I Just Discovered This Crafty Hack for a Makeup Brush, and My Mind Is Blown
If I had to count, my roommates and I have made at least 15 banners this semester of our senior year of college. We’ve done it for everything from a wig party to a congratulatory one for when my roommate got into grad school. As fun as they are, banners can be a bit of a pain to make without the right tools — so when I stumbled upon a TikTok video hack that suggests using a dollar store makeup brush, I knew it would make my life easier.
What Is a College Banner, and How Do You Make One?
A college banner is a big banner usually created for a celebratory event, like a birthday party, milestone, or holiday; it’s typically hand-painted on brown kraft paper. The nice thing about DIY paper banners is you can cut them to whatever size you have space for. My friends and I usually hang our banners in our living room or the backyard depending on the day.
Another perk is you don’t need many materials to make these. I bought rolls of kraft paper off of Amazon and got a basic pack of paint brushes — although they are small brushes — from a local craft store. We bought a bunch of acrylic paint in the fall that has lasted us all year. We do occasionally have to mix custom colors, but it’s easier (and cheaper) than going to the store.
The Dollar Store Find That Makes Painting College Banners So Much Easier
Often, when I’m painting large parts of a banner, like a fun border or big bubble letters, using a tiny brush takes forever, and can end up looking uneven and streaky. So stumbling upon this TikTok video by @palateandpaper was a stroke of luck. In the video, they show how they use a kabuki brush — a round, dense-bristled makeup brush designed to evenly apply and buff in products like foundation — from the Dollar Tree to seamlessly paint a border on a kraft paper poster.
Using a kabuki makeup brush is such a brilliant idea because they’re meant to hold and apply product evenly upon the face — or, in this case, the paper. Although I can’t find the Dollar Tree brush they’re using for sale online, you could check the makeup section of your local store. Instead, I found this reasonably priced one on Amazon. There are some fluffier kabuki brushes, but I’d look for one with higher-density bristles to ensure you have more control over where the paint goes when you’re using it to DIY your college banner.
No matter what event you’re crafting a banner for, having the right tools will make all the difference in how picture-worthy it turns out.
