US3086820A

US3086820A - Nail polish applicator and method of making the same

Info

Publication number: US3086820A
Application number: US758191A
Authority: US
Inventors: John G Baumgartner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-09-02
Filing date: 1958-09-02
Publication date: 1963-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1980-04-23

Description

April J. G. BAUMGARTNER 7 3,086,820

NAIL POLISH APPLICATOR AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Sept. 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

April 1963 J. G. BAUMGARTNER 3,086,820

NAIL POLISH APPLICATOR AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Sept. 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi A D 6 M0 L0 SUPPORT PASS THROUGH APPLICATOR o- CONVEYOR DRYING BODY CHAIN OVEN F5 I E H ATTACH PASS sms'russ DUMP ONTO BRISTLE A THROUGH A CONVEYOR TUFT LAC'QUER BATH BELT V C FWITHDRAW cur/m0 GRIND TUFTSANDWIPE 2137329 TUFT ENDS OFF EXCESS OVEN LACQUER 3,036,820 NAIL PGLISH APPLICATOR AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAh E John G. Baumgartner, Aurora, Ill. Filed Sept. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 758,191 3 Claims. (Cl. 30021) This invention relates to a method of treating brushes or applicators for applying liquid nail polish so as to be able to handle the same without damaging the bristles of each brush, and to an improved structure for such applicators. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for rendering the bristles of such an applicator nondeformable so that large quantities of irregularly shaped applicators may be handled and packaged inexpensively from the step of manufacturing the applicator to the final step of bottling liquid nail polish and inserting the applicator and concurrently capping the bottle, and it relates to the applicator with a nondeformable bristle tuft resulting from such method. The invention further relates to a combination bottle-cap-liner and applicator of improved configuration which facilitates the quick and easy assembly of a bottle or container for liquid nail polish and closing the bottle with a cap.

This application is a continuation-in-part of a copending application of John G. Baumgartner, Serial No. 668,139, now abandoned, filed June 26, 1957, and entitled Brush and Bottle Cap.

Liquid fingernail polish is sold to the user in a bottle which has a brush or applicator in the liquid and a cap on the bottle to which the applicator is normally secured. Lacquer is the normal liquid nail polish and this must have a liner at the bottle cap, so that the liquid will not escape by spilling in liquid form and to prevent evaporation of the volatile solvent compound. The cap and liner must tightly close the bottle. The applicator has a tuft of bristles on one end and extends into the nail polish bottle so that the tuft or brush is coated with polish ready for the user to apply when the bottle is opened and the cap and applicator combination is removed. Good grooming requires that the polish be applied uniformly and smoothly over the nail so that the condition of the brush for this application is important. The bristles forming the tuft in the brush are quite fine and made of a rather soft and easily deformable material such as nylon so as to accomplish the best application of the polish. In order to get the best results it is necessary that the bristles be in the same uniform condition when the person applying the nail polish is ready to use the same as when the brush was completed at the brush-making machine.

The distribution and sale of liquid nail polish is a substantial business in the cosmetic field, and in spite of the mechanical simplicity of the bottled product, there are still problems in the mechanical make up and the method of handling the product which as commercial factors mean the difierence between failure and success to the nail polish manufacturer. Many of these problems have to be satisfactorily solved by the brush manufacturer who supplies the brush with which each quantity of nail polish is ultimately applied by the purchaser or user of that product.

The substantial business in liquid nail polish means large unit volume and large dollar volume, and yet intense competition in the product keeps the retail price relatively low and places rigid requirements on the quality and appearance of the product. These factors necessitate that the manufacturer or supplier of the final liquid nail polish product provide a top quality item but at a minimum cost at the manufacturing levels. The cost limitations or requirements, in turn require that handling of the few mechanical elements be at a minimum so as to 3,85,826 Patented Apr. 23, 1963 correspondingly control labor costs. The manufacturing and handling steps must all be effective to the degree that there is a low rate of rejects at each stage in the manufacturing after the brushes are made in an automatic machine, and up until the brush and cap or closure combination are in place on the bottle filled with nail polish. In other words, the final commercial requirements dictate low cost mechanical pieces and complete assembly, and labor costs that are low and effectively controlled.

In this art, the brushes are normally made at one place and then transported to the final assembly location of the liquid nail polish manufacturer, and the brushes or applicators as previously described herein, must be handled and assembled in the final product with the minimum deformation of the bristles, and if possible, no deformation at all.

Prior to the present invention, the brushes or applicators were manufactured in a configuration for easy high speed handling at that particular manufacturing stage, in a cylindrical molded stem with a tuft of bristles secured in the end of the stem and of substantially the same diameter through the tuft as the diameter of the stem. These brushes or applicators were generally maintained in a horizontal position in the final stage of manufacture, and then were packed substantially fiat in a box or package for shipping to the liquid nail polish manufacturer. The box in which they were packed corresponds in width substantially to the overall length of the item, and a box was of a dimension in length and depth depending upon the number of brushes to be packed in that box. It was the practice in one operation to pack three gross in each box. Inasmuch as the industry requires nail polish boxes in different lengths, boxes in correspondingly different widths were required for the packaging of the brushes or applicators in a flat uniform fashion in the general configuration of a woodpile with the logs laying horizontal and stacked up to a length and height desired by the person doing the stacking. Even with this type of packaging, the very small light weight brushes would still slide or be pushed into the wall adjacent the bristles and the bristles would become deformed by the time they reached the bottler, or manufacturer d0- ing the final assembling of the brush, bottle and liquid. If the brush with the deformed bristles was discovered or observed by the inspector for the bottler it would be thrown away, but sometimes the brush would be assembled with the cap in the final stages, as will be explained, and the deformation not noted until the complete bottling was efiected.

The problem in handling brushes with these very fine and soft bristles presented another problem that became evident in the final bottling stages or manufacturing. The volatile liquid nail polish is actually a lacquer and this requires a tight seal on the bottle to prevent leaking and solvent evaporation. Furthermore, the cap must not only perform the closing function for the bottle, but it also serves as the handle which is grasped by the person applying the nail polish. The cap must be large enough and comfortable enough to the user so that the liquid nail polish can be put on in a smooth, uniform and pleasing appearing covering.

With the problem of handling the small brushes and the requirements for the caps, this art in the past provided a cap into which the stem of the brush could be assembled. Then a liner was used in the cap or on the bottle to insure a tight seal at the mouth of the bottle carrying the liquid nail polish. This assembly was accomplished by the liquid nail polish bottler. Some amount of care was required in inserting the stem of the brush into the cap to insure that it was in a position relative to the 'cap so that the bristles would reach almost to the bottom of the bottle when the cap was tightened on the liquid-filled bottle. If the brush tuft was too far away from the bottom of the bottle, some of the nail polish within the bottle would not be usable, and if the brush was of a length so that the bristles were bent when the cap was in place, then the bristles would be deformed and would not apply the nail polish lacquer in the manner required by the user. Some companies in the art used a hand assembly for the cap and brush, while others used the machine of my Patent No. 2,664,- 345 which issued December 29, 1953.

In order to guard against all of these assembly mishaps, it has been necessary prior to the present invention, to inspect the product at different .points in the assembly operation and to inspect the final .product sufficiently carefully to avoid having the liquid nail polish bottle get out of the manufacturers hands and onto 'the' retailers shelves in an inferior mechanical condition. All of this handling and inspection added to the cost of the final item, and all rejects over the entire course of manufacture likewise increased the cost.. Fractions of a cent added to the cost or saved in cost at different steps or in the different pieces are significant in the competitive situation for this product, and substantial efforts have been made over the years to solve these problems in this art.

It is an. object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an inexpensive yet effective method of manufacturing liquid nail polish applicators to protect the normally deformable bristles thereof againstdeformation, so that they are packaged andhandled with a minimum of expense. 7

It is a further object of the invention to provide an economical method of protecting bristles of nail polish applicators against deformation so that the handleportions of the applicators may be manufactured in differ ent shapes not necessarily adapted to flat packaging.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide an applicator for nail polish that can be handled and packaged with a minimum of expense and without dc formation of the bristle portion thereof. 7 n V p M It is another object of the invention to provide a onepiece applicator and liner for attachment to a bottle cap for nail polish which can be assembled by automatic machinery with a minimum of operator attention and control and which will automatically align itself with respect to the bottle so that deformation of the bristles by bearing against the bottle is avoided.

A feature of the present invention is a method of rendering a bristle tuft on a liquid applicator non-deformable and stiff to facilitate easy handling and packaging from the time the applicator is manufactured, and at the same time having the bristle tuft convertible to a soft and pliable condition by immersing the tuft in the liquid which it is designed to apply. This is. accomplished, specifically, by dipping the tuft in lacquer which permeates the tuft, adheres to the bristles, and fills the spaces between them. The tuft is then dried and the lacquer binds the bristles together in a stifi straight position. The dipping lacquer is clear and corresponds generally to the lacquer nail polish. when the brush is immersed in the nail polish at the final assembly, the original lacquer is dissolved and the bristles are soft and ready for use.

A furtherfeature of the invention is a combination applicator and liner for use in connection with nail polish having a molded stem and integralmolded enlargement at one end and a relatively stiff and nondeformable tuft at the other end Whose bristles are bound together by lacquer. The enlarged integral end portion includes a shoulder portion serving to seat the applicator at the mouth of a nail polish bottle and also serving as a liner for the bottle cap, With the combination member resting on a bottle mouth, the cap for the bottle and the liner of the member are automatically connected as the cap is screwed onto the threads of the bottle.

However, these features of the combination member are available at an acceptable price only because the member with the stiffened bristle tuft can be handled and packed in an inexpensive manner. I

Another feature of my invention is the provision of treating deformable bristles in a small liquid nail polish brush to render them stiff while handling and transporting, so that large numbers of the small brushes can be packed in a random low cost fashion.

A still further feature of my invention is the provision of a brush for liquid nail polish with a structure providing for ultimate efiicient low cost assembly in a bottle of nail polish, while protecting the bristles against deformation by rendering them stiff in a cohesive formation yet capable of softening into a normal brush condition simply by intersting them in the liquid polish which the brush is designed to apply.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. '1 is a perspective view of a fingernail polish bottle with an applicator and cap in place, the cap being broken away and partly in section to show the internal structure thereof and the attachment of the applicator; 7

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view in side elevation showing, the liner applicator combination positioned within a nail polish bottle with the cap in position of attachment to the liner-applicator combination and to the bottle;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation of the bristle tuft at the end of the applicator greatly enlarged and on an exaggerated scale to show lacquer permeating the interstices of the tuft and binding the individual bristles together;

FIG. 4 is a view taken in section on the line '44 of FIG. 3 but primarily for illustrative purposes and substantially enlarged because of the difiiculty in showing the small diameter bristles in cross-section;

FIG. 5 is ablockdiag'ram indicating the various steps in the assembly of the liner-applicator combination; and

FIG. 6 ,is a photograph illustrating the random packaging of the applicators made possible by the use of the present invention,

In practicing the invention, a one-piece applicator and liner having an enlarged head portion and a generally cylindrical stemis molded from a suitable plastic material. A tuft of individual bristles is attached to one end of the stern in the manner of the brushes in my prior Patent No. 2,685,477 which issued August 3, 1954, to provide when completed, a small brush for applying liquid nail polish, The tuft of soft, pliable bristles is cut and ground so that its end is a predetermined distance from a positioning surface at a shoulder formed on the head portion. The tuft is then dipped in a clear lacquer, preferably the same lacquer used in nail polish compositions. The lacquer adheres to the individual bristles and penetrates the space between them. The tuft is withdrawn from the bath and the lacquer is dried to harden, thus binding the individual bristles together to form a relatively stiff and nondeformable assembly. The resulting treated units may then be packaged in random fashion and in large boxes simply by dropping or dumping them into a box without danger of deforming the bristles. In assembling the final bottled product the shoulder on the head portion seats on the mouth of a nail polish bottle, thus aligning the applicator in the bottle with the bristles clearing the bottom. A cap is screwed onto the bottle in a force fit to the applicator with the enlarged portion serving as a liner. The nail polish solvent in the bottle dissolves the lacquer binding the bristles together so that when the applicator is withdrawn the bristles are soft, pliable and ready for use.

FIG. l of the accompanying drawings shows a nail polish bottle in a form in which it is sold. The bottle 10 is filled with nail polish 11 and is closed at its'top by the bottle cap and liner-applicator combination generally indicated at 12. This combination includes the cap or closure member 13 and the attached liner-applicator combination indicated by reference character 19 in FIG. 2. The liner-applicator combination constituting a handle for the attached brush includes the elongated stem 14, and the integral enlarged head portion 23 which in turn includes a lip or shoulder 22. A tuft or bristle assembly 15, made up of individual bristles 16 is attached to one end of the stem 14. The cap member 13 has an internally formed opening 24 and a boss 20 which fits into the opening 21 in the head of the liner-applicator combination 19. The inner surface 25 defining opening 24 is threaded and screws onto the neck portion 26 of the bottle with shoulder '22 closely fitting surface 25 as shown in FIG. 1. Thus, when the cap is unscrewed from the bottle the attached liner-applicator combination is removed with it.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the various steps in the assembly of the liner-applicator combination 19. First, (Step A) the applicator bodies consisting of the stern portion 14, the enlarged head 23 and the shoulder 22 are molded from a suitable plastic composition which is insoluble in liquid nail polish. The molding procedure is very inexpensive and produces pieces of uniform shape and dimensions. A tuft of individual bristles 16 is then driven (Step B) into an opening at one end of the stem 14 by an anchor or staple 27 by automatic machinery of the type well known to the art and as referred to in my prior patent previously identified.

The ends of the bristles are then cut to size and thereafter ground into conical points (Step C). The distance between the unattached or free end of the tuft 15 and the shoulder 22 is predetermined and uniform for all the applicators to be used with a particular size bottle. The assemblies are supported on a conveyor chain (Step D) and passed across a bath of clear lacquer with the bristles submerged in the lacquer (Step E). During this operation the lacquer permeates or saturates the tuft 15 adhering to the individual bristles 16 and filling the spaces or interstices between them. The lacquer used is preferably the same material forming the lacquer component of the nail polish liquid with which the applicator is to be used although any suitable relatively quick drying lacquer which is soluble in the nail polish solvent (usually acetone) may be used.

The applicators passing along the chain conveyor then are withdrawn from the bath and passed against a stationary bar to wipe off excess lacquer (Step F). They then pass (Step G) through a suitable ventilated duct or tunnel heated to a temperature of 120 to 130 F. to dry the lacquer, thus binding the individual bristles together into a cohesive assembly and making the tuft relatively stiif and non-deformable.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are intended to illustrate the appearance of a tuft 15 with the bristles 16 bound together by the dried lacquer indicated by the reference character 17. It will be understood that both of these figures are on a greatly exaggerated scale in order to indicate the presence of the dried lacquer, and are illustrative to the degree that this can be done in a drawing, that the lacquer 17 permeates the tuft and fills substantially all of the interstices between the adjacent bristles 16. The lacquer renders the normally soft and deformable tuft relatively stiff, in a cohesive assembly, and sufficiently rugged to withstand handling and random packaging as will be more fully explained subsequently.

In a typical operation the tufts with the applied lacquer remain in the heated drying oven for about four minutes and after that remain on the conveyor chain for transportation to a loading station and room temperature drying for about 35 additional minutes. It will be understood, of course, that this particular drying time may be varied depending upon the properties of the lacquer and the drying temperature used.

When the applicators are carried to a loading station by the chain the tufts 15 are sufiiciently stiflened so that they may be handled without special precautions but without deforming the bristles. The applicators are dumped onto a conveyor belt (Step H) and transported to a packing station where they are dumped into boxes in totally random fashion (Step I). It has been found efficient to dump the applicators into a large box or bin. The operator handling the brush making machine and attending the subsequent processing of the brush or applicator as it is treated and dried has time to remove them in handfuls from the box into which they are originally dumped, and drop them in the same random fashion into a box for final packaging. They are weighed on a very sensitive scale and in this fashion the operator can package 10 or 12 gross, or some larger number depending upon the length of the particular brushes, the size of the shipping box, and the arrangement for quantity between the brush manufacturer and the purchaser. However, whether it is 10 gross or a larger number, the packing is accomplished in a fraction of the time required for prior brushes, the bristles are protected, and the brushes are ready for assembly with a bottle and cap.

FIG. 6 is a photograph showing the random orientation of liner-applicator combinations as they are packaged in a box for shipment. The operator need only to shake the box to cause the articles to settle and clear the edges of overhanging portions before closing the flaps.

It will be appreciated that the assembly and treating process described is extremely simple and inexpensive and requires a minimum of operator skill and attention. At the same time there is no danger of deforming the bristles at their ends or along the length thereof even in their random orientation in the package because of the stiffening effect of the lacquer. It maintains the bristles throughout the tuft in a cohesive or adhering mass, and this coupled with the extremely light weight of the applicator means that the unit can be handled and packaged with little or no throught of injury to the soft and otherwise pliable bristles. As an example of size and weight of each unit, the applicator may vary in length from 1 /2 to 2 /2 inches, and the stem is /s inch in diameter adjacent the attached end of the bristle tuft. The average weight of the treated applicators is one thousand (1000) to a pound..

The units are then shipped in the package to the point of final assembly with the nail polish bottle and may be stored and handled there without special precautions. FIG. 2 shows the positioning of a liner-applicator combination for attachment to a cap .13 and simultaneous attachment of the cap to the neck portion 26 of the bottle. Because the bristles 16 are bound together by the lacquer 17 they have no tendency to fan out due to static electricity and may be inserted into the bottle 10 by hand or by automatic machinery without danger of deformation. As shown in FIG. 2, the shoulder portion 22 is of such diameter as to close the mouth of the bottle 10 and additionally provides a positioning surface so that the end of the Ituft 15 clears the bottom of the bottle of predetermined depth by a small and predetermined distance. Obviously, the applicator should extend nearly to the bottom of the bottle to reach a nearly depleted polish supply. This illustrates wherein the present invention eliminates one of the primary disadvantages of the prior art methods and structures which required that the separate stem member be forced into an internal well of the cap. As was previously mentioned herein, if the stem was not driven in completely the tuft would bear against the bottom of the bottle upon attachment of the cap, and would become deformed and unsuitable for subsequent use.

The cap 13 is now screwed on to the neck portion 26 of the bottle 10 by a suitable machine with the boss 20 and the opening 21 cooperating to center the applicator relative to the cap. The internal surface 25 closely engages shoulder 22 which has substantially the same diameter as the outside diameter of neck 26. It will be apparent that the shoulder portion 22 serves as a liner for the cap 13 and forms a tight seal over the mouth of the bottle although the shoulder portion 22 is not in a force fit withthe inside of the cap, and it is the boss: 20 driven or forced into the opening 21 to the full ex-- tent which secures the cap and applicator together. The position of tuft 15 with relation to the bottom of bottle: 10 is unaffected since this is controlled by its spacing from shoulder 22.

The lacquer 17 on the tuft 15 dissolves in the solvent: of the nail polish composition. Thus, when the user unscrews the cap and draws the attached applicator from the bottle the bristles are soft and pliable and efiective to coat the polish on the users nails.

Since the stiffening of the bristles by the lacquer makes.

it possible to package applicators including enlarged pro-- ieotion portions economically and safely, it is also within; the scope of the invention to form the cap and applicator as a single, integral handle for the bristle tuft. Such articles may be treated and packaged in the same manner generally as the liner-applicator combination de' scribed above. Although the invention has been described with respect to its application to nail polish containers, it will be appreciated that it may also be used in connection with the assembly of packages for other volatile liquids where a tremendous number of units must be handled, packaged and assembled at very low cost while at the same. time avoiding the deformation of applicator bristles.

The present invention thus provides a highly economical manufacturing method which permits nail polish applicators and liners for caps to be manufactured as integral pieces including enlarged projection-s so that they could not be laid .flat, but at the same time prevents injury to or deformation of the bristles. This permits the use of inexpensive random packaging without the damage which would otherwise be done to pieces of such irregular configuration. In addition, the provision of a onepiece liner and applicator assures proper positioning of the applicator in the nail polish bottle during assembly without danger of deformation of the bristles due to hearing against the bottom of the bottle as a result of imperfect assembly.

.I claim:

1. A method of pack-aging in a random fashion within a'container a plurality of nail polish brushes and protecting the normally yieldable bristles in each brush against deformation in the act of packaging and during the subsequent'shipment of the brushes in the container, said method including providing a plurality of nail polish brushes each of which has a body member with a bristle tuft in one end extending therefrom and coextensive therewith and with a bottle cap liner portion at the other end which is larger in dimension than the diameter of the body member so that the brushes will not lie flat in a container when packaged, passing each brush at the bristle tuft portion through lacquer so that the lacquer adheres to such bristles and holds the same together while in liquid condition, drying the lacquer on the bristles to provide a stiff relatively non-deformable tuft on each nail polish brush to protect the bristles against deformation in handling and shipment of a plurality of brushes, and placing the brushes With the tufts in such condition in random fashion in a packaging container for shipment.

2. In a method for manufacturing and packaging nail polish brushes on a mass production basis, each brush having deformable bristles therein, which method includes 8 providing a body member for each said brush having a bristle tuft receiving cavity at one end and an enlarged portion at the other end which at the largest dimension is more than twice the outside diameter of the tuft receiving one end, securing in said cavity a tuft of bristles which extend from the body member in a straight line coextensive with the body member, applying lacquer which is soluble in liquid nail polish to said tuft so that the lacquer adheres to such bristles and holds the same together while in a liquid condition, drying the lacquer on the bristles while they are maintained bunched in a straight line to cause the bristle tuft to be bunched-and relatively non-deformable whenthe lacquer is dry, placing a plurality of such nail polish brushes in a packaging container in random relation to one another with the stiif lacquercovered bristle tufts of the brushes maintained against deformation in the packaging container in shipment so that said nail polish brushes can be removed from said containerand the lacquer on each said bristle tuft dis solved when assembling the same with a bottle of liquid nail polish so as to provide the bristles in a yield-able usable condition for applying nail polish.

3. A method for manufacturing and packaging a plurality of nail polish brushes wherein each brush has normally deformable bristles therein, which includes the steps of securing in one end of a brush body member a tuft of deformable bristles extending from said body member in a straight line and coextensive therewith, and with said brush body member having an enlarged end opposite the end in which the bristle tuft is secured and whichin cross-section is more than twice the crosssectional dimension of the body member so that the entire nail polish brush cannot lay flat for packaging purposes in a container, applying to said bristle tuft lacquer which is soluble in liquid nail polish so that the lacquer adheres to such bristles and holds the same together in a closed tuft while the lacquer is in a liquid condition, maintaining the bristles in a straight line and in a closed tuft and drying the lacquer to cause the bristles to remain bound together and relatively non-deformable by the dried lacquer, placing a plurality of said nail polish brushes in random orientation within'a packaging container with said lacquer covered bristle tufts preventing deformation of the bristles while the brushes are in the packaging container, for shipment, with the nail polish brushes adapted to be removed from the packaging container and each said brush body member assembled with a nail polish bottle cap and with the lacquer on the bristle tuft adapted to be dissolved incident to placing the brush in a bottle of liquid nail polish to render the bristles ready for the application of nail polish therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,648,256 Bienenstein Nov. 8, 1927 1,811,749 Fromert June 23, 1931 1,952,998 Linzer Mar. 27, 1934 2,263,815 Northup et a1. Nov. 24, 1941 2,311,405 iMacht et al Feb. 16, 1943 2,311,704 Simson Feb. 23, 1943 2,369,155 Marinsky et al Feb. 13, 1945 2,391,077 Sticht Dec. 18, 1945 2,512,997 B-ixler June 27, 1950 2,803,028 Flynn Aug. '20, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 142,244 Sweden Sept. 22, 1953

Claims

1. A METHOD OF PACKAGING IN A RANDOM FASHION WITHIN A CONTAINER A PLURALITY OF NAIL POLISH BRUSHES AND PROTECTING THE NORMALLY YIELDABLE BRISTLES IN EACH BRUSH AGAINST DEFORMATION IN THE ACT OF PACKAGING AND DURING THE SUBSEQUENT SHIPMENT OF THE BRUSHES IN THE CONTAINER, SAID METHOD INCLUDING PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF NAIL POLISH BRUSHES EACH OF WHICH HAS A BODY MEMBER WITH A BRISTLE TUFT IN ONE END EXTENDING THEREFROM AND COEXTENSIVE THEREWITH AND WITH A BOTTLE CAP LINER PORTION AT THE OTHER END WHICH IS LARGER IN DIMENSION THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE BODY MEMBER SO THAT THE BRUSHES WILL NOT LIE FLAT IN A CONTAINER WHEN PACKAGED, PASSING EACH BRUSH AT THE BRISTLE TUFT PORTION THROUGH LACQUER SO THAT THE LACQUER ADHERES TO SUCH BRISTLES AND HOLDS THE SAME TOGETHER WHILE IN LIQUID CONDITION, DRYING THE LACQUER ON THE BRISTLES TO PROVIDE A STIFF RELATIVELY NON-DEFORMABLE TUFT ON EACH NAIL POLISH BRUSH TO PROTECT THE BRISTLES AGAINST DEFORMATION IN HANDLING AND SHIPMENT OF A PLURALITY OF BRUSHES, AND PLACING THE BRUSHES WITH THE TUFTS IN SUCH CONDITION IN RANDOM FASHION IN A PACKAGING CONTAINER FOR SHIPMENT.