You don't have to be an expert to know that cleaning your brushes should be a habit in order to maintain healthy skin. It may seem like a chore sometimes but you have to do it eventually. One more thing I don't enjoy about cleaning my brushes is drying them. I used to do it by laying the brushes over paper towels but they take forever to dry. Later on I learned from other makeup enthusiasts that you can speed up drying time by letting the brushes stand vertically using brush guards. 

What if you don't own brush guards or other fancy tools for drying brushes like the Sigma Dry'n Shape? Well don't worry about it because I recently got an idea from Pinterest that I can't wait to share with you!

Admit it, above image is indeed a CLEVER idea! To do this, use any elastic band like a rubber band or hair tie. First step is to insert the brush in the band, then loop it over a towel rail and finally, hook it back on the brush handle. It's that easy!

Notice how I got to use different elastic bands like a pony tail, a thin rubber band and several thick ones. You may use any of them but I prefer the hair tie because it's easier to adjust and manipulate. 

I really love this idea because it's so witty yet simple that anyone can do it. It also requires zero skills and minimal materials. It helped me save money because now I don't need to get myself Sigma's Dry'n Shape or a brush tree just to dry my makeup brushes. Who would've thought elastic bands are all you need in drying your precious tools? So what are you waiting for? Show some love for your skin and clean your brushes regularly. Try this technique and let me know what happens. Thank you for reading and have a blessed week! 

♥ ♥ ♥

On Drying Your Brushes

Hello everyone! Last weekend I finally had the time to clean my makeup brushes. I used St. Ive's moisturizing olive cleanser which I haven't been using lately to wash my face. I figured I can use it to clean my brushes instead of the usual antibacterial soap mixed with olive oil. I also used my current hair conditioner, Dove Colour Radiance, to keep the bristles soft and silky.



After accomplishing my long overdue assignment, I thought of making a comparison between my old practice of air drying the brushes while laid flat on a dry paper towel versus drying them with bristles pointed downward using brush guards.

The results? Drying was a little faster for those without brush guards but didn't differ much. The unguarded brushes air dried for approximately 36 hours while those with brush guards weren't completely dry until 40 hours. The 4 hour difference may be due to the fact that air flow inside the jar wasn't as good as in an open 

space hence the slight delay.

The shape of each brush, regardless of brush guard use, was appropriately maintained except for my sigma eye shadow brush. I was actually annoyed that the bristles were slightly out of place despite using the brush guard. The brush might have slipped downward causing some of the bristles to flare out but good thing it was reshaped after fixing it in place and leaving it overnight.

Fall out of bristles wasn't an issue for both methods contrary to beliefs that drying your brushes horizontally allows water to reach the ferrule and damage the bristles earlier. I've been horizontally drying my kabuki and face brushes from The Body Shop for 5 years now and I haven't seen any significant amount of strands fall off. I think what matters more is how you wash your brushes. If you avoid soaking the ferrule while cleaning your brush and dry it properly in room temperature, you'll do just fine. 

Overall, the brush guard isn't that bad but it's also not that difficult to live without. If you're on a budget and still considering to get them for your brushes, I tell you now that they're not a must for everyone. If you're the kind who travels much or wants to protect your brushes in storage then getting this may satisfy you. In the end it all boils down to how you prefer to take care of your stuff. Just remember that not everything being offered is necessary.

♥ ♥ ♥    

The Brush Guard

Hey guys! I recently browsed through multiply and was surprised to find out that it's been exclusively turned into an online shopping site. I'm actually loving the concept because unlike ebay they offer more convenient payment options to online customers. 

I've been wanting to get a Sigma dry n' shape so I could easily clean and dry my makeup brushes but ordering it online will take weeks and costs a lot. Good thing I saw this on multiply.

The Brush Guard is designed to protect the bristles of your makeup brushes and makes drying and storage hassle free and fool proof. 

  

There are different sets available but I got the variety pack so I could try them on all my brushes. This includes 4 different sizes of brush guards covering everything from the smallest eye liner brush to the largest powder brush. Come to think of it, I wish I bought 2 packs so I could use one for storage and the other for cleaning. 

If you're familiar with curl formers, they pretty much have the same nylon woven material but the similarity ends there because The Brush Guard is flat and shorter.

For demonstration purposes I used my ever reliable Sigma premium travel kit which I use everyday but don't get to clean as often as I want to.

The variety pack is just right to clean almost all the brushes in the kit. The woven nylon stretches to accommodate the brushes leaving small spaces that allow them to breathe. 

Aside from storage, The Brush Guard also helps shape and dry your newly washed brushes. To clean your brushes you need anti-bacterial dish washing liquid, olive oil, plate, wide mouth glass container and your brush guards.

Mix 3 parts of anti-bacterial dish washing liquid and 1 part of olive oil. Dip each brush then swirl until all the dirt comes off.  

Rinse them under running water, gently squeeze the brush to remove excess water and blot each brush against dry tissue paper. Slip the brush guard over the handle until it extends 1/4 to 1/2 beyond the bristles. Allow the brushes to stand in a glass container with the bristles pointing down. This way, you're preventing water to reach the ferrule and cause early damage. 

Now I have a new set of clean makeup brushes to use.

You have to be careful with slipping the brush in each guard and check if the bristles are secured and not peeking through the tiny spaces otherwise the bristles might flair out.

I love that The Brush Guard is capable of multitasking as it helps shape and protect your brushes during storage or cleaning. It's also very affordable and can be bought locally via multiply. I got mine for only Php 250 with free delivery. I will definitely buy another set so I could store my other brushes and alternate them weekly. I also highly recommend The Brush Guard to everyone who owns makeup brushes.