humid or hot or season you’re in, the drying time can vary.
Remember to let all your beauty tools air dry properly; you wouldn’t want yucky brushes, or find beauty blender mold!
How do makeup artists clean their brushes between clients? How do you clean and dry makeup brushes fast?
They use a to-go makeup brush cleaner that you spritz onto your brushes. These special cleaners are made for speedy cleaning, though they don’t necessarily get out all the product, so a thorough cleaning with an actual brush cleaner is still the way to go.
Is it OK to soak makeup brushes?
It’s not advisable to do because the water can undo the glue of your brushes, which leads to faster shedding or total destruction of your bristles.
How long does it take for makeup brushes to dry after washing them?
There is no set time because it depends on the climate and conditions where you are. 24 hours is a safe bet!
How often do I have to wash my makeup brushes?
It is advisable to do this after every use.
What is the best way to clean makeup brushes at home?
Use a brush cleanser and wash your brushes!
How do you reshape makeup brushes after washing?
Use brush shapers like the ones below:
How long does it take to clean makeup brushes?
Depending on how much you used your brushes, it varies. Usually it shouldn’t take you very long, especially if you use a good makeup brush cleanser.
How do you dry makeup brushes upside down?
You can use a makeup brush drying rack for this!
Hot tip: Fall in love with microfiber instead
Microfiber makeup remover cloths are a fantastic way to care for yourself and your makeup brushes. You can use them to remove makeup from your face, use them to blot dry your clean brushes, but also use them to spot-clean your brushes if you don’t have time for a full wash.
Simply wipe your brush bristles gently with a cloth, and almost all of your old makeup residue is removed. They are also machine washable and reusable, making them better for the environment than disposable makeup pads. This set of 3 cloths from Rainbow Rovers can take makeup off your face as well as your brushes.
Conclusion
Taking care of your brushes is actually taking care of your skin, so it’s important to wash them regularly and dry them correctly, to protect yourself and preserve the life of your brushes.
Check out other posts on makeup brushes from our blog:
- what brushes to use for liquid foundation makeup
- how to remove black spots from my beauty blender
- makeup brush essentials
- how to use a blending sponge
- are oval makeup brushes good?
What are your makeup brush care tips?
Thanks, Tina!
So sorry to hear about your brushes, oh no!
really helpful.
my make up brushes were so wet and once in a time I had to replace them.
xoxo
tina wimpernverlängerung