Welcome to Beauty, Defined – a new series where we talk about the meaning and origin of various beauty terms. Check out our inaugural term: do you know what a ferrule is?
fer·rule (feh-rool) n. The usually metal-plated part of a makeup or cosmetics brush directly below the bristles that secures the hair bundle and attaches to the brush’s handle. Though the word is derived from the Latin word for “iron”, popular makeup brand M·A·C Cosmetics’ ferrules are nickel-plated.
Over to the right, you can see a ferrule in action on a BeneFit Slant Powder Brush. Aren’t you glad you know what that’s called now?
Wow! Interesting… I never knew what that metal thing on my makeup brushes was called, or that it even had a name. Thank you!