Acrylic or PVC: Which Brush Holder's For You?

 

Eenie meenie, which one to get?

    One thing that icks me out is makeup brushes being out in the open, pretty much exposed to everything. I'm talking makeup brushes "stored" in cups/mugs or in pen holders on top of a table (or any surface really) in a room or even worse, bathroom. I get that letting makeup brushes breathe is good but ultimately, leaving your makeup brushes out like that also exposes them to dust. Dust that'll make their way to your face and well, we all know how that'll go. Maybe it's the clean freak/germaphobe in me but I'd really rather keep my brushes clean than deal with breakouts, you know? Which is why I urge each and every one of you to check out brush holders that actually has a lid on them! Yes, people, they exist! These are so much better than cups because not only do they store your makeup brushes, they also keep them dust free. Plus, depending on what you get, they're either aesthetically pleasing or durable...or both!

    I have two kinds of lidded brush holders and have been using them as storage for a while now. Let me talk about the pros and cons of each to ultimately help you in choosing yours!

    My very first brush holders are the acrylic ones. They're your regular rectangular shaped containers but they also come in circular/domed and pentagonal, and some even has a detachable lid. It is around 8 inches tall and can accommodate most of my brushes, although some of my taller brushes need to stand diagonally to fit.

I got them because I like how aesthetically pleasing they look, especially on top of a vanity. They look clean and chic and since they're transparent, I can quickly spot the brush I need. It's also quite spacious and can house quite a lot of my brushes.

    The second brush holder I got is a PVC one and I think it only comes in a cylindrical shape with an adjustable height that ranges from 6-10 inches. Though not as spacious on the inside as the acrylic, it can still house a good number of brushes (especially the skinnier ones) and my taller brushes don't need to stand diagonally, thanks to the adjustable feature.

    One obvious difference is this one looks more plasticky- a bit translucent and matte, though I can still see the brushes inside well. The adjustable height feature really appeal to me because it doesn't restrict the brushes I want to store inside. Tall brushes, short brushes- everyone can go in, without getting the bristles smushed! Though this one isn't as aesthetically pleasing, it is considerably more practical to have.

    Let's talk durability. The thing with acrylics is: they're just as fragile as glass. Sure, they don't easily get chipped or cracked but they're ones you cannot be careless too. I dropped my holders once (as a clumsy girl does) and though the holder itself didn't break, the lids came off. Turns out I damaged the acrylic on the hinge/screw! So now my lids are pretty much detachable now. Chip and crack-free but detached. This kind of holder is also prone to scratches.

    My PVC holder, on the other hand, is a clumsy girl's dream. I can drop it (from an acceptable height, of course) and be as careless as heck and it'll still end up fine. The PVC itself is quite hard and tough so it'll take a decent amount of force for it to get dented or cracked. Durability-wise, PVC wins!

Obviously, the acrylic holders are more of a put-it-on-a-table-and-leave it kind of things because they're fragile like that. PVC holders are more portable and yes, I already brought mine during international and local trips! It wasn't as space-saving as a brush roll but it really protected my brushes from being squished and that's all that matters to me. Hate using misshapen brushes (also hurts my soul tbh)!

     Lastly, price-wise, acrylic holders are a bit pricier than PVC ones. I got the two ones I have on sale for 121 and 150 (originally priced at 240), while I only got my PVC holder for only P106. This was two years ago and now, you can get a PVC holder for less than P100, while acrylics range from 100 to 200. They're easier to acquire now too, thanks to online shops.

   

   

     For me, my ultimate pick is the PVC brush holder. It's hefty, durable, affordable, travel-friendly, and really does a great job protecting my brushes. Acrylic holders, though spacious, are only meant to stay on top of a vanity or any place where they're safe and secured- and they're definitely not for the clumsy ones like me!

    Hope this post helped you decide which brush holder to get to replace the lidless one you have. Lol, kidding, kidding! But seriously though, no more lidless brush holders from now on! Let's keep our brushes, and even sponges and puffs, clean and dust-free.