Right now? Not very well! LOL. Right now my makeup brush storage situation is kind of a hot mess.
I just underwent a major brush housecleaning where I washed a gajillion brushes, and when they were dry I put them all in a makeup bag — this old rectangular Sonia Kashuk bag with a zippered top. It’s very deep, so it holds a lot.
So there’s no rhyme or reason to it. The bag doesn’t have any compartments, so the brushes are all mixed together. Whenever I need one I have to rummage through it.
Kinda driving me nuts. (Note to self: organize brushes this weekend!)
Before I did that big brush cleaning, though, I though I had a good system. I kept all of my brushes in two separate Sonia Kashuk Roll-Up Valet bags — the face brushes in one bag and the eye brushes in the another.
Each of the bags has four compartments, into which I separated the brushes according to brush head shape.
Flat eye brushes went in one compartment, domed brushes in another — that kind of thing.
It really worked for me. I just have to get back in the habit and do the initial organizing again.
If you’re interested, Sonia’s Roll Up Valet is available now at Target stores and target.com. The black, white and green print in these pics is no longer available, but I’ve seen some other cute styles out there for spring.
So, because inquiring minds (like mine!) want to know…
How do you store and/or organize your makeup brushes?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S.
Sarah says
April 4th, 2014 at 10:44 amKaren! Please tell me what nail polish and lip color you are wearing in this picture!! You look great and I want them lol!
Bella says
April 4th, 2014 at 10:45 amI use the ole Diptyque candle holder trick, works very well.
Kim says
April 4th, 2014 at 10:46 amHappy Friday! My lack of brushes should make it easy to organize them (I think I have 4) but they’re all over the place. I just got a new Sonia powder/blush brush and it lives in the hard plastic case I bought it in. I feel like it’s under glass. 🙂
How are you going to fill your Sunday nights now that WD is over? I know you’re not a Game of Thrones fan. Have you been Netflixing anything? Do you ever watch Arrow?
Alison M says
April 4th, 2014 at 11:01 amMy brushes are on my makeup table. I use a picnic utensils basket with compartments for plates, napkins, and plasticware. It matches my style, but I need smaller boxes that fit inside to keep all the brushes upright. And I honestly don’t have that many brushes to fill it. The more brushes I have, the more I need to wash and I’ve decided to reserve my $$ for truly quality pieces.
Alison M recently posted … Sonia Kashuk Pearlescence Longwear Creme Eyeshadow in Tiger’s Eye Review and Swatch
Allison C says
April 4th, 2014 at 11:18 amHow prescient you are! I am dealing with this problem right now. I was keeping my brushes in a beautiful ceramic jar I bought in Italy that I keep on my bathroom sink area. Unfortunately, my brush collection has really grown beyond that jar. What to do? Yesterday, I almost bought a wide-mouthed pretty glass at Marshall’s to store them in, but I put it back thinking I’d have an appropriate glass at home. Turns out I don’t. Although I like your idea of keeping them in a roll-up bag or a makeup bag, for me it’s out of sight, out of mind so I’ve gotta come up with another solution. Or just go back and buy the pretty glass at Marshalls 😉 Do you keep any of your brushes at hand??
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Natalie says
April 4th, 2014 at 11:26 amI love the Sigma brush cup things. I like having my brushes standing on my vanity and then you can close them up and take them with when you travel. I love em.
Natalie recently posted … Wedding Week – Lips
thatiane gomes says
April 4th, 2014 at 11:29 amKaren I keep a part in my mug decorated and others in my purse.
More loved that your organizer! seems very practical!
Love the photo tabbys! miss him here on the blog!
A kiss and sixth exellent!
Dominique says
April 4th, 2014 at 11:32 amI store my brushes in boxes, away from light ( just like my makeup ) and I avoid plastic. Most are budget ones, I never wash them in fact I do a dry cleaning ( tissue ), and it works well ^^ curiously enough. They last very very long thus.
Laura says
April 4th, 2014 at 11:44 amMy organization is a hot mess too since I don’t have a dedicated makeup space. Some are in a shoe box, some are in an old cylinder dog treat container, and the rest are in various boxes and drawers. I would love to keep them out in little cups or something like others do, but my cat Stink has a habit of stealing them. For now I’ll keep dreaming of the day when I can have a little vanity with muji drawers.
Aileen says
April 4th, 2014 at 1:34 pmomg your cat too?! my cat Ginger was snagging them … I still keep them in a jar but I have a little shelf in the bathroom she can’t reach, so now they’re up there 🙂
kim says
April 4th, 2014 at 12:04 pmI have 3 seperate containers…a platic wine glass for face brushes, a little candle holder for eye brushes, and a tin container for brushes i dont use often.
Have you ever heard of styleworks brushes? i just discvered them at bed bath and beyond today. They are super soft.
Majick says
April 4th, 2014 at 12:35 pmI’m sure you’ve heard the “brothah from anothah mothah”? well, I think we must be sistah’s from another mother – LOL My brushes start out organized and then end up in the same sitch.
Right now I have a selection drying on the edge of the counter in the bathroom. Everyday quickie brushes are in a little flower pot that used to be my Mom’s (it’s ‘made in italy’ but so old I’m not sure where she actually got it. My Mom was not a world traveler)
I have bigger face brushes standing in an old milkglass container in one of the vanity drawers. Some that I don’t use often are in a brush roll, some are in bags, I have a selection that only travel to work so when I’m in a hurry I don’t have to think about it.
Do you get the impression I’m a brush ho? I probably have brushes I don’t even remember. Please pray for me to have a productive weekend – I REALLY NEED TO ORGANIZE! Thanks. 😀
Erin says
April 4th, 2014 at 12:40 pmI keep mine in a brush roll!
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Aileen says
April 4th, 2014 at 1:30 pmI keep mine in a glass jar I bought at the Dollar Store lol. I don’t have many so they all fit. The brushes I have aren’t expensive, Real Technique, EcoTools and one Elf. Since they’re all synthetic I wash them using a Dove beauty bar and they’re like new again 🙂
Iris says
April 4th, 2014 at 1:42 pmI keep the ones I’m currently using on my makeup desk. For the others, I keep them in their original packaging or a small makeup bag. 🙂
Donna says
April 4th, 2014 at 3:56 pmI keep my clean powder and cream brushes separated in the top of the MAC Travel Bag standing up and the used brushes go into separate containers, one for the cream brushes, one for the powder brushes for easier clean-up (I wash the powder brushes first then the cream brushes because they take more care and cleaner). The clean powder brushes are separated by face and eye use, it makes it easier to find what I want. Yes, I am a linear person.
Deanna says
April 4th, 2014 at 4:08 pmI keep my favorite brushes in an over-sized Audrey Hepburn coffee mug, sitting on my vanity. Unfortunately, not all of my brushes will fit in that mug, so a lot of them are in a brush, er, binder-type case. That case is pretty awesome for travel, because it has slots for all of the brushes and a piece of fabric on each side of the case that covers the brush heads, so leftover eye shadow won’t find its way onto your foundation brush. You have to buy the brushes that go with it, though (it’s the Prestige Luxe Makeup Brush set from Sephora).
Fancie says
April 4th, 2014 at 5:05 pmThat is such a cool makeup bag! I could use that for road trips lol. I store my brushes in oversized Hello Kitty mugs. My family knows I’m still obsessed with Hello Kitty so I have quite a few on my vanity that I use to store my makeup goodies. They’re so cute!
Fancie recently posted … Lancome Violette Coquette Rouge In Love Lipstick Review
Chelsea says
April 4th, 2014 at 6:24 pmI have a couple glass jars for most of them, and an old brass spittoon for others!
I need to wash mine… maybe I’ll do that tomorrow!
Poo@beautyandmakeupmatters says
April 4th, 2014 at 6:44 pmMy brushes are in a mess too.. but that Sonia Kashuk bag looks great for organising.. I need one.. 😀 😀 Will hit the target 😉
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Andi says
April 4th, 2014 at 7:45 pmI have 3 cups on my vanity.
Cup #1: Handmade ceramic cup that my mom got me from France… It has a kitty on it! That cup has my large face brushes in it.
Cup #2: Ceramic yogurt cup- from France again. It has random/short brushes in it.
Cup #3: My nana just moved into assisted living, I got the cutest owl cup from her house! She loves owls and when I see them I automatically think of her. I keep my eye brushes in this one.
I love keeping my brushes in keepsake cups! Every time I reach for my brushes I have such great memories <3
Sylirael says
April 4th, 2014 at 9:37 pm*cough* the only brushes I really own are the dinky little ones that come in palettes sometimes…so I, uh, keep them in their palettes!
Normally, I use my fingers, so generally storage is not a problem – I just keep them in the nearest available cookie jar! 😀
Sylirael recently posted … Loot Alert! Revlon Lacquer and Matte Balms FINALLY in NZ – Photos and Swatches Inside…
Rhea says
April 4th, 2014 at 9:52 pmI keep mine in a cup but I feel like they probably collecting dust. I think your storage is probably best, I think.
Glossedonbeauty.blogspot.com
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Natalie says
April 4th, 2014 at 11:27 pmI used to keep mine in empty Lush body lotion pots, but they weren’t very stable! The wrong amount of brushes and they would topple. When I moved I bought some rectangle glass vases from IKEA – I have 4 – 1 for base brushes, 1 for blusher/highlighter brushes and 1 for eye brushes, then one for dirty brushes. I have quite a lot! However I only seem to use the same set of brushes over and over these days, so I’m thinking about storing them differently.
Cindy says
April 5th, 2014 at 5:25 amI organize them standing up in mason jars..I dunno works for me <3
http://www.cindyslittleblackbook.com
Danielle says
April 5th, 2014 at 5:58 amI keep the brushes I use on a regular basis out in a brush holder. The rest are in a makeup bag in a drawer. But the aren’t exactly organized haha – they are just are mixed in.
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Ashley W says
April 5th, 2014 at 11:19 amI don’t use concealer very often, but when I feel that I need some cover up, I always turn to Bare Minerals powder. Not too heavy, don’t cake up on you and make skin tone nice and even! 🙂
Sue M says
April 5th, 2014 at 2:46 pmI have a lot of brushes (and make-up). I like to have my brushes out for ease of use so I use a Pampered Chef tool holder for my brushes and all my liners. I am hoping to buy one of the bamboo holders so I can have two. I would attach pic but not sure how to do that here
jess says
April 5th, 2014 at 11:13 pmWhat is that nail polish? Its hot!
Joy says
April 6th, 2014 at 6:50 amI have two systems. For my every day brushes, I have a stemless acrylic wine goblet with red popcorn in it to help stand the brushes up and keep them separated. I also actually stick my go to eyeliner and lipliner in there too for when I need to do my two minute face. Then for days when I have more than two minutes for makeup, I have a clear craft box for pencils (which I have another one that I use for storing eyeliners by color family) that I separate other brushes by type.
Eileen says
April 6th, 2014 at 4:55 pmI have a large vanity and so I have separate drawers for different types of makeup. In each makeup drawer, I have an open topped acrylic box where I keep the brushes for that particular type of product. For example, my eyeshadows, eyeliners, and mascara are in one drawer along with an acrylic box containing all my eye brushes; in another drawer I have my lipsticks, glosses, and lip pencils with a box containing lip brushes; and so it goes for all the other products in my stash. I also have a drawer where I keep a box for the brushes I’ve used during the week. In general, I use a brush once–rarely twice–and then into the wash box it goes! At the end of the week I wash those brushes and put them back into their respective drawers. Because I have duplicates of all my favorite brushes, I can use a brush once and then take it out of rotation without any problem. I love brushes and have so many I can’t imagine keeping them all mixed up in the same drawer, container, bag, or what have you. When I pull open a drawer to select a blusher, I want to see at a glance which brushes are at my disposal. Seeing as I have eight different brushes for that type of product, I don’t need to complicate things by having to sort through a bunch of irrelevant brushes to get the one I want. Yeah, I’m a brush junkie! 🙂
Rebecca R. says
April 6th, 2014 at 6:02 pmRight now I have them in a square pencil holder that has 4 different sections to it. It was pretty inexpensive and works really well. But my brush collection is growing and I’ll probably outgrown it soon. I really want to get a brush roll one of these days though…
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Lisaa says
April 8th, 2014 at 6:34 amYou can find similar roll up cases/bags on hsn.com Search for Joy Mangano Better Beauty Case. The bags come in 3 different sizes. I have several cases and use them to store extra brushes. I also use them to store cosmetics that were sold as a collections/kit.