ok all my brushes are pretty brand new. I decided to wash them all today including my new 187 brush, but am i reshaping them wrong? i used warm water and MAC brush clenser and like lil hairs stick out and they're not as smooth as when i bought them, as in i cant get them looking "perfect" my sister says she cnt see a difference but i can see hairs poking out on the sides its annoying me

what is the best way to shape your brushes?

i just squeeze out excess of water and shape them "up" if that makes sense, and dry them in a standing position.
187 will get back to its shape when it dries, but it will look different from when you bought it, the short black hairs will puff out and make it look "fat".
You should always wash the brushes before you start using them to rinse out the chemicals.

drying the standing up? wont it make any water that is left dribble down. yeh my 187 does look a lil fatter!!

the water evaporates, i sqeeze out all excess of water with a towel before letting them air-dry.
Nothing should be dripping from the brush after you sqeeze it.

As far as I know, you should never dry your brushes in an upright position. This is due to the fact that moisture gathers in the ferrule, which can loosen the glue and rot the wood of the handle.

I always dry my brushes by lying the flat on the counter, with the bristles hanging over the edge.

You brushes should not have been used without washing them first. When brushes are new, they contain preservatives that hold the bristles in place. Hence, the shape it takes after washing is the proper shape of the brush.

I agree 100% with what wattage as said.

I second what Wattage said. It not how much water you squeeze out of the bristles that is of concern, it's what's left in the bristles. Storing them upright with any moisture left on the bristles is just an open invitation for shortening the lifespan of a brush. I always store mine flat with the bristles hanging over the edge of the counter too.

Thanks everyone i got some new brushes given to me today so im going to wash them tonight before i use them. i left some to dry yesterday lying flat and they seemed fine this morning

Other note - for some reason the white bristles in my 187 do not like the brush cleanser - I use a gentle shampoo on it every third cleaning or so... I think it over conditions them and makes them oily and spiky.

And whatever you do, don't use a coloured tissue when cleaning 187s. The white bristles on all mine are still faintly peachy.

And yeah, ditto to what everyone else said - never dry your brushes standing up, never wash them in anything hotter than tepid water and never squeeze/wring the bristles unless you enjoy the sensation of shedding hairs through your make-up.

__________________
A short guide to the swatch forum: please read before posting
make-up swatches

^^lmao thank u

(even though this isn't my thread) i have a question, when i bought my powder brush i used it right away but have washed it and it has the hairs sticking out and it's not firm like before, is there a chance that i can still save it?

^^thats happened to one of my brushes also, any tips??