What Is a Spoolie?

If you’re a makeup newbie, you may have heard your favorite beauty gurus talking about using a spoolie as part of their eye makeup routine. And being new to makeup, the term might not ring a bell. In fact, you probably went straight to Google to figure out what this makeup tool is and how to use it. And if you’ve ended up here, you’re in good hands. We’re about to breakdown what an eyebrow spoolie is and share six beauty hacks you can use a spoolie brush for.

WHAT IS A SPOOLIE BRUSH?

Picture a mascara wand minus the mascara. Got it? That’s exactly what a spoolie brush is! A spoolie is a popular tool you’ve likely come across before without even realizing it. A spoolie will often come with eyebrow makeup products that you buy. There are eyebrow pencils with spoolies on the opposite end and brow pomades and gels that come with their very own double-ended brush, featuring a spoolie on one side and an angled brush on the other.

Now, what is the spoolie for? It must be pretty important if they come with so many products! A spoolie brush is meant to be used to comb through, blend, and shape your brows. While you can fill in your eyebrows without one, following up with a few strokes of a spoolie can make your eyebrows look more natural and help with achieving trendy looks like brushed up brows.

6 SPOOLIE HACKS TO TRY

Aside from grooming your brows, you can actually use a spoolie as a helpful tool throughout your beauty routine. Curious? Below, find six spoolie hacks worth trying!

SPOOLIE HACK #1: SEPARATE YOUR LASHES

There are few things worse than nearly finishing a perfect eye makeup look, only to ruin it with clumped, over-applied mascara. No need to worry, that’s where a spoolie brush can come in handy! Use a clean spoolie to gently comb through your lashes and remove excess mascara in the process. The result? Perfectly coated, separated lashes that are worthy of any eye makeup look.

SPOOLIE HACK #2: TAME FLYAWAYS

Pesky flyaways? No problem! If you’re a victim of out-of-place hairs appearing at the top of your mane, a spoolie is just what you need—and some hairspray, too! First, spritz a little hairspray, like the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle LOCK IT Weather Control Hairspray, onto a clean spoolie. Then comb the spoolie through your flyaways to smooth and tame them in a single swipe. Easy, right?

SPOOLIE HACK #3: REMOVE NAIL POLISH

Tired of using cotton pads to remove nail polish only to end up with more polish on your fingertips? For precise, quick, and efficient nail polish removal, consider using a spoolie. Dip a clean spoolie into an acetone nail polish remover, then rub it over your nail until its polish-free!

SPOOLIE HACK #4: ENHANCE FALSE LASHES

Don’t want to break the bank on a set of expensive, realistic-looking false lashes but don’t want to be caught with a pair that’s noticeably fake either? Allow a spoolie to help you out. Buy that cheap pair of falsies you’ve been eyeing and brush the hairs back and forth horizontally with a clean spoolie. This will separate the individual lash hairs and give the lash strip a fluffier, wispier, and more voluminous appearance. Who knew?

SPOOLIE HACK #5: EXFOLIATE YOUR LIPS

Bet you didn’t see this hack coming. With winter upon us, exfoliating your pout is more important now than ever. The buildup of dead skin can lead to an unsightly appearance—not to mention, take a toll on your lipstick application. For a quick, gentle lip exfoliation method in a pinch, dip a clean spoolie into warm water before brushing it back and forth over your pout.

SPOOLIE HACK #6: GROOM LASH EXTENSIONS

Have you ever considered getting eyelash extensions? This sought-after beauty treatment requires a bit of upkeep to get your money’s worth (you can learn more about it from our article, 7 Things to Know About Eyelash Extensions), but with the help of a spoolie, the upkeep doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Brush your fringe twice daily—perhaps during your morning and nightly skin care routines—to keep your lashes from tangling and becoming unmanageable.

You can now consider yourself a spoolie expert! Want to brush up on a couple of other popular beauty tools and their hacks? Check out our articles, 12 Bobby Pin Hacks to Up Your Beauty Game and 10 Beauty Uses for Cotton Swabs.