I have my fude manufacturer favorites, so it’s rare that I feel compelled to give another brand a try. The hair types used in these brushes and the more affordable price were some of my biggest motivators for wanting to try Number Eight brushes.
Other than the brand’s Instagram, which links to their official Japanese website, the only place I could find information about Number Eight was from the FudeBobo website. What is written there can be summarized as this: Number Eight belongs to a well-known fude manufacturing company (nicknamed Brand H) and their many characteristics are visible in these products, including the signature scent of goat hair.
Some OEM companies proudly list on their websites who their top clients are. When it comes to “H,” the Number Eight brand is now the third unannounced brand I know they’ve made brushes for. It remains a badly kept secret, but because they wish for it to be kept that way, I won’t explicitly list the name of the company here.
The reason I personally like knowing the manufacturer is because it helps me gauge whether or not I will be happy with the brushes I’m purchasing online that I’m unable to see and handle in person. For instance, I don’t like Sokoho goat hair from Koyudo, but I don’t mind Sokoho if it’s from Bisyodo. I know that Koyudo’s Silver Fox hair is similar in feel to Chikuhodo’s version of Premium Silver Fox versus their regular Silver Fox brushes. When I don’t know who the brush maker is, I’m taking an expensive gamble in the hopes that I won’t be disappointed with the products. For brands like rephr or Sonia G, they have hype from thousands of customers and plenty of influencers to vouch for the products. However, Number Eight is relatively new with extremely limited availability online. If I was unable to figure out the manufacturer, I would not have taken the chance on these brushes, and I would have definitely been missing out, because they are lovely!
The major companies usually have a “more affordable” line on offer. For example, it’s the Cheri line for Bisyodo, the Regular Series for Chikuhodo, the Koyudo BP Collection while it was around, and the J series from Hakuhodo. Those that like Hakuhodo’s J series will likely be pleased with the brushes in this post today.
*DISCLOSURE: The links in bold blue font (Example) are standard non-affiliate links. Links marked in bold black font with a light blue background (Example) are affiliate links. Affiliate links allow me to get a commission if someone clicks them and then makes a purchase. All of my officially labeled Number Eight brushes were purchased with my own money from the Fude Bobo website, which I am not affiliated with.
Number Eight Face 07 Cheek
Full Length: 192 mm / 7.56 in
Hair Length: 32 mm / 1.26 in
Hair Width: 13 mm / 0.51 in
Bristle Type: Dyed Saikoho
The reason I wanted this brush is because of how much it reminded me of Bisyodo’s CH-HC brush, which has been my holy grail highlighter brush for years. I have a backup brush that I once painted in order to make the handle look prettier, but I wanted to get the one from Number Eight in the hopes that it would perform similarly while having a thicker sturdier handle. It’s also the case that when I bought my first CH-HC it was listed as Saikoho hair, but CDJapan eventually changed the listing to Sokoho. My backup CH-HC felt different and could be Sokoho (albeit the softest Sokoho ever), but I still don’t know if my original is Saikoho or not. This was another reason I didn’t mind getting the 07 brush, so that I could have a Saikoho backup. As it turns out, they are shaped differently. Bisyodo’s brush head comes to a longer pointier tapered tip. It’s much more of a candle shape. The 07 reminds me of the shape of my Hakuhodo 5521, but in a dyed saikoho version instead of my original blue squirrel goat mix. The brush had also grown wider over time and was never as pointed as it looks in website photos.
Even though the head shape is rounder, the hair staggers up towards the tip, so it functions as if it’s at an angle from the way product gets picked up. For that reason, this still allows me to precisely apply highlighter. It admittedly gets dispersed in a slightly wider area than the Bisyodo brush, and my original Bisyodo brush hairs feel a little softer. For that reason, I started using the 07 to apply bronzer around the perimeter in a smaller than usual area, contour in a softer diffused fashion, and when mixing blushes if I want another color just on the apples of my cheeks.
I’m pretty set in my ways, so even though I found multiple uses for this brush, I just go right back to using my favorites. This is a decent brush, but if someone has a similar brush already, getting this one isn’t necessary.
Number Eight Face 08 Fan
Full Length: 193 mm / 7.6 in
Hair Length: 28 mm / 1.1 in
Hair Width: 18mm x 12mm / 0.71-0.47 in
Bristle Type: Dyed Saikoho
The reason I wanted this brush is because the Wayne Goss original Fan 15 is the best fan brush in my collection, but I don’t have a backup of that one. It was a happy mistake that this brush turned out to be way thicker. This is packed with a lot of hair, but I consider it to be a medium density and flexible bristle brush the splays widely enough to diffuse nicely without losing too much precision or applying too lightly. The Number Eight 01 Highlight Fan brush is probably more similar to Wayne’s Fan 15, though I don’t have it in person to know for sure. This 08 brush is like having a smaller, airier, and natural hair version of the Patrick Ta Contour Brush (another holy grail). I am absolutely thrilled to have this! I can pick up bronzer with one side for more precision in a smaller area, like going around the sides of my face and under the cheeks, or turn the brush sideways to apply to a wider zone. I can apply contour in a small, but partly diffused way. This also works for applying highlighter to a wider than usual, yet diffused, area.
Even though this has the same hair type as the 07, I wonder if the hair in this one came from another batch or supplier, because it’s significantly softer. For anyone who likes thick fan brushes, I recommend giving this one a try.
Number Eight Face 10 Contour Angled
Full Length: 201 mm / 7.91 in
Hair Length: 35mm-20mm / 1.38-0.79 in
Hair Width: 18mm – 22mm/ 0.71-0.87 in
Bristle Type: Squirrel mix Saikoho goat
The Face 11 is what set things in motion regarding me wanting to try this brand. I love the hair mixture so much that I wanted to give the Face 10 a try, even though I’m very picky when it comes to angled brushes.
My favorite uses for this brush are for blush and bronzer. I can technically use this with highlighter as well, but this splays even more than the Face 08, so I don’t bother. This is also why I don’t contour with it either, but that splay diffuses products so beautifully! It’s like having a bigger and softer version of the Sonia G Lotus Detail Brush! It makes applying blush easy to keep contained to the area I want by sweeping it along the cheekbones. It’s on the lighter end of medium density with enough squirrel hair (I believe pine) to feel pillowy soft, but with enough goat to add shape and structure that’s capable of quickly blending and buffing. It picks up a nice amount of product and disperses it so evenly on the cheeks, which also adds to the swiftness in which I can finish applying blush or bronzer. The only reason I end up using this brush proportionally far more times with blush than bronzer is because the Bisyodo B-F-05 Perfect Fit Brush is still my holy grail bronzer brush.
For anyone who loves the Sonia G Lotus Detail Brush or angled brushes, I recommend trying this one!
Number Eight Face 11 Cheek/Highlight
Full Length: 201 mm / 7.91 in
Hair Length: 35 mm / 1.38 in
Hair Width: 16 mm / 0.63 in
Bristle Type: Squirrel mix Saikoho goat
In my Fude Collection Part 8 post, I mentioned that I had a brush called the Eihodo No.153 Highlighting/Blush Brush. It was listed as an outlet brush from Eihodo, but it had the same hair type and labels (Face 11) as the Number Eight Face 11, including an identical looking ferrule and handle. The reason I was incredibly confused was because it was under the Eihodo name on the CDJapan website instead of Number Eight or even “Brand H” whose brushes they only sell via proxy. Then, I thought about the fact that Eihodo is a producer and not manufacturer, so any company’s brush could be listed under them as long as they were the ones who procured them.
The bottom line is that I loved this brush so much and wished for CDJapan to release more. I vaguely remember seeing other brushes of this hair type being released in the outlet, but I didn’t buy them because I wanted larger face brushes instead. I waited for the brush to restock, but it never did. I still held onto hope that more would come, but CDJapan actually deleted the product pages for all of brushes that look like they came from Number Eight. So, I lost hope. However, when I realized these brushes were available through the Fude Bobo website, I had to try more, including buying a backup!
In the photo below, my official Face 11 is on the left and is much pointier in shape. My unofficial Face 11 is on the right. I am assuming the reason the unofficial one ended up being sold as an outlet brush is because of the fact that it’s not as candle-shaped as it was supposed to be.
In terms of performance, I do notice a difference. At first I preferred my outlet version because the more evenly shaped tips form a more even distribution of pressure on the face. The size is perfect for small pans like in the Hourglass Ambient Edit Palettes. However, I’ve gotten some new makeup that have even smaller sections of product, such as the Givenchy 4-Color Pressed Bronzing and Sculpting Powder. The non-outlet brush’s pointier tip makes it easier to dip into such small blocks, so I can apply the contour shade more precisely. It still has the benefits of dispersing product in a way that isn’t too harsh, nor too soft, and is still gentle on the skin.
The Face 11, in the way it was intended, is technically a more useful brush, so I’m glad I bought it too.
Number Eight Eye 17
Full Length: 173 mm / 6.8 in
Hair Length: 18 mm / 0.71 in
Hair Width: 5.5 mm / 0.21 in
Bristle Type: Squirrel mix Saikoho goat
Sonia G makes my favorite eye shadow brushes, but considering the maker of these and the hair type, I thought chances were high that I’d like the ones from Number Eight.
Through prolonged use, this brush is a little fluffier in width, so the point doesn’t look as pronounced. However, I’m still just not a fan of this brush purely due to the shape. I like my tapered blending brushes to be rounder for a wider area of blending pressure. When it’s pointed like this, the strongest pressure is mainly at the highest point in the center, which means it takes longer for me to blend with that smaller surface area. I see how it’s supposed to be useful for getting in the crease for hooded eyes, but then I prefer to just use a smaller brush in the shape I like, such as the Sonia G Mini Booster. I find myself repeatedly squashing the Eye 17 into my skin to try and increase the pressure to increase the blending power. Every time I’ve used this brush, I wished to swap it with something else.
I apologize, but my preferences are too strong to be objective on this one. I only own a few of these type of brushes in my collection because I always end up casting them aside in favor of a different shape. I’m sure there are people that will use and love this brush. It feels soft and non-irritating on the skin. I just don’t like it for myself.
Number Eight Eye 18
Full Length: 166.5 mm / 6.55 in
Hair Length: 11.5 mm / 0.43 in
Hair Width: 10mm-3mm / 0.39-0.12 in
Bristle Type: Squirrel mix Saikoho goat
I have a ton of flat shader brushes, so I don’t feel I’m being biased when I say I dislike this brush too. I can name at least four that I like better, including the Sonia G Builder Pro that comes to a taper too. This brush head is too stiff for me. It applies product to the lids well, but it’s uncomfortable if I try to use it to apply eyeshadows to the crease, the way I have been doing a lot lately with my Muragishi Sangyo MS-4 Mai Sakura Brush, Sonia G Builder Three, Mizuho MB123 Eye Shadow Brush, etc. So, I can accomplish my tasks with it, but it’s never an enjoyable experience. Because of the discomfort from the stiffness, I like the Eye 18 even less than the Eye 17. Something like the Eye 8 would probably be more to my preference, but it’s not available in this squirrel-goat mix, so I didn’t buy it.
This concludes my venture into the world of Number Eight brushes! I hope this has been helpful!
For the last several years, blush has been my #1 favorite category of makeup to purchase and wear. I have a similar taste in blushes as Angeschka Nyqvist, especially when it comes to shimmery ones, so it made sense for me to try some from her own brand. There are currently four shades in the range. I have three, but I did not buy Riveting Rhubarb under the assumption that it won’t be as flattering on my skintone as the others.
DISCLAIMER: I purchased all of these products with my own money. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Singe Beauty Evocative Silk Blushes in Timid Tomato, Risky Raisin, and Persistent Persimmon
These blushes are pressed firmly enough to maintain the shape of that embossing, but they are loose enough to be easily picked up with any brush I own, whether they’re a delicate natural hair brush or a sturdier synthetic type. I get kickup in the pan, but it’s an acceptable amount most of the time. I got it on my clothes once from a brush that picked up a bit too much!
To the touch, these powders are soft and have a slightly silky feel to them. It’s difficult to see shimmer on the surface in normal lighting. The blush has to have light shining directly onto it to spot it easily. This makes me happy because when I say I want a shimmery blush, I don’t really wish to see large individual shimmer particles. I just want a sheen, or an ultra refined reflect to make my skin have a bit of glow to it. I’m not looking for a highlight-blush hybrid, so I’m pleased with the way these blushes are.
They are all quite pigmented. I prefer to use a medium density brush or one that is on the light side to have better control over how much I put on. It’s quite easy to get carried away and find myself saying, “slow build…gradual build…oh, gosh too much!” The blushes blend easily, especially with each other, but it still requires using a light hand. I’d rather they be pigmented over having the problem of being sheer because Timid Tomato is my favorite of these shades, but the inclusion of shimmer could have had the Nars Orgasm effect on me (that when the light hits it, the shine obscures the base color and then it looks like I just have highlighter on my cheeks instead of blush).
I have no longevity issues with this blush, as long as it’s on top of skin that is moisturized in some type of way (via skincare or foundation).
I bought the other two blushes in October 2024, but I didn’t get Persistent Persimmon until December of that same year. I kept seeing people use this blush to create a sunrise cheek type of look, which was pretty enough to make me reconsider. I knew this was too light to be a standalone color for my cheeks, but I remembered how Scott Barnes had a yellow blush in his Chic Cheek palette that could be used to add warmth to blushes if they were leaning too cool toned on someone. I’m less into matte blushes now, which is why I didn’t bother to keep that one with me, but I thought having a shimmery version could be perfect! Below are some examples of cool and/or berry blushes I don’t like as much and how Persistent Persimmon added on top turns them into a somewhat coral color that I like way more!
Besides using this shade for adding shimmer and warmth, I can partly lighten blushes that may be too dark for my liking. So, I’m happy that this turned out to be another “fixer” type of product in the same way that I use the Dior Powder No-Powder for blurring and blending or the r.e.m. beauty Interstellar Highlighter Topper to fill in the gaps of scattered effect highlighters.
I have considered the possibility that Singe’s pink blush could have the same role as Persistent Persimmon, except to cool things down, but my need for that is so rare that I don’t think it would be worth the purchase for that purpose.
As I mentioned before, these blushes look different in natural or indirect light compared to light hitting it straight on. This shade is like my version of Nars Orgasm X, but better.
Risky Raisin looks a bit close to Timid Tomato on my skin. The difference is that it’s a touch darker with some brown and is a less saturated color overall. The red tinge in Timid Tomato pops a little more.
Overall, these are nice shimmer blushes. I like them, but there are blushes in my collection that I’m crazy about. I don’t have the same level of excitement using them as I do with, for example, Dior’s Rosy Glow Blush in the shade Bronzed Glow or Benefit’s Wanderful World Blush in the shade Terra. Those two are also twice the price as the ones from Singe, so I can at least say these blushes are among the top shimmer formulas I’ve used for under $20 USD. Because of VAT, the price I paid is around 23 Euros each.
On a less important note, I’ve been spoiled by luxury packaging, but I don’t mind Singe’s cardboard packaging or the absence of a mirror. I like that these details have kept the cost down. However, I’d actually prefer if these were available as refills. I would like to keep them in one single custom magnetic palette, so I’ve considered depotting them. The only reason I haven’t is that I also like how lightweight this packaging is. All of the custom palettes currently in my possession feel heavier in their empty state than the weight of these three blushes in one hand. I still don’t have a proper makeup area (renovations are still taking place), so it’s easier for now to carry these around in their current packaging until I have a more permanent setup.
Singe Beauty F03 Brush
I’ve found Singe’s eye brushes to be useful, but not as enjoyable of an experience compared to my fude brushes. I decided they weren’t for me and assumed the face brushes would be the same. However, from one brush snob (I say this with love) to another, Tina the Fancy Face has given Singe’s face brushes a more positive review than the eye brushes. So, I assumed I would prefer them too.
This brush feels wonderful when I rub my fingers across the fibers, but it’s similar to rubbing Sokoho level goat across my cheeks. It feels nice at first, and certainly fine with the brand’s own blushes, but if I try to use a makeup product that requires additional blending time, it can irritate my cheeks a bit. My skin has admittedly gotten more sensitive with age (or perhaps I’m just so used to using ultra soft brush hair), so this won’t be a problem for everyone. I just wanted to put it out there that if you’re the type that uses mostly natural hair brushes and only loosely packed synthetic ones, you might not want to buy this brush. But I’d like to reiterate that it’s only if I have to spend a long time blending that it starts to agitate my skin.
The Singe blushes are pigmented, but I don’t have to worry about overapplying as much when it’s on my bare skin. The product looks so skin-like and I can use this specific brush in a heavy-handed way. However, when my face has a little dew to it, the application of blush with this brush can be too concentrated if I’m not careful. I have to dip the brush lightly onto the surface of the blush, tap off excess, and sweep it on first before attempting to do the full on circular buff.
Because of these two potential complications, it’s just easier for me to not reach for this brush with powder products. What it’s fantastic for are creams and liquids. The size and shape is somewhere in the middle between my holy grail Sonia G Mini Base and the Classic Base that was too big to be a multi-purpose brush for me. I have enjoyed using this brush with Glossier Cloud Paint blushes, the Chanel cream to powder (Joues Contraste Intense) blushes, the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Foundation Stick (that I use as highlighter), etc. Those are products that I pounce on and they practically blend themselves. The way this brush moves ensures I still get good color payoff without the product getting absorbed into the bristles or dispersed into too wide of an area. I will probably continue reaching for the Mini Base over this one, but the Sonia G brush is almost double the price, so perhaps the Singe F03 would be a good alternative for someone.
Because of my enjoyment of this brush, but my desire to have it in a softer hair/bristle type, I purchased the Hakuhodo G6440 from Fude Bobo’s website and it is so wonderful! It’s only for use with powders (as it’s a blue squirrel/goat mix), but I’m thrilled to have it! I got mine during Black Friday, but it was still super expensive. It might only be worth buying for people who are lovers of pom pom style of brushes.
That’s all for today! Thank you for reading and I hope this has been helpful.
Welcome, lovers of Japanese makeup brushes! If this is your first time visiting, I’d like you to know that I have a page with every Fude post linked, as well as a description of the topics discussed in those posts and a list of which brushes are in which posts. I recently changed the format to make it easier to type and find specific brushes. If this is not your first time here, welcome back!
Regarding my measurements, “hair width” is measured from the widest part, regardless of the overall brush shape. I don’t measure thickness. Anything with an asterisk indicates that I had to measure that one myself as those numbers were not listed on the website. All figures listed in inches are converted estimates.
With costs of materials ever increasing and supply of certain hair types being harder to acquire, brush prices also increase. So, the prices I’ve listed might not reflect what is current, though I will do my best to keep them updated.
*DISCLOSURE: Non-highlighted links in bold blue font (Example) are standard non-affiliate links. Links marked in bold black font with a light blue background (Example) are affiliate links. Affiliate links allow me to get a commission if purchases are made directly using my link. Whether you click to shop through them or not, I appreciate you visiting and I hope you find the information I’ve provided to be helpful!
BISYODO
Bisyodo B-F-05 Perfect Fit Brush
Full Length: 168mm / 6.6 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.57 in
Hair Width: *56mm / 2.2 in
Bristle Type: Fox and Saikoho Goat
Handle: African Rose Wood (Bubinga)
Ferrule: 24KG Plated Brass
In my Fude Part 7 post, I talked about my number one favorite powder bronzer brush being tied between the Sonia G Jumbo Bronzer and something else. This brush is that “something else.”
The mix of fox and saikoho goat hair makes it feel ultra soft, plush on the skin, and it has a bit of bounce/spring to it. Product gets picked up along the longest hairs in the center while the rest of the hair acts to simultaneously buff product while it’s being applied. The same things I love about Sonia’s brush holds true to this one: the large surface area covers the face in bronzer quickly, but also semi-precisely due to the shape. It tucks into hollows well and glides smoothly around the perimeter. This brush feels firmer and denser than Sonia’s, which is why it’s fantastic when I want to use a bronzer that’s on the sheerer side and don’t want to spend as much time building it up. It still applies in a slightly dispersed way so that I don’t get any harsh lines. By the same token, if my bronzer is highly pigmented, I switch to the Sonia brush instead. Most of the time I want a diffused natural looking bronze to my face. In the uncommon times when I want a more chiseled look, I can sharpen the edge with concealer or use a different bronzer/contour brush entirely. So, even though this Bisyodo brush is very similar to Sonia’s, it can’t replace it. I have need for both in my collection.
Sonia G’s brush is beautiful and I like the blue lacquer. For my preferences, the Bisyodo brush is even more beautiful with the color of the bristles, the gold ferrule, and the beautiful lacquer covered wood. Plus, as soft as the Jumbo Bronzer brush is, the Perfect Fit brush is without a doubt softer. The brushes were the same price until Bisyodo raised theirs a few weeks ago. Sonia has mentioned price increases for her line coming soon, so they might become closer in price again sometime in the future. Having this Bisyodo brush is why I’m content to skip getting the Sonia G Niji Pro. I highly recommend trying this one! If I lost this brush, I would replace it without hesitation. My wish is that Bisyodo will one day make a fully round and dense blush brush using this same hair combination. If they did, I would buy it too!
I bought my brush for 14091 YEN, but it’s 18500 YEN now, and available HERE.
Bisyodo B-FD-01 Foundation Brush
Full Length: 155mm / 6.1 in
Hair Length: 28mm / 1.1 in
Hair Width: 38mm / 1.5 in
Bristle Type: Saikoho Goat
Handle: African Rose Wood (Bubinga)
Ferrule: 24KG Plated Brass
This brush is super soft and very dense. It’s a Fu-Pa style brush intended for foundation use, but shapes like these can be nice with contour or brontour too. For foundation, it soaks a lot of product, but the smooth even blend on the face is very nice. I never use up foundation entirely before it goes bad, so I don’t mind wasted product. However, the bristles start to gunk up at least twice as fast as other natural hair foundation brushes, which isn’t good because of needing to wash it more frequently. The brush is more prone to losing hair or snapping tips when it’s too coated in product. So, longevity long term may be an issue with continued liquid and cream use. I didn’t start using this brush until early 2024, so I’m not in a position to say how it will fare after a year or two, but so far so good for me. I try not to use this brush with liquids more than five times between washes. The photo below shows the brush after a single use.
I mentioned contour or using bronzer-as-contour as possible uses because the shape lends itself to that kind of task, but the density of the brush is going to give a more concentrated application. Someone that likes a diffused and airbrushed look would be better off using a brush with a bit more splay and airiness. This brush doesn’t have much bend or movement, which is why it’s so effective for foundation. I’ve used this brush with blush a couple of times, and while it applies the product well, it requires more buffing than I want to bother with when I could have just switched to a less dense brush. Even though it’s not my main foundation brush, I still like it and am glad I added it to my arsenal.
I paid 11,000 YEN for this brush, it’s currently 14300 YEN and available HERE.
Bisyodo G-P-01 Powder Brush
Full Length: 180mm / 7.1 in
Hair Length: 48mm / 1.89 in
Hair Width: *30mm (prewash) / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel
Handle: Ebony
Ferrule: 24k gold-plated
This brush is super airy. It’s intuitively better for powder, but can also be used with blush and bronzer. It’s best used for loose or lightly pressed products because these hairs are even more delicate and soft among gray squirrels, so it doesn’t have the best pickup. The long hairs give an interesting feel on the skin between the pressure and movement, especially when trying to apply blush. It’s definitely not intended as a workhorse type of brush. I can buff very lightly with it, but it’s more for building up of light washes of color and producing an airbrush affect rather than creating a full on pigmented look. I would say this is ideal for natural and simplistic makeup lovers. Those with sensitive skin and/or dry skin that want the minimum amount of powder needed for their face will very likely love this brush too.
This is part of Bisyodo’s Grand Series, which I think can be considered the crème de la crème of their lines the way the Homare Series was supposed to be for Chikuhodo or the Vermillion series is for Hakuhodo. Taking into account what Bisyodo considers is the use of premium quality gray squirrel, the weighty ebony handle, and the ferrule plating, the price is a little more justified than I originally gave credit for prior to holding it in my hands. I’ve come to realize that I consider a lacquer handle more luxurious than matte ebony (though I like Eihodo’s ebony handle brush), so I still prefer the handles of Bisyodo’s Long Series. However, it all comes down to tastes and I’m sure there are plenty of people who love the aesthetic of the Grand Series.
I reviewed these together with Wayne’s Non-Fude brushes HERE. I decided to keep the photos for the Fundamentals in this post anyway, for those expecting natural hair brushes to only be within this Fude Collection Series.
In the post that’s linked, I also mentioned that I have a hunch that WG brushes have a new producer. The batch of hairs in his relaunch feel softer than the older goat hair brushes. A certain OEM has bumped up their prices so dramatically and are mixing most of their goat brushes with synthetic fibers, so I’m not sure how likely it would be for the WG line to have these brushes at these prices if they we made by who I assume they were made by. Regardless, whoever makes them are doing a good job (mostly).
Wayne Goss F2
Full Length: *165mm / 6.5 in
Hair Length: 30mm / 1.18 in
Hair Width: *22mm / 0.86 in
Bristle Type: Saikoho
TLDR: Super soft. Common Shape. Sheds like crazy, just like the previous #13 Brush.
Wayne Goss F3
Full Length: *172mm / 6.77 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.57 in
Hair Width: *30mm / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Saikoho
TLDR: Even softer than previous Wayne Goss goat brushes. Good for building up products. Airy, yet precise.
I would love to be able to review the whole set, but I don’t have access to the other two brushes anymore.
I find this combination of hair extremely visually appealing , and thought the set was well priced, so I bought it from Fude Japan. The blush brush is similar to the J5545 that I reviewed in Fude Collection Part 6. The main difference is that the pink handle version is a bit fuller with a more defined angle. This makes it even better suited for fitting in the hollows and angles of the face for bronzing and contouring, so long as it’s not a hard pressed product.
This brush is somewhere between light and medium denseness. I can pick up a decent amount of product by pressing the whole angled side into the makeup pan and sliding it, but it’s not intended for heavy makeup applications. I mostly use this to sweep on blush and apply the angled section precisely where I want more concentrated color, then pounce what’s left on the brush around the edges for a diffused look that doesn’t require much more blending than that. There’s enough goat in this mix to allow minor buffing only, but buffing doesn’t seem necessary to me when I’m able to get the results I want super easily just by using the patting/pressing technique.
KOYUDO
Koyudo Yoshiki Silver fox Cheek Brush Y-SFC
Full Length: 163mm / 6.41 in
Hair Length: 38mm / 1.5 in
Hair Width: *28mm / 1.1 in
Bristle Type: Silver Fox
What a beauty! I always wanted one of the silver handle Yoshiki brushes, and fox is my favorite hair type, so this was a bucket list purchase. It’s also described on CDJapan’s website as having a 3D shape, and I mentioned in Fude 7 that Koyudo’s 3D brushes always entice me.
The hair feels super silky like premium silver fox. I really like salt-and-pepper brushes (mix of grey squirrel and high grade goat hair), but this brush feels even better than those! This gives a soft application of bronzer and blush, and serves to help one build up the color if desired or keep it looking sheer. The brush head puffs a little more after being washed, and feels even nicer as it bends in and around the curves of the face while it diffuses product. The tips fit nicely into highlighter pans and can apply a beautiful thin layer with no harsh edges.
When a brush is this expensive, I expect it to be large so that I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth. This has a long handle, but the head is medium sized for a cheek brush. However, this size is perfect to handle my face features, so it’s for the best that it isn’t bigger.
This brush costs 21000 YEN and was available HERE. I imagine part of that cost takes into account that it comes in a shredded paper-filled paulownia box that is lightweight yet beautiful. Plus, the handle is stunning!
Koyudo Blush Brush round flat Black
Full Length: 132mm / 5.2 in
Hair Length: 38mm / 1.5 in
Hair Width: *33mm / 1.3 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel and Goat
I included a photo of this next to the Koyudo Blush Brush [No Logo] because I expected them to be similarly sized and was disappointed that they were not. They were listed at the same price, had similar looking ferrules and handles without a logo, and have the same hair type. I thought this would be the same brush with a different head shape, but I should have paid attention to the size dimensions. That’s my own mistake.
This reminds me of the Hakuhodo G110A Blush Brush, reviewed higher up, because it has the same hair type and similar shape, but it’s larger and fuller. Plus, this brush feels like it has a greater ratio of gray squirrel compared to goat. At the very least, it’s bundled in a way that the squirrel hair is longer/higher than the goat, which accounts for it feeling softer.
Just like the Hakuhodo brush, it’s easier to use with products that aren’t that hard pressed. I has light-medium denseness and picks up an average amount of product along the angles towards the tips. I mostly use this to sweep on blush, but one could use it with bronzer as well. The reason I don’t is just because I have my bronzer favorites already. This one does the job perfectly fine though. Besides the hair composition, this brush gives a somewhat gentle application because of the length of the hairs and shape of the head in the way that it bends when pressure is applied.
This brush costs 13300 YEN and was available HERE.
Koyudo Pine Squirrel Eyeshadow Brush 17mm Black and Red
Full Length: 142mm / 5.6 in
Hair Length: 17mm / 0.67 in
Hair Width: *15mm / 0.6 in
Bristle Type: Pine Squirrel
Koyudo may change the hair type or handles, but they often sell this shape of brush head (and the 11mm version). I can’t blame them for wanting to keep this style around because it’s a nice classic brush. I consider this in-between a medium and large sized packing brush. I can cover my eye space with one eyeshadow quickly and easily. It picks up the right amount of powder and gently deposits it, whether it’s a matte or shimmer. It bends well into corners and, when turned on its side, can be used for more detailed work. I use it most to lay down shades and crease work with eyeshadows that don’t need much blending.
If you’re a fan of brushes in this shape, size, and hair type, you’ll like this brush.
Full price for these brushes is 4000 YEN. The red handle version is available HERE and the black version is HERE.
Koyudo Pine Squirrel Eyeshadow Brush 11mm Black
Full Length: 135mm / 5.3 in
Hair Length: 11mm / 0.43 in
Hair Width: *9mm / 0.35 in
Bristle Type: Pine Squirrel
This is a small sized packing brush that I use in smaller corners of my eyes and for more detailed work. It picks up the right amount of mattes and shimmer eyeshadows, though I tend to not use this brush with shimmers if it’s in a formula that requires I wear a glitter primer with it or to dampen my brush. This also makes a fantastic liner brush.
The handle looks solid black in photos, but it actually has dark green sparkles too! It’s so beautiful!
The photo below shows the size difference between the 11mm and 17mm brushes from Koyudo.
I paid 3500 YEN for this brush and it’s available HERE.
TANSEIDO
Tanseido Bamboo Series AQ17TAKE Small Cheek Brush
Full Length: 205mm / 8.07 in
Hair Length: 35mm / 1.38 in
Hair Width: *27mm / 1.06 in
Bristle Type: Red Squirrel
This is my first ever Tanseido brush. The length is huge!
The main appeal for me looking into the brand, besides positive reviews, is that they offer more red squirrel brushes than any other Japanese Fude maker, as far as I am aware. Whenever other companies produce a red squirrel brush, they increase the special factor by adding maki-e handles or some other touches that make them even more costly. I wanted a brush that would have enough enough hair to feel and experience what red squirrel is like, considering it’s supposed to be one of the rarest squirrel types to procure, but would also not break the bank. I also wanted a different handle than the classic Tanseido red or blue. Then, Fude Beauty released this brush, a different handle version of Tanseido’s YAQ17! On their website, there are two different options to choose from, but I didn’t notice the drop down menu above the wishlist and cart buttons. So, I ended up with Style: Japaneses Bamboo by default. The spotted version is called Shina-take and would have been the version I picked if I’d seen that’s where the option to choose was.
This brush can be used to diffuse highly pigmented products to targeted areas. It’s extremely soft, delicate, and not for the heavy-handed (though I put myself in that category). It’s ideal for someone that doesn’t want heavy makeup. This means that the only realistic use I have for it is for highlighting. Brushes of this size and shape are commonly used to set specific areas with powder. I personally wouldn’t want to set my wet concealers with it, so I have only tried using this brush this way twice. Not every brush needs to be a jack-of-all-trades, and so I am content to use this to get a thin layer of highlighter on my face. A whisper of product! I think anyone that prefers a sheer application of highlighter will really like this brush.
The closest size comparison I have for this brush is to the Wayne Goss Air Brush.
In terms of construction, the handle is super lightweight! I wasn’t expecting it to feel like a hollow jumbo pencil. I didn’t like this fact initially, but I realized that being surprised by its lightness every time I picked it up was a reminder that I needed to handle the brush with care. I was using it more carefully and gently than my other brushes. Since the hair is delicate, this is a good thing. My hope is that by the time I stop being surprised, I will continue to use it gently automatically.
As a side note, I just wanted to say that there are a few red squirrels I see regularly in the yard. Their fur is so beautiful to look at! Is it strange to say that seeing them makes me wish to have another, thicker, red squirrel brush? Maybe that’s weird.
MURAGISHI SANGYO
MS-3 Mai Sakura Liquid Foundation Brush
Full Length: 150mm / 5.9 in
Hair Length: 25mm / 0.98 in
Hair Width: *26mm / 1.02 in
Bristle Type: Sokoho Goat
I wouldn’t recommend buying this brush with the intent to apply foundation all over the face. I think it was made for people that only want to apply foundation to areas that it’s needed most. The ones who use the technique of starting at the center of the face and working outwards. This brush would also work well for someone who likes to use concealer as foundation, and only cover specific spots. The downside to using it with liquid foundation is that a lot of product gets trapped between the hair, so it will need to be washed more frequently. I also recommend washing it in advance before using it for the first time. It had a major shedding problem, as seen in the photo below, until after the first wash. It still loses more hair, when I use it with liquids or creams, than when I use this very dense cute brush with powder products.
I don’t prefer using this with cream products, because I don’t think it smooths products well enough. However, it’s lovely with liquid blush. I also like it with powder bronzers because it applies product precisely and in just the right amount I want, but it’s not always airy enough for my desired powder blush application. With most of my blushes, it’s fine, but I would definitely not use it with my very pigmented ones. Essentially, the thinner the product, the better the results will be with this brush.
I bought it for 3900 YEN, it’s 4100 YEN now, and it’s available HERE.
CHIKUHODO
Chikuhodo x BoBo Cheek Brush
Post-wash photos above.
Full Length: *160mm / 6.3 in
Hair Length: *41mm / 1.61 in
Hair Width: *30mm / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Grey Squirrel and Saikoho Goat Mix
This was my first ever purchase from the Fude BoBo (BoBo Do) website! I was a bit hesitant at first, seeing as how it was a website I hadn’t heard of before, but the ordering experience was very similar to Fude Japan. It came with a small free extra. The way that Toshiya is the face of Fude Japan, so is BoBo (aka baiyutang11 on Instagram). Just like Toshiya has a collaboration brush line, BoBo has also created brushes with various brushmakers alongside running a retail website. Considering she’s started working with influencers, like Alicia Archer, I foresee the site growing even more in popularity as time goes on. Personally, I’m more interested in the site for the exclusive brushes rather than buying the other brushes I can get elsewhere.
I don’t know if this particular brush will return, but I believe the Chikuhodo/BoBo Nebulae Collection CH-1 brush has a nearly identical brush head. The handles in the Nebulae collection remind me of Sonia G brush handles (which is mentioned on the website that she is an inspiration for the brand owner in trying to learn more about brushes and travel to Kumano personally to meet with the artisans there). The similarity is why I’m happier to have the gorgeous Moon and Rabbit handle instead. Between the holographic moon, shimmering particles on the deep blue background for the gold and silver bunnies, pale gold ferrule, and beautiful salt and pepper color brush head, I am in love!
The performance is extremely similar to the Koyudo Yoshiki Silver brush mentioned here today. This brush just has a longer slant and wider splay. It puffs out a bit more after being washed, which increases the airiness. This gives a sheer application of bronzer and blush, which is why I use it mostly for blush since I prefer a brush to pick up a bit more product with bronzer than this is capable of doing at one time. This is certainly not a brush for heavy-makeup wearers. I can turn the brush onto the tips and pick up highlighter with it to get a lovely sheer wash along the high points of my face. It works well with up to medium-firm pressed products. I wouldn’t bother trying to use it with hard pressed makeup.
I admittedly struggle between wanting to use this brush, because it’s so pretty and I enjoy the feel of pouncing it on my face, but also not wanting to damage or ruin it in any way. So, sometimes it gets put in rotation, but not for long periods of time.
I did buy one more exclusive brush, but it will discussed in Fude 9 because it was delivered to the US. I haven’t seen it in person yet!
EIHODO
On my Fude Collection index page, I wrote that I have a question about Eihodo handles. That’s in the Eihodo No.142 section, for those specifically wanting to read about that.
Eihodo Cheek Brush + Cap
Full Length: 155mm / 6.1 in
Hair Length: 37mm / 1.46 in
Hair Width: *27mm / 1.06 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel
This brush was 7200 Yen at Fude Beauty and came with a SWS-2 brush cap to be stored in. As far as I am aware, CDJapan hasn’t released this brush (as of the time I’m working on this post). The most similar one I could find on the website is the Eihodo No. 170 Outlet Blush Brush with the same listed specifications and both the shape of the head and handle look quite similar. It’s listed at 7500 but was sold at the reduced price of 4125. The most similar one I can think of to compare is a brush I bought far more recently, the Eihodo No.399 Blush Brush. The main difference is the handle being round and matte black instead of pointed and shiny red. The outlet brush is also slightly bigger because it has some sokoho goat used to fill it in. It’s not a pure gray squirrel brush, even though it still feels very soft. On my face, I can feel the tiniest bit more friction, but that’s it. I wouldn’t classify it as rougher, but I also don’t have sensitive skin.
This brush feels extra silky, even for gray squirrel. The middle section is semi-dense, but the tips splay quite a bit wider around the edges while the center has less movement while being swirled on the face, giving it an airy quality. This brush is good for diffusing highly pigmented products for a softer look. It can be for used for blush, targeted powdering, and bronzing. Since round brushes in this size are my preference for blush, I only use it for that.
The brush cap is fine. I keep this brush stored in it, but I have another one from Eihodo. These are better at not squishing the bristles of non-symmetrical shaped brush heads than a standard brush guard. However, I don’t use guards or caps all that often, so I stopped buying them.
There isn’t much else to say about this brush. It isn’t a unique shape. It performs exactly as one would expect of a gray squirrel blush brush. Considering the prices of brushes these days, I’m surprised it wasn’t above 8000 YEN!
Ever since my Blendiful ripped towards the beginning of the year, I have been mainly using this brush for foundation (alongside other foundation brushes that needed to be tested or my Smashbox Full Coverage Foundation brush). I still used it throughout 2023, but I’ve had it in rotation consistently in 2024. My foundation goes on so smoothly with this brush! I get an occasional loose hair, but even less frequently than other large fully round brushes that I own. I’d also like to note that this is the only fully natural hair brush I’ve ever loved using with foundation. Some I have liked, but none enough to use regularly, other than this one. I should note that this has dyed bristles and brands don’t recommend using dyed goat hair with creams and liquids. However, I continue to do so with no issues that I can see. For anyone wanting to use white undyed hair, that version can be found HERE.
I am so impressed that this is a Sokoho brush because there’s no scratchiness on the skin. It is an absolute joy to buff or glide it across my face. Purely because of its large surface area, I don’t use it for bronzing or blush application. It is fantastic at picking up stiff pressed powders and depositing a nice even layer, regardless of it being a powder foundation, setting or finishing powder. The Chikuhodo FO-2 is a holy grail brush that I use with another holy grail product, the Dior Powder No-Powder. This would be an easy replacement brush if the FO-2 needed washing, especially since this puff brush is bigger and covers my face even more quickly. However, since I’m always using it with foundation, it needs washing more frequently than the Chikuhodo brush. So, it’s always occupied. I’m tempted to make a switch though!
*In the last two months I did make the switch and I’m just as happy!
I paid 9000 YEN for it, it’s 10000 YEN now, and it’s available HERE.
This is essentially the same brush I just reviewed above. The differences are the handle designs and dyed versus undyed goat hair. The only relevant new information to provide is that the white hair is silkier feeling because it hasn’t been put through the dye process. I am keeping this for collector purposes and will continue to use the black hair version, though perhaps I should consider using the black one with finishing powder and reserve this one for foundation.
This brush is currently 10000 YEN and it’s available HERE.
Eihodo No.49 Blush Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 148mm / 5.8 in
Hair Length: 38mm / 1.5 in
Hair Width: *28mm / 1.1 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel and Sokoho Goat
I find it super interesting how similar the Eihodo 49 looks compared to the Houkodou Nagi Series N-F1. The handles and ferrule are practically identical, minus the symbol. I wonder if the handles are made by a different company other than Eihodo/Chikuhodo or Houkodou? I never really thought about who makes Fude handles before, and just assumed all the OEMs make their own. In any case, the hair is the same mix too (though I think my Eihodo one has slightly more goat, but I can’t tell a difference on my cheeks). Anyway, I’m thrilled to basically have an accidental backup of the N-F1!
Now that I’m more used to how soft Eihodo’s sokoho feels, I can tell this brush has a mix of hairs, but they did an amazing job blending them together so that one could almost forget it doesn’t solely contain gray squirrel hair. This brush is slightly less soft than that one due to the suspected increase in the Sokoho part of the mixture, but it feels like full squirrel hair to the touch. It looks nice and full for a medium-sized blush brush and has a substantial amount of hair, but it’s bundled in a way that it doesn’t seem very dense. It has about medium firmness with a wispy feel at the tips. I like to swirl and buff it on the cheek in a circular motion. Just like many other cheek brushes, it can be used for other purposes, but I prefer to stick to blush.
How fortuitous! I found myself another brush that’s similar to the Houkodou N-F1! Good thing I enjoy it so much!
The way this differs from the other two is that it has gray squirrel hair exclusively. It’s smaller than the others in a way that I consider would be the equivalent of just removing the sokoho hair from the other two. The handle the makers chose is also significantly shorter. The hair type makes it feel like the airiest of all three and also the least dense, though it’s not a floppy brush by any means. It performs similarly to the others and has the same usages, though I’m even more inclined to only use it with blush due to the size and light application.
This had the reduced cost of 3850 YEN and was available HERE. I hope it’ll one day return in stock because that was quite the deal regarding the price!
Eihodo No.82 Powder Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 160mm / 6.3 in
Hair Length: 45mm / 1.77 in
Hair Width: *36mm / 1.41 in
Bristle Type: Goat
I’m not sure if it’s just the shape of this brush that makes it feel a little less soft than Sokoho from Eihodo usually feels. It’s not prickly. The hairs just feel a little drier and less smooth.
Picking up product from the tips doesn’t coat the brush as evenly as I like. I lay it along the length into powder compacts to pick up product from the wider side. This works for sweeping on a nice application of blush and face powder. I can’t lay the brush the same way when applying bronzer, so I have to use the tips, and never like the finished outcome.
For these reasons, I can’t recommend this one. However, if someone is curious to try it anyway, it cost me 2200 YEN and was available HERE.
Eihodo No.88 Blush/Powder Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 155mm / 6.1 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.57 in
Hair Width: *34mm / 1.33 in
Bristle Type: Sokoho Goat
This brush looks quite different after being washed. I thought it had the tiniest slant of an angle, but it does not. It’s like a chubby fan shaped brush from the front, but is rounded enough at the top to be swirled around.
It can be used with blush, bronzer, and contour. It has a lot of hair in the bundle, but the way it’s puffed out leads to gentler applications than I’d expect from a sokoho hair brush. The lower half of the head has average firmness, but from the middle where it begins to taper up, it’s airier. It doesn’t pick up as much product as I expected either.
I have other brushes similar to this in my collection that are made from a higher grade of goat hair, so I’m less likely to keep using this one when I have those to choose from. I admittedly bought this for the handle anyway. It looked so intriguing!
This is made with a soft hair type, but it’s bundled so firmly that it can still feel stiff when used in sensitive spots like the inner corner and lower lash line. There is not much bristle movement, except around the very tips in the upper third of the brush head. This allows one to steadily line the eyes, but get a light amount of pigment or pass over the spot a few times for a medium application. This doesn’t pick up a lot of product, even if the brush is swirled several times in the pan in the attempt to coat it. So, it’s better suited for someone who likes soft eye looks. With mattes and loosely packed shimmers, the look can be built up to a certain extent. However, trying to build up a thicker shimmer is time consuming.
This brush can be used for soft liner and highlighting spots around the eyes.
I’ll include a comparison photo between this brush (post wash) and the next one.
Eihodo No.141 Shadow Liner Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 180mm / 7.1 in
Hair Length: 7mm / 0.27 in
Hair Width: *4mm / 0.16 in
Bristle Type: Weasel
I only need a few angled eye brushes in my collection, and I misplaced the one I brought with me, so I decided to get this brush. Since it was technically a purchase I shouldn’t have had to make, I didn’t want to spend much for it. I was considering getting the Chikuhodo GSN-11 that this resembles a lot: the gold colored ferrule crimped the same way, similar size overall brush dimensions, weasel hair, pearly white pointed tip handle.
Despite this hair type, it doesn’t feel pokey when lining the eyes. It gives decent color payoff with eyeshadows and feels semi-firm, but not too stiff, around the inner corners, lower lash line, under the brow arch, nor the brows when used to fill them in. I’ve used this with powders, cream, and liquid products, and it does a good job. It’s great for precision detail eye work, cleaning up the outer corner of the eye with concealer, and spot concealing on the face. I haven’t tried it with lip products, but it theoretically should make for a good lip brush pencil as well. I consider this a solid purchase!
This brush I bought before the Chikuhodo x BoBo brush, but I didn’t start using them until around the same time. That’s when I realized they were practically the same brush! This is the kind of thing that confuses me because Chikuhodo lists on their website (or at least used to) that they produce brushes for Eihodo, and Eihodo is listed under label/distributor for this brush. Since this is an “outlet” brush that’s supposed to have some sort of technical flaw, I’ve always been confused as to how or why these are listed for Eihodo instead of Chikuhodo outlet. Perhaps it’s to avoid possible brand devaluation.
I am also unaware of a line/series from Chikuhodo or Eihodo that has this type of brush head beyond the BoBo collab. It makes me wonder if this outlet brush came about while trying to produce the collab version. In any case, I consider this a backup!
Pre-wash comparisons are seen above.
Everything I said about the Chikuhodo x Bobo brush holds true here. It gives a sheer application of blush, bronzer, contour, and highlighter. It’s an airy brush that’s not dense. Pouncing or swiping styles of application is more intuitive for the shaping of this brush. I decided to leave it in the US so I can keep using it there whenever I visit. I kept the collaboration brush with me instead.
I bought this because the shape reminded me of my holy grail Bisyodo brush. I had no idea this would become another of my favorite brushes in my collection! It is perfect to use with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit palettes because of the size, softness, and amount of product that gets picked up on the brush. It’s small enough for strategic placement, but the widest portion gives a slight airiness to the application when moved in circular motions or swiped back and forth. It is easy to use in any direction.
It’s uncommon to have such long handles on brushes, but I really like this. It feels substantial in the hand, but not too heavy on the wrist. I have enjoyed it equally with bronzer, contour, blush, and highlighter. I usually have a preference for usage with multi-purpose brushes, but the outcomes are all so good that I like this in every way! I’ve taken this brush traveling, along with a microfiber cloth, and only felt the need to bring extra eye brushes and a face powder brush, since this one could do so much. I think it’s also extremely well priced. I highly recommend giving this a try, particularly if you have small face product pans and struggle to put a brush in it.
This is supposed to be an Eihodo outlet brush, but I was very confused when I saw an extremely similar brush on the Fude Bobo (Bobo Do) website that even had the number 11 printed on it, but is from “Number Eight produced by H.” The handles remind me of Hakuhodo G series brushes, but why would this be called an Eihodo brush? This has remained a mystery since my purchase of it in September 2023.
In any case, it cost 4400 YEN and I purchased mine from CDJapan.
Eihodo No.161 Highlighting Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 145mm / 5.7 in
Hair Length: 30mm / 1.18 in
Hair Width: *19mm / 0.75 in
Bristle Type: Sokoho Goat
This brush looked like (and had similar specifications to) the Chikuhodo Passion Series PS-3, including having a similar ferrule color. They’re listed for the same retail price too, which felt like I could save 45% on the brush by getting this outlet one. I also think the grain on the wood is stunning, so I wasn’t about to pass it up! I have no idea what type it is, but in the photo below, it’s next to two granadillo handles (Chikuhodo ZEN series and Kazan Homare series).
This brush can be used for powdering under the eyes, nose contour, and technically as a huge eyeshadow brush. The Sokoho hair is soft enough to not feel prickly around sensitive areas like around the eyes, but due to its large shape I prefer to use it as a highlighter brush only. A small amount gets picked up with just one swipe into a highlighter pan, so I can get a sheer even application if desired or build up the concentration.
Honestly though, I just wanted this brush for the handle and ferrule. It makes me happy to look at it and have it. It’s perfectly functional, but I already have my highlighter brush favorites.
At the time, I paid 1760 YEN for this brush that is now listed as 3200 YEN, and it was available HERE.
Eihodo No.165 Blush Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 150mm / 5.9 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.57 in
Hair Width: *30mm / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Pine Squirrel and Horse
What appealed to me about this brush is that it looked so similar to another outlet brush, the Eihodo Makie Blush Brush Kozakura listed at the reduced price HERE of 4400. They are nearly the same length, but the makie brush was made of all pine squirrel and that keeps it looking puffier post-wash. I was also intrigued by this brush because of the unique shade of slate-blue ferrule I’ve never seen before, plus the pointed handle.
This brush is softer than if it had horse hair alone, with the advantage of having more blending strength than if this was made solely with pine squirrel hair. That being said, this is by no means a buff brush. It’s got a nice range of movement, and applies a medium amount of product to the face. I would still consider it a brush for someone who wants to build up makeup, but there’s not enough buffing power if the powders are overapplied and need to be blended out. I treat this as the sweeping brush that it is.
I like this with blush the most. It’s okay with bronzer and can be used with highlighter if applied via the tips. This brush has a ton of competition as a blush brush, so I don’t know if I’ll use this brush that much. I’m still glad to have it though.
After washing this brush, it gets puffier, but goes flatter with a wider splay when pressure is applied. It performs sufficiently for foundation, but I don’t like that the application is uneven where the outer parts of the brush are less dense and would normally diffuse while the center part gives a strong application. That’s why I like flat top brushes in the first place in order to get mostly the same coverage across the whole surface area. I feel the same way when using face powder because even though diffusing is good, I don’t want a combination of sheer and light layers that I would have to spend more time buffing parts out.
This works the best with bronzer, though the splay makes it apply product to a wide area, so it’s less precise. Using it with blush does an adequate job as well. This isn’t my favorite brush, in part because I prefer the Eihodo puff shape. I also like it less than the Sonia G Smooth Buffer and Chikuhodo FO-2, although those are way more expensive.
In fact, I don’t think I have an inexpensive flat top in my collection, so that might be a good alternative option for someone, plus the ferrule and handle look beautiful and this is an Eihodo brush, who have some of the softest Sokoho around.
I left the 177 behind because I knew I was going to get a super similar looking brush in the 226. However, it’s possible they are slightly different because I remember liking the 177 a lot more. Then again, I wasn’t using the puff brush at such a steadfast frequency, so it’s possible my enjoyment for the puff brush made me like this one a little less. It’s still a decent brush though, just not over-the-top stellar.
There is the 177 and the 226 that I bought, plus the 212 option for 2520 YEN. For the same price, there is also the 104 that looks to have a similar head as the others, but is listed at 27mm hair length instead of 25mm.
That’s everything!
If this is your first time visiting my blog, thank you for reading! If you’re one of the awesome people that visit regularly, thank you for your patience with how long it took to get this post completed. I am finally nearing the point of completing all pending brush reviews and finally having shown my entire Fude Collection! It might take until the middle of 2025 to complete, due to me rescheduling my return visit to the US. As I mentioned at the beginning, I also reformatted the Fude list so it’s easier for everyone to use CTRL + f keys on the computer to type and search for specific brushes.
Welcome, lovers of Japanese makeup brushes! If this is your first time visiting, I’d like you to know that I have a page that’s accessible on the left menu bar with every Fude post linked, as well as a description of the topics discussed in those posts and a list of which brushes are in which posts. For cell phone users, this page is visible by clicking on Navigation. If this is not your first time here, welcome back!
Regarding my measurements, “hair width” is measured from the widest part, regardless of the overall brush shape. I don’t measure thickness. Anything with an asterisk indicates that I had to measure that one myself as those numbers were not listed on the website. All figures listed in inches are converted estimates.
With costs of materials ever increasing and supply of certain hair types being harder to acquire, brush prices also increase. So, the prices I’ve listed might not reflect what is current, though I will do my best to keep them updated.
*DISCLOSURE: Non-highlighted links in bold blue font (Example) are standard non-affiliate links. Links marked in bold black font with a light blue background (Example) are affiliate links. Affiliate links allow me to get a commission if purchases are made directly using my link. Whether you click to shop through them or not, I appreciate you visiting and I hope you find the information I’ve provided to be helpful!
EIHODO
Eihodo NO.324 Eyeshadow Brush L [Outlet]
Full Length: 135mm / 5.35 in
Hair Length: 10mm / 0.4 in
Hair Width: *9mm / 0.35 in
Bristle Type: Saikoho Goat
I don’t own the Chikuhodo T-12, but this brush reminded me of that one based on the T-12 photos. I purchased this mainly for the great price, the sleek look to it, and to see how it compares to my favorite packing brushes.
It’s great for picking up eyeshadow and packing it on, but the bristles come to a thin taper towards the tips and the longest hairs bend quite a bit while I’m applying the product onto my eye area. So, it’s not as comfortable on my eyes when I use this brush because I can feel the dragging of it across my lids. It still gets the job done, but I’ve come to realize I prefer thicker brushes of this type.
I wanted this brush badly because of how much it reminded me of the Chikuhodo Z-1, which costs practically 10,000 YEN more than what I paid for this outlet brush! Based on the website photo, I expected them to look a bit more different, but they’re not! What a happy surprise! The hair feels the same. They’re practically the same lengths for the heads, ferrule, and handles. The only difference I can detect is that there’s more hair bundled in my Z-1. The Z-1 is slightly more dense and the No.390 bends a little more while using it and covers a slightly smaller surface area. I feel perfectly content with that!
The soft silky bristles, gentle pickup of product, and wispy nature of this brush makes it great for applying a thin layer of face powder and a sheer application of bronzer. Sweeping gestures and circular buffing motions both feel natural with this brush. Because of the generally large size and wide splay area, if someone wants to use this brush with blush, I recommend holding the brush further back on the handles in order to apply less pressure. Doing that allows one to maintain a bit more precision for blush application, but this one is best suited for light applications of face powder and bronzer.
I paid 9900 YEN for this brush, so I don’t know when there will be another deal quite like it. However, the link for it can be found HERE.
Eihodo NO.400 Powder Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 150mm / 5.9 in
Hair Length: 50mm / 1.97 in
Hair Width: *40mm / 1.57 in
Bristle Type: Saikoho Goat
This brush is so unexpectedly soft and plush feeling! I love the ferrule color chosen for this, which reminds me of the Chikuhodo MK-KO. Per usual with the outlet brushes from CDJapan, I can’t find any flaws.
The brush is ovular shaped, not perfectly round. The head tapers to a smaller point so that I can apply bronzer to the perimeter of my face with the tips using short sweeping strokes. However, when I’m using it to apply face powder, I press it down parallel to the pan so that product gets covered on one side, and then I use sweeping motions across the face. This brush has such a wide splay that I lose a bit of control of the placement if I try circular buffing around smaller areas. That’s why I still end up using sweeping or pouncing motions so that the hair moves in the same direction and it gives that soft cushioned feel while I’m applying product. Because I have my favorite powder bronzer brushes already, I use it as intended as an all-over face powder brush. It feels very airy, but it can pick up a sizeable amount of product, so I wouldn’t say this is for someone who wants the barest veil of powder (like someone could get from a squirrel brush). This gives medium pressure buffing and the amount of hair in this brush makes it feel a little more dense and tighter packed than it feels on the skin in practice.
This brush was absolutely worth the 6600 YEN I paid and was available HERE. Sometimes they restock sold out outlet brushes. Sometimes Eihodo puts the same brush heads on a different color ferrule and/or handle, so I hope anyone interested in this brush will still be able to get their hands on it somehow. It’s very nice!
Eihodo NO.446 Blush Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 143mm / 5.63 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.47 in
Hair Width: *30mm / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel / Goat Sokoho
I actually forgot this brush had mixed hair because mine feels fully squirrel-filled. This brush is lightly packed and that aspect, combined with the chosen hair length and low to medium amount of pickup, aids in giving sheer washes of product. It’s useful to ensure that pigmented powders won’t be overapplied and can be built up slowly. It’s also best to use it with loose powders or ones that aren’t hard pressed. For my preferences, I only find this brush convenient to use with blush since it’s too small to satisfy me as a powder brush and gives too light of an application with my most used bronzers.
I paid 3700 YEN for this brush and it was available HERE.
Eihodo No. 844 Powder Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 140mm / 5.5 in
Hair Length: 53mm / 2.09 in
Hair Width: *38mm / 1.5 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel / Goat Sokoho
This has one of the most uniquely shaped brush heads in my collection. From the base to the tip, the widest part is about three quarts of the way up, on one side, before forming a rounded top. The other side is widest at around the halfway point and then angles gently, getting smaller toward the top. When I pick up product along the angled side, the majority of product collects lower down and has less product in the tip area. In the demonstration photo below, I purposely rubbed my brush vigorously into the powder in order to show how heavily it can get coated in one particular spot, whereas there’s a light application’s worth on the longest section.
I make sure to start wherever I want powder to be applied most concentrated and press that part of the brush to my skin and then drag the brush along that angle in long sweeps. Because this brush is not dense, I get an airy looking application. I can use this with pigmented bronzers to apply product lightly. I can use this to build up blush. However, I’ve been using it mostly to apply face powder for products that need to be set down. The sokoho hair within this brush is good for that, though it might be tough on the grey squirrel strands long term. It’s a risk I’m willing to take since it wasn’t expensive and I enjoy the softness of this brush.
This brush is huge for eyeshadow use! The bristles are longer than most brushes I see in this shape (as long or even longer than many fluffy crease blending brushes). It’s also wider too, making it too imprecise for my liking. Someone can use it to quickly cover the eye area for a one-and-done eyeshadow look. However, I actually bought it to use with highlighters! I wanted a brush that could pick up even hard pressed powder highlighters, and small enough to fit into products with multiple colors next to each other without mixing into other shades (such as the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi-glow highlighter). Even though it’s a bit imprecise for my eye area, it’s small enough that I can control highlighter placement. So, I’ve been enjoying this brush for that purpose. I still don’t use it more than my holy grail Bisyodo CH-HC brush, but it’s still useful for the second purpose: nose contour. It works perfectly for the sides of my nose, though it’s a bit wide for the bulbous part of my nose (the tip). I just have to put more effort to use the brush carefully there, so it gets the job done. Essentially, this brush is a temporary replacement when my favorites for highlighter or nose contour need to be cleaned. So, it gets a decent amount of use in my collection, just in shorter stints.
Koyudo Makie Gray Squirrel Powder Cherry Blossom Red
Full Length: 140mm / 5.5 in
Hair Length: 50mm / 1.97 in
Hair Width: *47mm / 1.85 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel
I have only ever used this brush for face powder purposes because it’s the most expensive (at full retail price) brush I own and I don’t want to risk damaging it from rough usage. This is a brush I coveted for so long because it was always out of my price range, so I immediately jumped when it became available during CDJapan’s brush sale at the end of 2022. I didn’t even want to use it to set wet products, so it became a finishing brush for me just long enough to test out, and then it returned to being just a collector’s piece.
The hair feels super silky. There’s enough hair to understand it being expensive (though I believe the majority of that is for the maki-e handle), but it’s not as full as I expected or hoped. It’s not dense. It has a light airy feeling to it and is luxurious when used across the skin. In my opinion, this is an “experience” and “for show” brush more than an everyday one for practical usage. That’s just my opinion considering how delicate the hairs are and my makeup needs. I’m absolutely happy to own it, but I could never recommend it, except to those for whom price is no issue.
I paid 18,000 YEN for this brush that was regularly sold at 30,000 YEN and was available HERE. On rare occasions, this brush comes back in stock in limited quantities, so I don’t know when or if it will return.
Koyudo Saikoho 3D Powder Brush Black Gradation Ver. Black [No Logo]
Full Length: 130-136mm / 5.12-5.35 in
Hair Length: 45-51mm / 1.77-2 in
Hair Width: *43mm / 1.69 in
Bristle Type: Saikoho Goat
I “blame” Tina for wanting this brush. I prefer long handles, so this hadn’t appealed to me prior to seeing her video. When the brand released the gorgeous dyed tips versions, I had to get it! The hair on this brush is so soft. It’s a huge version of cat-paw shaped brushes, which I tend to like. I love the way the contours of this brush hugs my face when applying powder. It can be used to set the face, but I typically use it as a finishing powder brush to smooth everything out.
As a 3D brush, there are zones A, B, and C that they say this brush can be utilized (photos are on the website). I can use smaller 3D brushes to apply highlighter from zone C and bronzer or contour with zone A and blush along the unmarked slanted edge between A and C. For a brush this large though, I agree with being able to use zone A for bronzer and contour but I personally have not tried it. Also, I haven’t ever used zone B no matter what size the brush was. It just doesn’t come naturally to me to think to use that section.
Because this brush is considered precious to me, and I did not want to travel with all my most precious brushes at one time in case my luggage got lost, I left this one behind. I was more prone to leaving powder brushes behind since I use them less often than other styles since I have dry skin and don’t always powder my face. However, I can attest to missing it sorely! If it ever comes back in stock, I recommend getting it!
I paid 5950 YEN for it. The link for it was HERE. The non-outlet version for 8000 YEN was HERE.
Koyudo Blush Brush [No Logo]
Full Length: 155mm / 6.1 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.57 in
Hair Width: *30mm / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel and Goat
The hair blend reminded me instantly of Koyudo’s discontinued Premium Series, which I was unable to ever purchase, so that prompted me to want to buy this one. It is such a beautiful brush with the shiny lacquer black handles. I believe the labeled version of this brush is called the Koyudo Monochrome Cheek Brush and came in black and white handle versions via the Fude Beauty website. I’m not sure why CDJapan only had unlabeled ones (that still came in a black Koyudo box), especially for the same price as the ones from Fude Beauty. In any case, I still preferred being able to buy this beauty from CDJapan because of points I had accumulated there.
When I posted this brush on Instagram, I was asked how it compares to Hakuhodo’s mix of Gray Squirrel and Goat. Hakuhodo’s mix feels softer because I believe the quality of their goat hair is higher than what Koyudo used. However, I am still very happy with this brush’s softness level. It can be used for bronzer around the perimeters of the face, but I prefer using this mostly for applying and buffing blush. If I need to buff a less blendable bronzer (ones that aren’t within my top 20), then this brush is extra useful for that as well. It has strength from the goat and picks up a nice amount of product, but diffuses beautifully. That’s why I like it with blush as well, for managing to produce a semi-airy effect considering it’s not bundled in an airy fashion. It starts off with a medium application of product rather than light or sheer, while maintaining the look of being well blended. This also makes a fantastic finishing powder buffer brush for someone who prefers a large (but not jumbo), controlled shape.
Owning this brush is like having a backup Sonia G Master Face brush, only softer with slightly longer hair, a wider splay, and a little less dense.
I love ball/pom shaped brushes. These two are a few of the larger sized ones in my collection. I grew to like the Master Face over time, but I like this one from Koyudo even more. Besides the aspects that I like more, factoring in the increased price for the Master Face, it makes it easier to recommend this one over Sonia’s (which is a rare thing for me to say).
This brush restocked a few times, so it’s possible it could come back. I paid 13,300 YEN for it from HERE. At the time that I’m posting this, it’s out of stock at other retailers too.
Koyudo Blush Brush Black Flat Handle [Outlet, No Logo]
Full Length: 165mm / 6.5 in
Hair Length: 50mm / 2 in
Hair Width: *44mm / 1.73 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel/Goat
This brush is so fantastic and I loved it so much that I ended up purchasing two more to gift to loved ones. It feels wonderful to the touch and across the skin. The goat gives the brush a little resistance, making it great to pick up some firmer pressed products. It’s a medium density brush that despite having such long hairs isn’t floppy. It’s not a workhorse brush, but it blends very well during the application process. It’s a good middle ground between softness of squirrel, with only slightly less silky feeling hair and pickup power capabilities of goat. I love that they added these angled tips on both sides for a more pigmented approach to a powder brush.
It’s great for powder foundation (not that I use powder foundation very often), setting and especially finishing powder, bronzer/contour, and blush. With blush application, I use it a little more carefully due to the width since the angled edge prevents me from needing to worry about it getting dragged down too far. I can sweep on the perfect amount of blush I want. For bronzer, I mentioned in the Sonia G section that I have my top two favorites. This is another brush I love for bronzing purposes, but I do admittedly own some that I like for that better. This is beloved as a finishing powder brush and one that I also wish I had taken with me. Even though I prefer it to some of my more expensive finishing powder brushes, I simply couldn’t take everything with me when I moved. So, I will be happy to be reunited with this brush when I return to the US for a visit.
I paid 6400 YEN, which was absolutely well worth the price, and I’d have been willing to pay the full 8000 YEN for it HERE.
Koyudo BP019 Blush Brush [Outlet]
Full Length: 162mm / 6.4 in
Hair Length: 37mm / 1.46 in
Hair Width: *34mm / 1.34 in
Bristle Type: Sokoho
This is a classic brush from Koyudo’s discontinued line that I was shocked to see return to the website, even as an outlet brush. I felt compelled to get it because of the unique head shape. It doesn’t say it on the outlet page, but this is one of Koyudo’s “3D series” brushes. It’s listed as being intended for blush, which it’s absolutely well suited for, but it can apply highlighter using the tips. It also makes an interesting bronzer and contour brush when product is picked up along that angled slant. Shape-wise, this brush is fantastic. The only downside is that it’s made with Sokoho hair. Brands like Eihodo and Bisyodo have much softer Sokoho that I can tolerate, but Koyudo’s is too scratchy for me on the face, even though it doesn’t feel like it would be by just touching the tips of the brush.
I don’t know how often I will use this brush, now that the review is completed. I paid 4104 YEN for it from CDJapan. If this ever returns with saikoho hair though, I will absolutely buy one. Anything with the 3D description from Koyudo has my interest, especially if it’s made with a soft hair type like the Saikoho 3D Powder Brush Black Gradation brush.
BISYODO
Bisyodo B-ES-08 Eye Shadow Brush
Full Length: 133mm / 5.24 in
Hair Length: 4mm / 0.16 in
Hair Width: *3mm / 0.12 in
Bristle Type: Tamage
Handle: African Rose Wood
Ferrule: 24KG
This is more of a liner brush, than for eyeshadow, because it’s so tiny! While it gets the job done, I discovered that I prefer more traditionally shaped liner brushes that are thin (and especially if they have an angled edge). Because this is roundly shaped, I end up stamping and slightly dragging the product in short strokes rather than using longer strokes that I can get from a thin flat brush. The hair feels soft to the touch, but it’s firmly bundled with not much movement. The website states that one could use this to darken the outer V, but it’s too small and too firm for my liking. I don’t like how it feels while trying to apply it that way.
What I found this brush to be most useful for is applying shimmers to my inner corner, highlighting under my brow arch, and stamping on color to a specific spot. When I was considering spicing up my wedding makeup look with the tiniest dot of a multichrome eyeshadow in the center of my upper and lower lash lines, this was the smallest size of brush I could use. So, even though I rarely need a brush like this, it can do what no other brush can. That makes it still worth having in my collection.
Hair Width x Thickness: 8.2 x 4.5mm/ 0.32 x 0.18 in
Bristle Type: Pine Squirrel, Raccoon
Handle: African Rose Wood (Bubinga)
Ferrule: 24KG Plated Brass
This brush is an interesting combination of softness from the pine squirrel and added springiness from the raccoon. The hair is firmest in the center and fluffier around the shorter edges where the tips only reach the middle.
This looks like a standard shaped packing brush, just small in size and slightly fluffy. However, when turned to the side, one can see that the middle is the widest part before the hairs taper to a point. This means it doesn’t pick up as much product as I expected, just on the tips which isn’t that much surface area. It’s good for lightly picking up and blending eyeshadow in one spot, but it’s too small to work across larger zones, like the crease for instance. So, instead, it’s nice to use for deepening and blending out shadows in the outer corner. It’s also good for blending different shades next to each other for a seamless ombre look.
I paid 4000 YEN for this brush and it’s available HERE.
Bisyodo B-ES-11 Eyeshadow Brush (Triangle)
Full Length: 149mm / 5.87 in
Hair Length: 18mm / 0.71 in
Hair Width x Thickness: 12.3 x 6mm/ 0.48 x 0.24 in
Bristle Type: Fox, Raccoon
Handle: African Rose Wood (Bubinga)
Ferrule: 24KG Plated Brass
This brush is good for laying down both mattes and shimmers since it has a nice grip on product. It blends out color well for those with larger eye space, is good for applying crease eyeshadow from the tips or when the brush is used turned on its side. It can also be used for targeted highlighting and nose contouring. The point formed by the tips and firmness of the bristles allow me to apply shimmer to my inner corners without needing to switch to a smaller brush. It’s a soft brush, but the tanuki hair might be too abrasive for people with super sensitive eyes. However, it’s still softer Kolinsky, so I don’t think most people will have issues. My brushes closest to this shape are better for building up color gradually, so it’s nice to have an option that’ll pick up firmer pressed products and deposit it more heavily if I want to build eyeshadow quicker.
Because of the pointed tip, it reminds me of the Mizuho MB120, but this brush is much firmer and applies product more precisely and more concentrated.
I paid 6500 YEN for it at the time (the prices will increase in October 2024) and it’s available HERE.
MIZUHO
Mizuho MB120 Large Eye Shadow Brush
Full Length: 146mm / 5.75 in
Hair Length: 20mm / 0.79 in
Hair Width: 6mm / 0.24 in
Bristle Type: Pine Squirrel
This is another one-eyeshadow style brush, but even with the pointy tip, I can’t easily get into my inner corners precisely enough. It’s great for picking up matte eyeshadow, but picking up shimmers applies too little to my eye at a time for my taste. It’s better suited for someone who likes a thin veil of shimmer or using topper shimmer eyeshadows. I’ve used this for nose contour and like that I can turn it on the side for creating a little sharpness in terms of applying a thin more concentrated line (medium application) than applying with the flat of the brush that gives a light-medium layer of product. It’s the right amount for blended contour and not an actual opaque line.
This brush reminded me of the Houkodou GS-1 for its size, but it’s not as soft and the GS-1 is better at both applying and blending eyeshadow.
I paid 3500 YEN for this brush and it’s available HERE.
SONIA G
A video of the bristles’ thickness, shape, and so on of the Jumbo Bronzer brush first and then the Smooth Buffer brush after can be found on my Instagram page HERE.
Sonia G Jumbo Bronzer
Full Length: *185mm / 7.3 in
Hair Length: 47mm / 1.85 in
Hair Width: *58mm / 2.3 in
Bristle Type: Dyed Saikoho Goat
I very much appreciate the fact that Sonia was transparent about the bristles of this brush being very soft, but a little less silky than her other saikoho brushes. She cited, “The softness of this saikoho is not going to be super silky because the quality of saikoho with that specific length of bristles has decreased since 10 years ago, while the cost has very much skyrocketed.” To me, this brush is just as good anyway. In fact, from September 2022 until October 2023, it became my favorite brush to use with powder bronzers. After that point, a new brush came into the picture, but they’re tied for first place. I love them both.
This brush is stellar because it’s soft on the skin and holds firm while working in the product, but it has such a gentle splay that it makes things look airbrushed. For such a big brush, the shape of it allows me to get around the edges of my face with more precision than one would expect. It’s a brush for someone who wants to build up bronzer and not have a concentrated application, but wants it applied to a large area so it won’t take as long to do the full face. Basically, it’s perfect for someone like me who doesn’t want a sharp edge (no detectable lines or stripes) without putting in that much time or effort into blending.
Although I only ever use this brush with bronzer, the softness on the skin and overall shape makes this a great finishing face powder brush as well, to blend everything together.
The comparison photo on the left is of the Chikuhodo FO-9, one of my biggest face brushes. These are similar in size, but the Jumbo Bronzer brush is denser and therefore feels firmer as it glides across the skin. The FO-9 is my main finishing powder brush of choice (when not using the Dior Powder No-Powder), so that’s why the Jumbo Bronzer is one of my two main powder bronzer brushes. The photo on the right is a comparison of this brush with the Sonia G Cheek Pro. That is one of my favorite brushes, so it makes even more sense why I love this brush too, considering it’s basically a gigantic version of that one. Although I use the Cheek Pro exclusively for blushes, there have been a few times I’ve used it with bronzer when the others needed to be cleaned.
Sonia G Smooth Buffer
Full Length: 166mm / 6.53 in
Hair Length: 26mm / 1.02 in
Hair Width: *38mm / 1.5 in
Bristle Type: Dyed Saikoho Goat
As much as I love the Jumbo Bronzer brush, it’s too big for some of my products. For instance, I can’t use that brush with my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palettes that have highlighters and blushes next to the bronzers. That’s where this brush comes into the picture. The surface area of this brush is still big, to the point where I still have to be careful how I angle it when I use it with the Hourglass palettes, but at least it works. It picks up a good amount of product and buffs well. The outer edge of hair within the brush isn’t as tightly packed as the core, so that can help with achieving a dispersed airier finish despite there not being as much bending or splaying while being buffed in. So, it has the buffing power of a firm brush while giving close to airbrushed results on the face, and packing on quite a bit of pigment at the same time. This cuts down the time I have to spend building up sheer or lightly pigmented products. For that reason, I like using this brush with blushes just as much as bronzer. For bronzer, I tend to use long swiping/sweeping motions around the perimeter, but with blushes I pounce it on or buff in circular motions. Both techniques work just as well.
For comparison purposes, the Chikuhodo FO-2 is denser, has shorter hair, and a smaller surface area. For quite a while now, I started using that brush exclusively for the Dior Powder No-Powder. So, the Smooth Buffer has become my flat-top brush of choice instead. I could use it to buff face powder as well, but my preference for face setting powder is a large airy brush since my dry skin doesn’t need more than a thin layer of product, if at all. With finishing powders, I can apply them a little heavier, but I still don’t prefer to use this brush for that.
I have to add that if you have sensitive skin, even though this brush has saikoho hair, it can feel a little more abrasive than other Sonia G face brushes. Perhaps it’s due to the “newer” long hair quality or the general nature of flat-top brushes with added pressure. Maybe it’s even a combination of both. I bought my brush in October 2022, so it didn’t come from the original stock that was launched in 2020. That being said, I started to notice the occasional poking feeling (it’s not every time, mostly just when I’m in a rush and buffing roughly) around four months ago. So, it’s also possible a few tips on my brush have snapped from admittedly hard use over time. I can’t feel anything but softness when I rub my fingers across the surface of the tips. It’s only when it’s on my actual cheek that I can feel it sometimes.
Sonia G Fusion Eye Jumbo Worker
Full Length: 155mm / 6.1 in
Hair Length: 20mm / 0.79 in
Hair Width: *20mm / 0.79 in
Bristle Type: goat and synthetic
I’ve used this for concealer, but it’s a bit large for that and looser than my beloved Sonia G Jumbo Concealer brush. More specifically, it’s dense due to how many bristles are bundled together, but it splays a lot more around the outsides. This brush will not be replacing it.
I’ve used this to set powder under my eyes. The Real Techniques Setting Brush has been my ultimate choice for that purpose for so many years now. This might be my next favorite (after the Real Techniques Brightening Concealer/Kitten Paw Brush), as it feels super soft and plush under the eyes, but the extra density (medium versus light) helps to further press the powder into the skin.
I’ve used it to blend out the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Tint that I use as if it’s a cream highlighter. It works, but I prefer other brushes because this one takes longer to blend the edges. It’s much easier using this brush with powder highlighter, such as the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi-Glow Highlighter.
When it comes to cream bronzer use, I prefer the Sonia G Mini Base over this one because the Jumbo Worker doesn’t pick up nor deposit as much to the face. Considering it’s smaller than my holy grail cream bronzer brush (Patrick Ta’s Contour 1 Brush), it takes too much time to build up what I can get from the PT brush in the first pass around the face. With the Mini Base, it’s useful for when I’m looking for a pigmented yet softer looking application instead of a sharper one, whereas the Jumbo Worker is too gentle.
Where the Jumbo Worker has the advantage is with blushes. I didn’t think it could top the Mini Base, which I have loved for cream and liquid blushes since early 2021. However, I think the Jumbo Worker might be doing that! The Mini Base gives maximum color payoff that can be smoothed and blended out to a sheerer more natural look. The Jumbo Worker gives less color, but still a good amount, that allows for more control in actually building it up. The finished result is a smooth seamless blend onto the cheeks, and quite fast considering it’s tiny for a blush brush! For lighter colors, I would still reach for the Mini Base, but with darker or more pigmented liquid and cream blushes, I would use the Jumbo Worker. Another example is that when I’ve used the limited edition shade Rust from Glossier’s Cloud Paints, the mini tube squeezes out too much product and I end up having to wipe some away or I end up with a heavier application of it with the Mini Base. With the Jumbo Worker though, it’s perfect. It took some of the excess away and left me with a look that was so natural, exactly as I wanted! This brush also has the advantage of applying powder blush beautifully as well, but I don’t like using the Mini Base with powder. I think it’s due to the Jumbo Worker’s shape having more of a splay with diffuses the powder a lot better.
I admittedly have not tried to use this brush with foundation, even though Sonia G has mentioned that it’s a possibility with this brush. I’m too impatient and prefer large base brushes. And even though I knew I wouldn’t like it, I had to test this with liquid eyeshadow, since this is technically an eyeshadow brush. As predicted, it’s just too huge for my eye area. It brings eyeshadow too high up to look flattering for my eye shape. It fits into the socket well, but some of the shadow gets on the inner lower lash line too because of its size. It also diffuses the eyeshadow too much for my liking, leaving me with a non-opaque application. Someone who wants to have a big wash of color on the eyes would enjoy this brush though.
So overall, this brush is super versatile and would be fantastic to take traveling. I didn’t like it in the beginning, but after figuring out so many great ways to use it, especially with blush, I love it now.
Sonia G Fusion Eye Builder
Full Length: 150mm / 5.9 in
Hair Length: 10mm / 0.39 in
Hair Width: *11mm / 0.43 in
Bristle Type: goat and synthetic
Since the Builder Three (which this brush is intended to be similar to) and Builder Pro are among my all time favorite eye brushes, it made sense that I would be interested in trying a version intended for creams and liquids. The few liquid eyeshadow formulas I have are fantastic, so it’s not a surprise to say that my eyeshadow looked nicely smoothed out after being applied with the Fusion Builder. In addition, this brush got into the inner corners easily, which is definitely impressive, and the edges were blended super well without harsh lines either. I’ve been using the Singe Beauty brushes for this purpose, but this brush does the job better and faster, all while feeling gentler on the eyes.
When it comes to using this brush with powder products, I definitely prefer the Builder Three because it’s the tiniest bit fuller and the way it moves in the crease feels nicer. The Fusion Builder is a bit stiffer, so it doesn’t glide around the contours of the eye with as much ease. One of the benefits of this though is that it picks up harder pressed products better. The black shade in one of my Guerlain quads is notoriously difficult to pick up on a brush and is still not great even with a finger. However, I could get more of it into my brush and onto my outer corners better with this than any other natural hair brush (which I assume is thanks to the synthetic bristles within it).
The Fusion Builder is the left one in each photo. The Builder Three is on the right side of each.
I prefer to use a smaller brush for my lower lash line, but if I wanted to, I have even more control applying eyeshadow there with the Fusion Builder over the Builder Three. I still don’t think I’ll use this with powder eyeshadows, but this will be my go-to brush for liquid and cream eyeshadows instead.
Sonia G The Traditions Holiday Trio
Traditions S1
Full Length: 148mm / 5.83 in
Hair Length: 8mm / 0.3 in
Hair Width: *6mm / 0.24 in
Bristle Type: Yellow Canadian Squirrel
Considering this is a squirrel brush, I was impressed by how much eyeshadow can be picked up and deposited with this brush. It even worked well when I used it with Natasha Denona’s cream-to-powder eyeshadows. I gather up the product and deposit it precisely where I want it to be before switching to larger brush to blend the powder in. Due to its flat shape, it works well for precision application of eyeshadow to my lower lash line. The softness of the hair guarantees a pleasant experience for that delicate area.
When I’m doing an eye look with multiple shimmer shades on the lid and want to blend them into each other to create a fake multi-chrome type of look, it’s particularly good for that. Blending the shimmers into each other nearer to the inner corner and not getting the outer corner messy is harder to do with the fingers, so this brush has a leg up in that regard.
Sonia G Traditions S1 compared to the Surratt Artistique Classique Shadow Brush Petite
Traditions S2
Full Length: 154mm / 6.06 in
Hair Length: 14mm / 0.55 in
Hair Width: *10mm / 0.39 in
Bristle Type: Yellow Canadian Squirrel
This is suited for building up gradual intensity of eyeshadow, but to larger areas at once. It’s relatively thin, whereas I prefer thicker packing brushes. Sonia G already has brushes suited to my style in the form of the Builder Three and Builder Pro, so this still fills a void in her line. Because of its medium size, it can be a one-and-done eyeshadow brush for someone with smaller eyes.
Comparison to the Houkodou GS-2
Traditions 3
Full Length: 155mm / 6.1 in
Hair Length: 15mm / 0.59 in
Hair Width: *8mm / 0.3 in
Bristle Type: White Canadian Squirrel
The way this is tapered, plus the hair type, gives a diffused application to a smaller area than a more traditionally shaped fluffy blender brush would. This makes it handy in the crease for more intricate looks layering multiple eyeshadows while keeping them distinguishable in the gradient, though the amount that gets picked up on the hair and the spring of the bristles won’t apply things completely opaquely on the first attempt. That might be a good thing for those preferring to build up eyeshadow. In my case, I like it more for use in the outer corner since that’s a spot I would use a darker eyeshadow and want to be more careful about how heavy the pigmentation is. Even though it’s useful there, my preference is still a smaller brush such as my holy grail Sonia G Mini Booster.
So, overall, this collection has its uses. It’s less functional for my particular style of makeup application, but I still wanted this as a Fude collector. The handles are beautiful and the hairs are not easily sourced. So, these are more for my enjoyment of just owning them.
That’s all for now! I’m so sorry it took a year to post between Fude 5 and Fude 6. I tried to make it quicker to get out Fude 7, but it still took a long time. Fude 8 is in the works, and I do believe I can get it posted sooner, though it will likely be several more months again. Please consider following this blog so you can be notified as soon as it comes out. I do also post photos on Instagram of new brushes, and sometimes give a first impression. More thorough reviews are exclusive to this blog though.
I hope you have a great day! Thank you for your continued patience.
I’m not sure what else to call what’s going on with the Wayne Goss beauty line except a “relaunch,” since none of his previous brushes are available for purchase. On his YouTube page, he has discussed past financial and business mishaps with his brand, whereas now he has his own website and continues to partner with the retailer Beautylish. He promised that many brushes his customers loved in the past will eventually return, but this year he started off with launching the First Edition Collection. Those are the Saikoho goat hair artisan brushes. Next, he launched the White Gold Collection which are not Japanese handmade brushes, but he assured fans that the chosen manufacturer makes top of the line synthetic brushes. Today, I will be sharing my thoughts about both collections.
DISCLOSURE: All brushes discussed today were purchased by me with my own money.This review contains only one affiliate link.Non-highlighted links in bold blue font (Example) are standard non-affiliate links. The link marked in bold black font with a light blue background (Example) is the affiliate link. Affiliate links allow me to get a commission if purchases are made directly using my link. Whether you click to shop through them or not, I appreciate you visiting and I hope you find the information I’ve provided to be helpful!
The White Gold Collection
I’m going to start off by saying that I believe the purpose of this line is to provide pretty looking brushes at a relatively affordable price. His sets contain useful shapes and is great for someone with a small brush collection with a lot of needs to fill. I think this line will be less impressive to the experienced fude lovers because I don’t see how these are more special than other synthetics I own. Granted, a lot of the synthetics I use are more expensive than his, like Smashbox, Patrick Ta, Scott Barnes, etc. So, I respect what he’s done in giving more functional shapes at prices that are competitive with mid-range synthetic brush brands, and certainly less expensive than brushes from luxury brands usually cost.
I acknowledge that I am not the target customer for this line because I prefer natural hair brushes and I already have pretty much all the synthetic brushes I need. For new synthetics to remain in my collection, they must be practically tailored to my face shape and to my preferences for how I like to apply my makeup. Japanese-made synthetic brushes tend to cost nearly the same amount as their goat hair brushes. Considering Wayne and I seem to share the same sentiment that synthetic artisan brushes just aren’t worth the price, despite how far the technology has come to mimic natural hair, I was curious to see what he considered a worthy alternative. So, I had to try some out for myself!
#2 Angled Cheek Brush – Intended for Bronzer/Contour, Blush, and Highlighter
With bronzer, this worked beautifully. This brush has medium density and splays a bit when pressed into the skin, which helps to diffuse the product. When using a brush in this shape (such as the Sonia Kashuk Starstruck Angled brush), I usually put cream bronzer on the thickest part, towards the back where the brush starts angling upward, but this isn’t packed firm enough there to stamp into the hollows of my cheeks. So, I prefer to dip the brush into bronzer along the angled edge and pounce it around the perimeter of my face while it diffuses from the splay and gives me a light-medium even application. I apply bronzer with this brush in this way no matter if it’s a powder or cream formula. This brush is suited for someone who wants to cover a big area quickly, but maintain control of how much product is built up at a time. The angle also allows some amount of precision application. It’s not a small concentrated application, but also not a large airy one either.
With blush, it didn’t feel intuitive to swirl or sweep. Tapping/Pouncing it along the cheeks works great. The end result looks well blended, smooth, and diffused. It also feels very pleasant on the skin because of how soft and bouncy the fibers are.
For Foundation, this does the job well enough. Since these bristles don’t have the slick slippery feeling to them (the slipperiness being something I don’t like from a lot of synthetic brushes), this has a little more grip on the skin and therefore doesn’t glide across my skin with ease. Instead, it works better when I use short quick sweeping strokes across my face. The large surface area at least let me finish covering my face quickly, but I can see why it wasn’t advertised for this purpose. When I use foundation brushes in this shape, I expect it to be ultra dense like the Smashbox Full Coverage Brush or the Sonia Kashuk one I mentioned. The longer hairs and the way it splays lends itself more to suiting someone who likes buildable face products and is uninterested in full coverage makeup.
Yes, this works for highlighter as listed within the product description on the website, but it feels strange to hold it in the necessary position for me to apply it precisely. I’d rather use a dedicated highlighter brush, although that extra function makes this a great travel brush since it’s so multipurpose.
#6 Fan Brush – Intended for Highlighter and Blush
The original natural hair WG 15 Fan Brush set the bar for all other fan brushes. When I use that one, it picks up my Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi-Glow highlighter with ease, but with the new #6, it can’t pick up that much even when I rub it vigorously into the pan. I actually preferred using Brush #2 for highlighter over this one! Most of my favorite highlighters are in a baked gelee formula that are picked up easier with my goat hair brushes. The amount of highlighter I manage to get on the bristles of #6 blends well, but this brush is easier to use with looser pressed highlighters. This one is helpful to apply a semi sheer layer of an intense highlighter, like the Fenty Demi’Glow.
When I try to tap the brush and rub it into the product, the strands bend too much and don’t dig into the product enough. Maybe I need to adjust the pressure I use and work it at a different angle to get it to pick up more, but I wanted this to perform like the original natural hair fan brush, so changing my application method from how I use that one isn’t intuitive. This synthetic brush is similar in size and shape, but wispier than the original.
Also, when I got this brush, one strand came out and two strands were longer than the others. I resorted to plucking them out rather than cutting them. So, I wasn’t too pleased about that. Regarding using this brush for sheer blush applications, I started to test out that technique and then stopped. It was far too tedious and felt unnecessary for me because not getting enough pigment from a blush is way more prone to happen to me than needing to sheer one out. So, this brush can be used for adding a whisper of blush, but I’m more likely to just grab a normal-sized cheek brush to get similar results much quicker.
Honestly, I could have skipped getting this brush.
#7 Hooded Eye Brush – Intended for Blending and Packing on Eyeshadow, plus Concealer Use
I tried this first with concealer. It blended it in very nicely, but it’s for someone who likes a thin layer, as opposed to me who is used to the Sonia G Jumbo Concealer Brush who wants to pack on product and get maximum coverage.
This brush gets into corners nicely since the bristles are long, flexible, and splay a bit without going into the category of being floppy. This allowed it to work great for nose contouring because it diffuses while being worked into the skin. I also tried this with eyeshadows. Again, this brush is more for diffusing. It picks up a lot of product, but it doesn’t pack it on intensely enough for my preference. In the comparison pic, it’s next to the Sephora 71 brush purely to show a size comparison. It’s a big brush to use on the eyes, which is ironic since it’s being marketed to those with hooded eyes. Hooded eye brushes tend to be smaller, but I think it’s in this category because of how well it gets into crevices and is gentle on the skin.
For eye primer application, it doesn’t feel firm enough to blend such a thick product and flops around. Diffusing can be good, as to not use too much product on the eyelids, but I feel it takes too much away.
#15 Push Liner Brush – Intended for Liner and Brow Use
For starters, this brush feels gentle when pressed along the lash line, but it’s very firm and tightly bundled, which can be felt when I run my finger across the bristles. It doesn’t bend as much either.
It’s a bit wider than I’m used to, so it can be little tricky to use in my inner corners as I line my eyes with powder eyeshadow, but I can manage. I also use this to highlight under my brow arch. For cleaning up the edges of eyeshadow with concealer, this brush applies it sharply. However, it’s hard to then blend it and spread it with that same brush. I prefer using a brush that I can complete both tasks with such as the Wayne Goss 08 from his original line prior to this year.
I have not tried to use this with brow products since I currently have no brow pot products. I also don’t have pot eyeliners with me. I have tried to line my eyes with a cream-to-powder eyeshadow though and it worked. I could create a nice sharp line. So, I expect it should have no issues with gels, actual creams, or liquids.
The Push Liner brush can be used as a lip brush as well, but I’m not interested in using it this way. This brush has practical use, but doesn’t seem different from any other synthetic liner brush, excluding the fact that it’s one of the widest in my collection. Perhaps someone else would like that attribute.
When it comes to washing these, I only had trouble with 7 and 15 that came in contact with my KVD Good Apple Concealer. I had to wash it 3 times to get the brown out. So, if you like keeping your white brushes spotless, be mindful of what products you use with them and the intensity of the pigments. I don’t have my usual cleaning arsenal at my disposal, just the Beautyblender Pro Soap. Also, these brushes don’t bloom after being washed, which is to be expected of synthetic fibers. The size they are upon being removed from packaging is the size they should stay. I just wanted to add this note because I’m so used to using natural hair brushes that I almost forgot this fact myself.
I purchased the UNITS 305 Highlighter Brush because I wanted to see how it compared to Wayne’s line. Visually, the bristles are a slightly darker whitish color. The ferrules are rose gold compared to the yellow gold color of Wayne’s brushes. I chose the 305 brush specifically because I figured it was more fair to compare something whispy to the fan brush, and the other Units brushes on the Beautylish website looked too different in shape from the WG brushes. The Units brush has strands that are slightly silkier. It’s like Units ones feel softer but slightly more synthetic whereas Wayne’s feel like they’re intentionally less silky to be able to mimic the sturdiness of goat. I’m curious to see what other UNITS brushes are like, but I have no need for more synthetic brushes.
In addition, the extra crimping between the ferrule base and the handle, plus the thickness of WG’s handles and rounded shape make them feel a little more luxurious and substantial. Holding the UNITS brush feels like holding a pencil.
Another side note is that this brush reminds me of the Wayne Goss Air Brush, just slightly smaller in width and thickness besides also being synthetic.
For someone looking for a special experience, that’s what Wayne’s natural hair line is for. I think these are nice quality synthetic brushes, and I don’t think there’s any harm in recommending someone try out a few. However, I can’t pretend that they’re super unique or vastly different from others I’ve tried. Perhaps if they were more suited to my preferences, I would be a lot more excited about them, and I can see how other people would be thrilled with these.
Lastly, I find it interesting that these brushes are less expensive than the First Edition line, but they come much more securely packaged. Each brush comes in their own box with a thin plastic holder that is fitted to hold that specific brush. It has an additional plastic sleeve over the bristles, although the fan brush came in a thicker plastic fan shaped guard, and the large angled face brush was in one of those mesh looking plastic brush guards. It further drives home my assumption that Wayne wanted to provide a luxury experience even though the brushes cost less than his other line.
The First Edition
I’m just going to acknowledge the long-standing rumor that Hakuhodo used to make Wayne’s original brush line. I personally have a hunch that even if they were before, I don’t believe they are anymore. That being said, this line of brushes has hair that is even softer than the original ones. I think Hakuhodo fans will still like Wayne Goss brush quality and shapes. Considering how high Hakuhodo has marked up their own goat hair brushes, while still mixing the majority of them with synthetic fibers, I believe Wayne Goss’ brushes have become the better option. Well, at least with some of them!
F2 Cheek Brush
This shape is my favorite type for blush. The F2 feels amazing and is even softer than my number 13 from the original line. The downside is it still sheds just as much! It actually didn’t shed in the first five uses, but after that it kept happening even after being washed several times by now. I lose about 2-4 hairs with each use, which got to the point when after several months I just stopped using it altogether. The shedding issue seems to be a trait of this particular shape and how it’s bundled. It happens with the F2, happened to the extremely similar Wayne Goss (original) 13, and even what I call the dupe from Rephr (number 37). My recommendations for ones that don’t shed on me at an abnormal rate are the Hakuhodo J210 and Chikuhodo T-4.
F3 Powder Brush
This is a fairly big brush, but fantastic. It blends everything well. It’s super soft and, just like the F2, it feels softer than my other WG goat brushes. It produces a normal amount of shedding, meaning I’ve probably lost up to 5 hairs in the initial few uses and washes, but now it’s only every so often that I’ll lose one. It doesn’t have an exact dupe (from what I can tell) from the original line, but it’s almost a mix between his Artist Large and original 00 Holiday brush since it tapers towards the top, but is a bit more rounded rather than pointy towards the tip.
I’ve continued to have this brush in my rotation since November 2023 and use it mainly for bronzing and contouring. The way that if fluffs around the widest part picks up the perfect amount of product for laying down the color, but not depositing it all at once. It builds as it continues to be worked back and forth. The brush gives an airy effect without being too widely dispersed on the skin.
This works nicely as well for targeted face powder application and with blush. However, I still really love it particularly for contouring. The F3 is what gives me hope that the rest of the Fundamental face brushes are great and in line with WG original brushes and quality. I know my own preferences. The only reason I haven’t purchased more is because I have less use for the other face brush shapes, and the eye brush ones aren’t my style either. Wayne mentioned some of his original brushes may return in a different form, and I am hoping that means the Air Brush will be back! I would also be tempted to get another natural hair fan brush, not the synthetic one. More reviews for past Wayne Goss brushes can be found on this list with links HERE.
That’s everything! Thank you for checking out this review!
The photo above demonstrates some of the various stages that I was testing different makeup products and practicing techniques in the weeks prior to the wedding. The very first example is what I would consider my typical amount of makeup, versus the last photo where I put in way more effort with a ton of extra steps that were necessary to create the look I envisioned for myself.
In Part 1, I explained which strategies I chose and showed the specific makeup products used. In Part 2, I’m going into greater detail listing the actual order of the steps I took. That includes all the details about the eyeshadows that I left out of the previous wedding post. I will also include photos of alternative wedding/special occasion looks in both the cold winter theme, classic looks, and a few colorful ones now that we’re in spring.
The makeup artists were upfront about either not being available on the day of the wedding or not having their own products to match me. I was a bit nervous about having to do it on my own, considering I’m just a makeup enthusiast, but many loved ones reassured me that I knew my own face better than anyone else and they were confident I could pull it off. I hope that this post will be inspiring to anyone else in a similar situation where you have an important event coming up and aren’t sure where to start or would just like to see extra ideas.
My Wedding Makeup Step-By-Step
First, I applied skincare (and this would normally include sunscreen though I skipped it), allowing ample time for everything to absorb in the skin before moving onto applying primer(s).
I then applied color correctors to the spots I have discoloration, put on the liquid contour for my nose and under the cheeks, and added liquid blush. I left them only halfway blended since the foundation would go over everything anyway as part of the underpainting technique.
I made a mixture of foundation shades and applied it to the outer perimeter of my face. The lighter foundation color, I applied to the central zone of my face.
The eye primer came next before I filled in my brows with my brow pencil of choice.
I applied my skin tone shade of concealer to my under eyes and areas of discoloration. I applied a combination of my skin tone shade and a lighter color to my under eye area again, the bridge of my nose, center of my forehead, and chin. I use the lighter concealer color alone to highlight under my eyebrows.
After setting those concealer areas with powder, I did a first round of setting spray to lock those in.
In the photo series above, I saved my eye makeup for last, but I switched the order on the day of the wedding to do the eye makeup next in case I had a mishap with eyeliner, if mascara got on the lids, etc.
1. First, I applied Viseart’s Illusion shade from the Peridot quad under my brows on top of where I laid down the lighter concealer shade.
2. Then I applied Melt’s Rubbish shade from the Rust palette in the space under the Viseart shadow, but above the crease.
3. Next was Melt’s Rust shade from the same palette tightly in the crease, not going past the previous shade.
4. I lightly added Log from Natasha Denona’s Gold Palette, building up the outer corner and moving halfway inward. I chose this placement because of my particular eye shape.
5. I then built up the depth and smokey factor in the outer v area using Xtreme Black from Pat McGrath’s Mothership III: Subversive palette.
6. I smudged the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil along the outer quarter of the lower lash line before using Deep Shade (actual name) from the same PML palette on the rest of the lower lash line.
7. I smoothed on the Nyx Glitter Primer to the empty space on my lids and applied Bronzed Mink from PML’s Bronze Bliss palette to the outer half of the lid, taking care to not cover up the dark shadows in the outer corner.
8. I added Divine Dahlia from PML’s Interstellar Icon Quad on top of Bronze Mink to tone down the warmth of that shade.
9. The next step was picking up Nude Moon from Bronze Bliss on my brush, spraying it with MAC Fix+ and applying it to the inner half of the lids.
10. I placed Skinshow Fever from Mothership III: Subversive in the inner corner, under the brow arch, and the inner third of the lower lash line for highlighting purposes.
11. For extra sparkle, I added Lunar Luxury damp from Bronze Bliss to the inner corner. I applied the waterproof eyeliner to my upper lash line, along with two coats of waterproof mascara to my upper lashes, but only one coat on my lower lashes. Had I used the Clionadh multichrome, I would have placed a small dot that was eyeliner width to the center of the upper lash line.
Going back to my base, I applied powder contour under the cheeks and along my jawline. I applied a cooler toned contour to my nose, and on top of the other contoured spots.
I applied bronzer along my forehead and slightly above the contour under my cheeks.
I used my face powder and the Beautyblender Puff to clean up a small section of my sculpting work without going too far in. Just about one inch inward from my ear.
I applied my intense highlighter to the tops of my cheekbones.
I applied the mixture of powder blushes to my cheeks.
I applied my more subtle highlighters to the top of my cheekbones again, bridge of my nose, above the brows, and any remaining product on the brush to my forehead and chin.
I used my blurring finishing powder in any areas that needed extra blending/blurring.
I lined my lips with the lip liner of choice, filled it in with liquid lipstick, and added a lighter lip product to the center of my lips. During trial sessions, I even added highlighter, but didn’t end up doing it on the wedding day.
I put the leftovers of foundation from my brush and applied it to the spots on my neck that would be seen.
I applied highlighter to my collarbones and shoulders.
Lastly, I finished up with a generous amount of setting spray to my face. Had I remembered, I would have sprayed my neck and the spots I applied body highlighter.
And that’s everything! It’s a lot of steps, but worth the time and effort for one of the most important days of my life!
Just as unexpected problems can arise on important days, unfortunately, nearly every day that I set aside free time has been a dark day. I’ve done my best to play around with artificial light, take photos during the brightest part of the day for natural light, and do some color adjusting with the photos, but I’m dealing with cloudy days constantly over here. Times like these, I miss Florida haha.
Recreation of my Wedding Makeup/Neutral Glam: Used all the products I still have on hand. Photo Setup: (1) In front of an open window on a cloudy day. (2) In a room with warm light and a second cell phone’s flashlight was lit behind the camera. (3) In front of an open window with warm white bulbs overhead.
Here are the additional looks!
Frost Queen: Milky Hydro Grip Primer and Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 10, Hourglass Cosmetics Vanish Airbrush Concealer in Maple and Umber, Chantecaille Perfect Blur Powder in Med/Deep, r.e.m. Beauty Hypernova Satin Matte Bronzer in Cocoa-Nut, REM Beauty Highlighter Topper in Miss Mars, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour), Armani Neo Nude Melting Color Balm in 60 Warm Plum and Hourglass Ambient Light Blush in At Night, ELF Instant Lift Brow Pencil in Deep Brown, Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liner, KVD Full Sleeve Mascara, Juvia’s Place Lip Liner in Brownie, Lisa Eldridge True Velvet Lip Color in Sorcery, Colourpop Hocus Pocus 2 So Glassy Lip in Boys Will Love Me, the eyeshadow shade Memory (Metallic) from the Tati Beauty Textured Neutrals Volume 1 palette, and shades Nowhere, Christmas Eve, and Snowflake from the Oden’s Eye Christmas Eve Palette. Photo Setup: In front of an open window with a warm white bulb overhead on a partly sunny day, but near sundown.
Playful Pinks: Milk Hydro Grip Primer, Nars Light Reflecting Foundation in MD3.3 Caracas, KVD Good Apple Concealers, Huda Faux Filter Corrector in Mango, Nars Soft Matte Advanced Perfecting Powder in High Tide, GloWish Soft Radiance Bronzing Powder in 04 Deep Tan, Dior Backstage Powder No Powder, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour), Dior Rosy Glow Blush in 012 Rosewood and Nabla Skin Glazing in Lola, Pat Mcgrath Labs Skin Fetish: Ultra Glow Highlighter in Divine Rose, Suqqu Treatment Wrapping Lip in 05, Coloured Raine Lip Liner in Decadent, Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in 05, KVD Full Sleeve Mascara, Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner, MAC Fix+, Melt’s eyeshadows from the Gemini II Palette with shades Bela, Sweetheart, Gemalas, and LX Queen, and the Rust palette with shade Antique. Devinah Cosmetics Eyeshadows in shades Empress, Pixy Stix, and Gelicide. Pat Mcgrath Labs’ eyeshadows from the Mothership III: Subversive palette in VR Pink and from the Celestial Nirvana 5 pan Palette in Nude Allure in the shades Mercurial Rose and Coral Kiss. Photo Setup: In front of an open window on a less cloudy day, but during late afternoon hours and a warm white bulb overhead.
Chocolate-Gold Glam: Milk Hydro Grip Primer, Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation in 13.5 and 14, L’Oréal Infallible Full Wear Waterproof Concealer in 415 Honey, Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder in Blondie, Gxve Beauty Check My Glow Multi-Dimensional Illuminating Highlighter in Karat Country, Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Bronzer in Terracotta, Dior Powder No Powder, Chanel Blush Lumiere Illuminating Blush Powder in Brun Roussi, ELF Instant Lift Brow Pencil in Deep Brown, MAC Macstack Mascara, One/Size Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner Pen, Palladio Waterproof Lip Pencil in Coffee, and Kaleidos Cloud Lab Lip Clay in Sienna. Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour and no contouring anywhere else). Viseart’s Illusion shade from the Peridot Quad, Deep Shade (actual name) and Gigabyte from Pat Mcgrath Labs Mothership III: Subversive, Clionadh Cometics’ shade Lux, and Devinah Cosmetics’ shade Ambrosia. Photo Setup: In front of an open window on a less cloudy day with a warm white bulb overhead.
Flower Garden: Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Triclone Skin Tech Foundation in 425 Medium Deep Neutral, Tatcha the Liquid Silk Canvas Fenty We’re Even Concealer in 410 W and 385W, Givenchy Prisme Libre Powder in 5 Popeline Mimosa, Dior Powder No Powder, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (nose contour), Victoria Beckham Matte Bronzing Brick 05 (regular contour), Gucci Bronzer in 04, MAC Glow Play Blush in Peaches N Dreams, Sephora Blush Duo in 02 Peach Blossom, Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Highlighting Duo in Tanlight, Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in 05, L’Oreal Telescopic Lift Macara, Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, Danessa Myricks Infinite Chrome Micropencil Eyeliners in Jade, Amethyst, and Lemon Quartz. Devinah Matte Eyeshadows in Courtney and Meraki, Clionadh Cosmetics Stained Glass Shadows in Mural, Patina, Quest, Noble, and Spire. Coloured Raine Lip Liner in Pine and Suqqu Sheer Matte Lipstick in 112. Photo Setup: In front of an open window with the sun poking out randomly on and off from behind the mostly cloudy sky, and a warm white bulb overhead.
Spring Purples: Milk Hydro Grip Primer, Glossier Futuredew, Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Foundation in 27, KVD Good Apple Concealers, ELF Camo Color Corrector in Orange, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish in 2 and 3, Hermès Plein Air H Trio Healthy Glow Mineral Powder, Dior Backstage Powder No Powder, Hindash Beautopsy Palette (contour), ColourPop Pressed Powder Blush in Potted and Gucci Cheeks & Eyes Powder Luminous Matte in 06 Warm Berry, Hourglass Metallic Strobe Powder in Infinite Strobe Light, Lisa Eldridge Enhance and Define Lip Pencil in Sorcery and Lisa Eldridge Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colour in Painterly, Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in 05, KVD Full Sleeve Mascara, Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner, Melt’s eyeshadows from the She’s In Parties Palette with shades Total Immortal and Last Caress. Clionadh Cosmetics Multichromes in shades UV and Tracery. Sydney Grace Eyeshadows in Dear Reader, Flannel, and Sovereign Reign. Photo Setup: (1) In front of a window on a partly sunny day. (2) Same as the first, but from the opposite direction. (3) In front of an open window on partly sunny day and a warm white bulb overhead.
That’s all for today! Thank you for stopping by! I hope you’ll click to follow or bookmark this page to come visit again!
Also, I seem to be having an issue with WordPress. For some reason, images have a hard time loading for those viewing my blog within Germany. The customer service advisors were unhelpful and the only way that even I was able to get around loading issues was to use a VPN. If you live in the US or most other countries, it should be working fine. The issue, as far as I’m aware, is a DE issue for some reason.
There were a lot of factors to consider when it came to doing my own wedding makeup. I scoured the internet for tips and tricks, but at times the answers were contradictory. I thought I had a good plan in the beginning, but as I practiced doing multiple looks, I realized I needed to make some changes along the way.
Today, we’ll cover the things that should be decided on in advance and what I ultimately chose to do. The conclusions I came to won’t be the same for everyone since it depends on each individual’s personal tastes, skin type, skin texture, skin tone, undertone, priorities, etc.
Although I was inspired to create this post with weddings in mind, this topic is for anyone with an upcoming special event/occasion where photographs will be taken. I was not in a position where I could afford to forget something and run to grab it at the last second, so hopefully these topics will help others avoid having to make last minute decisions and purchases too.
DISCLOSURE: All makeup products in this post were purchased by me with my own money. The only affiliate links in this post are for a few of the brushes mentioned towards the end. Non-highlighted links in bold blue font (Example) are standard non-affiliate links. Links marked in bold black font with a light blue background (Example) are affiliate links. This means that I would make a commissionif purchases were made directly using my link. Whether you click to shop through them or not, I appreciate you visiting and I hope you find the information I’ve provided to be helpful!
Red – Titles/Topics, Purple – Products Used, Green – Additional Options to Consider
Deciding Between Looking Better in Person or Looking Better on Camera
We had a micro wedding (less than 25 people) and the majority of the guests were non-makeup wearers or neutral-color wearing minimalists. I was concerned with looking overly made up in person compared to the group, but also recognized that full coverage and full glam faces result in the most photogenic pictures. I would love to look as natural and fresh-faced as possible, but I think I look the prettiest with “a beat face,” so to speak. So, I decided that I ultimately would start researching ways to look best in photography since pictures last longer and can even serve to replace memories in the minds of those who see them. If it was possible, my plan was to still try and find a balance between the two goals. This balance involved using other techniques such as color-correcting so I could use less concealer and foundation to hide my skin discoloration, using underpainting techniques to have my sculpting attempts look as natural as possible and reduce the need for as much powder on the surface layer, using full-coverage makeup paired with brushes that apply less product so that I could build up to the minimum amount of makeup I needed in small layers instead of packing it on heavily all at once.
In the age of social media, it’s safe to assume the majority of people prioritize how makeup will look on camera versus how it looks in real life, as discussed on the Mixed Makeup YouTube Channel. However, this is still a question everyone has to ask themselves because the degree to which direction one leans will dictate how they have to proceed with the next steps.
After Choosing to Prioritize How One Looks on Camera…
When I do a full-face in the type of soft tones that are typical of bridal makeup, I don’t feel satisfied with my appearance. So, looking natural was less of an option for me. In addition, if I wanted things like blush to be seen on camera, I had to get comfortable packing on way more than usual because blush gets washed out so easily. As described by Kackie of Kackie Reviews Beauty, the key is applying makeup in a way to add more dimension that the camera can pick up even when pulled back. I had to practice applying more than usual, taking pictures, and then adding more and photographing that to learn how much would actually be needed on the day. Blush, highlighter, and eyeshadows were the things I had to work on amplifying dramatically in order to get photos I was satisfied with (at least on my own camera).
One of the first big decisions I had to make was deciding what finish I wanted for my skin. A matte base with strategically placed glow seems to be the consensus for what photographs the best. However, I did not anticipate the climate when I chose what products to bring with me when I moved overseas. The products that looked the best on camera for me in Florida were extra dry looking on me in Germany and I didn’t bring my dewier foundations because I have them in my darker summer shade. This led me to buy a new foundation (N°1 DE CHANEL Revitalizing Foundation), the only one that mimicked the appearance of natural oils peaking through my face, and it remained that way through the end of the night. It basically looked like a natural-finish foundation on my dry skin. I used the Glossier Futuredew, to ramp up the glow in typical places I highlight, the MILK Hydro Grip primer for hydration and lasting power, and the Benefit Porefessional Hydrating primer in my T-zone for a smoothing effect without a silicone texture. I have all three of these products in minis (and a travel container).
I did have the Nars Light Reflecting Foundation with me, but my research scared me away from using it. Since Nars is an artist brand, I always assumed their products looked fantastic on professional cameras, but I kept coming across warnings against using too many light reflecting products. Considering how dark it is in Germany, I knew the chances of flash being used was high, so I didn’t want to look crazy on other people’s cameras either (even though Nars’ foundation is supposed to be photo-friendly and produce no flashback, but I didn’t know if that would still be the case if paired with other light reflecting products). So, I didn’t use that one just to be safe. Skipping it turned out to be necessary because I tried using it in strategic spots and it still wasn’t luminous enough for my liking while not in Florida. Lisa Eldridge was one example of someone who discussed light reflecting products in flash photography and Pete Coco Photography cautioned against using shimmers in studio settings, but I saw more mentions of light reflection from various articles and blogs.
For those curious, the top foundations I wanted to use if the climate was more like Florida would have been the Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Foundation or Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation (this one only starts to look good for me if oils break through and my skin is prepped for maximum hydration including using a facial oil). The Lisa Eldridge foundation is extremely similar looking to the Chanel one I opted for, but without as much luminosity. I also own two lighter coverage products that make my skin look beautiful in person: the Fenty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint in Shade 18 and the Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum in Shade 100. I was looking for high coverage, but if I had to recommend another option it would be the one from Fenty. I normally dislike their foundations, but this newer one finally agrees with my dry skin. The Rose Inc one unfortunately can come off extra warm colored on camera. Sometimes I look orange in photos even though I don’t in person. It’s also random when it happens as well. I’m not sure if it’s some interaction with a specific product I might sometimes pair with it. So, that’s why I don’t recommend that one.
Deciding On the Color Scheme and Undertones of the Makeup
I had quite the dilemma trying to figure out what colors I wanted to use as a person with warm undertones who was planning to wear cool toned accessories and have blue and purple flowers in my bouquet. I like wearing eyeshadow that matches what I’m wearing in some way, whether it’s clothing, a purse, jewelry, etc but I never like how cool toned eyeshadows look on me as much as warmer ones. At the same time, I didn’t want the winter aesthetic I planned for my look to clash with my natural warmth and make me look extra warm by comparison. I did a test run using my go-to makeup and just switching to a cool toned blush, but I didn’t like the outcome. My second solution was to wear neutral makeup to bridge the two types of looks, but after doing another test run, I just didn’t feel my makeup was as pretty as it usually would be.
Experts say that although anyone can wear any color they want, we tend to find shades in our undertone to look prettiest on ourselves. For instance, Lisa Eldridge says it’s nice to match the wedding scheme/theme, but not if it’s against your coloring. Ultimately, I felt that if I didn’t wear the kind of shades that were natural for me, I would have regrets looking back at pictures thinking my everyday makeup looked somehow better than what I chose for my own wedding.
Many makeup artists recommend trying to look like an enhanced version of yourself, and not looking like someone else. This concept is what helped me solidify the decision to use warm tones, just ones that didn’t veer too far off from neutrals. This idea of trying to look like myself also had me wondering how I could possibly incorporate a pop of color into my look because that’s “me” too. Even when I’m on a nude colors kick, I still end up popping on a multichrome or some other colorful indie brand’s eyeshadow. Considering the wedding colors were blue, purple, and ivory/cream/whitish (we couldn’t really nail that one down), I thought it might be a good idea to add a blue-purple multichrome into the eye look. I really wanted for it to be one from Clionadh Cosmetics like Etched or Spire, since it’s my favorite brand, but the reason I love theirs is how intensely they stand out. In this situation, every technique and position I tried to place the multichrome was just too much.
Because all my other makeup was in natural tones, my eyes were instantly drawn to the spot with the multichrome and stole attention from the rest of the look. Eventually, I was recommend by someone on Instagram to try putting the tiniest dot in the center. This worked in low light in a very pretty way, but the second actual lights hit my eyes, it was still too much for what I wanted. Ultimately, as much as incorporating color into my looks is something I’m known for doing, I wanted something classic and timeless for my wedding. So, I decided to go back to the neutral glam idea for eyeshadows and using my slightly warm tones of makeup for everything else. My blush was still a mix of everything. I used a liquid blush and then ended up using powders on top further into the makeup process. For those curious, it was three shades from MAC: a whisper amount of Breath of Plum for a slight cool-toned wintery cheek look, a normal amount of Pinch Me as the main color and a natural looking pink on me, and the tiniest bit of Burnt Pepper to add a little more warmth that compliments my undertone and depth of my skin color.
The eyeshadows I ended up going with were mainly from Pat Mcgrath Labs. I intend to do a part 2 to this post, which I can hopefully complete and upload within a few weeks. In there, I’ll post more details on the step-by-step process.
Making Sure Base Techniques are Down Pat
After using my various primers, the next step for me was to color correct the areas of hyperpigmentation. Most of the time, I don’t bother with color correcting because I prefer to just lean on full coverage concealers for that job. However, I wanted to avoid my base makeup looking heavy, since I knew I would be putting more layers of product than usual. I only had two options with me: the E.L.F. Camo Color Corrector in Orange and the Huda Beauty #Fauxfilter Color Corrector in Mango. Although I prefer Huda’s on a regular basis, the ELF one worked better with the KVD concealer, as well as me wanting more intense color-correcting from using a darker color.
I would normally recommend using a color-corrector under the eyes too for those who have intense dark circles like I do. In my particular case though, I already know the ELF formula creases/gathers like mad in areas with lines, which is why I only use it in smoother areas of my face. So, I had no choice but to skip that step on myself. For those that don’t have discoloration issues like I do, color-correcting is not a necessary step. The most coverage one can achieve using the least amount of products is better, so if you can skip it, then please skip it. Ultimately, even I would have skipped this step, but I tested out how my makeup looked with color correcting versus going without it and the results spoke for themselves. I decided it was a step worth doing because I wanted as close to a flawless base as possible.
Although I settled on a foundation, the color match wasn’t as spot-on as I hoped, considering it was a bit more orange rather than yellow/golden and just slightly darker. I had purchased shade BD121, so my only other option was to buy BD91 to mix with it. The brand makes shade BD111, but it’s exclusive to the Chanel website and was sold out. Thankfully, using a ratio of roughly 2 parts BD121 to 1 part BD91 gave me a better color match. At least, that’s the mixture I used on the outer perimeter of my face and then used BD91 by itself in the central part of my face for a more natural gradient of color. My foundation application did not come first immediately after priming and color correcting though.
The other technique I wanted to utilize was under-painting. I have a naturally round face, besides it being chubby. Trying to create a chiseled look is by nature going to be easier for those with a clearly visible bone structure. Although I still have slight indent in my cheek area, I have an undefined jawline made weaker by having a rounder face. There’s only so much one can do to make a believable contour on a face like mine. One of the most believable options, if done correctly, is underpainting: to do the contouring and highlighting as a cream or liquid step first before applying foundation on top (and following it up with powder products afterwards too). Funnily enough, I learned about this technique about ten years ago when under eye concealers weren’t full coverage enough for me. I don’t think it’s necessary to do a full-face of underpainting like you see in TikTok and around social media as a fad, only the specific areas that need extra help to again minimize product usage. So, I bought the darkest shade of the most affordable foundation I could get my hands on (that I knew would work well). This was the Sephora Best Skin Ever Foundation in 68N. I would have preferred for it to be cool-toned, but “cool” shades in the darkest colors tend to be red instead of blue-grey so I figured neutral would be good enough. I could have used a concealer as well, but considering how much I spent on those Chanel foundations (even though they were discounted), I wanted to save as much money as possible. I could have also tried to use an actual cream contour, but I figured using a foundation would look even more natural on the skin and potentially blend better as cream contours can sometimes be too emollient. The 68N shade worked well enough for my cheekbone and jaw area, but since my nose is a lot more yellow than brown, it looked a little more red in that spot that I like. So, I just had to apply the product even more sparingly and make sure to use more greys when I contoured with powder later.
Besides applying contour, I also used a Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush sample of Joy as an underlayer of blush to help ensure longevity for the whole day. Plus, this particular shade is bright without being overly vibrant, which tends to work well for me. Using this underneath wasn’t overkill when I used the MAC blushes later. In fact, I still had room to go heavier with my blush.
After the liquid blush is when I would apply my foundations. I think some people recommend doing highlighting with concealer (product several shades lighter to bring those areas forward and not the shimmery type of highlighter) underneath foundation, but the KVD Good Apple Concealer formula that I used can sometimes melt/fade away with other products. The foundation on top of this one would have been covered up too completely, so I applied the mixture after foundation. I could have tried to use a different concealer for underpainting, but I was running out of time and just wanted to stick to what I knew. I began practicing applying the makeup on an off nearly two months before the wedding (with more consistent daily testing in the final three weeks). It’s not useful to test out all new products at once, since it would be too hard to tell which products were interacting badly with others, or were only working well depending on what it was paired with. I could only test a few combinations at a time. So, even the two months wasn’t as much time as I thought. In retrospect, three months would have been ideal for me.
The theme of this sections is to make sure the base techniques are nailed. Part of that was my realization that in all the bridal makeup photos I liked, they really utilized highlighting for color in addition to the glow factor. However, I’ve never liked an overly brightened under eye on myself. When I was younger without so many lines to worry about drawing attention to, that was a different story. So, I had to think about what’s more natural for myself and my style rather than just sticking to the template of instructions on how most people do wedding makeup. I thought perhaps I could use my typical Tan 167 all over and apply my new Tan 161 (this specific shade was on sale which is why I chose this one for my highlight option) on top in strategic spots to highlight with, but I didn’t like the outcome. It was still too stark of a contrast for me to be comfortable with no matter how great it could have potentially looked on camera. What worked best for me was applying my near skin-tone shade 167 and then using a combination of 167 and 161 mixed together as the highlighting concealer color on top. The transition was more natural, which I ended up liking a lot better than using 161 alone (though I did use 161 alone to highlight my brow bone area). I then set my concealer with the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder in either Medium (which I bought in the travel size) or a combination of Medium plus my usual shade in Tan. I tested out plenty of different powders and the one that worked the best to keep the KVD concealer creasing the least and not fading at the end of the night was this Charlotte Tilbury powder. The Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder was a close second since it worked so well with other concealers I was testing at the time (Fenty We’re Even Concealer and L’Oréal Infallible Full Wear Concealer). However, the results of the KVD and CT combo won out.
I would normally use the back of my hand as a spot to mix shades, but since I wanted to have leftover mixtures reserved on the side for touch-ups, I started to wish for a makeup mixing palette or plate. Since I didn’t bring any with me and didn’t want to buy one, I used the top lid of the Charlotte Tilbury Cream Bronzer compact (pictured in the foundation photo above). It has a surface that’s easy to wipe down with a makeup wipe or makeup eraser cloth. Also, when I mixed with my brushes, I got too much product on the bristles, so I started using the brush handle to mix shades and then wiped off the handle onto my microfiber cloth. That way, I’m able to pick up smaller amounts of product with the bristles and even switch to a smaller brush for spot applications where needed.
Securing the base is important, but so is recognizing whether the recommended techniques have to be tweaked to your specific preferences and what makes you the most comfortable. It’s okay if you hate contouring to skip doing it. It’s okay to go with a sheer coverage foundation and then just use concealer in areas that require more coverage. The most important thing to do is to practice techniques as much as possible before the wedding or special event if you’re doing your own makeup. Sometimes products don’t perform the way we remember them and the last thing you want is to discover that on an important day. You want to thoroughly test your full look in every step in order to make sure you can replicate the same results every time, in every type of lighting, and in every weather scenario.
To Bake or Not to Bake, Setting Spray vs Fix+
Continuing the theme of getting used to wearing more makeup that usual and utilizing techniques I normally don’t, I had to decide whether or not to utilize the baking technique. Since I already narrowed down my concealer, it was just a matter of doing a wear test all day to see if my makeup looked better with or without baking. As it turned out, with my products and my skin type, baking really wasn’t necessary, or at least not in the traditional sense of loading a ton of powder on and then dusting it away after five minutes or so. I ended up not even needing to powder my whole face since I was utilizing setting sprays too.
My process was applying my concealer to my under eyes and face area before using my normal brush to powder-set those spots. As the days were counting down to the wedding, I started to utilize more skincare such as using the Lisa Eldridge Skin Enhancing Treatment Cleanser as a mask, which made my skin more hydrated and strangely enough need more setting powder under my eyes. So, after setting my concealer I would wait until I noticed creasing before patting the creases back out with my Sonia G Jumbo Concealer Brush, and then using the Charlotte Tilbury powder with my Beautyblender Power Pocket Puff to lightly apply a thin layer in the areas I highlighted with the concealer mixture (skipping hyperpigmentation areas that didn’t need extra powder) and also slightly under my contour to sharpen those spots and “clean them up.” The puff still came in handy because some days during the trials it was even necessary to go as far as to spray the silicone side of the BB puff with setting spray, press that into the concealer creases, reapply a little more concealer, and then set it with powder using the velour side of the puff. This was during the trial days I started using different skincare that I should have been testing much earlier in the process. So, this is all I need in terms of baking, but those that have combo or oily skin will probably need to take additional steps to lock the makeup into place. The puff also comes in handy while on-the-go. Instead of me needing a face powder brush and an under-eye powder setting brush (plus technically I could use other areas of the puff for other types of powder products), I just needed this on hand in the “Emergency Bride Kit” for touch-ups.
After I apply my liquid and cream layers, I set my face with setting spray, finish applying all my powder products, and then set my face again. I tested a few sprays before I moved, but the only one I brought with me was the One/Size On ‘Til Dawn Waterproof Setting Spray. I had the mini size and as I started testing, I got paranoid that I would end up using it all before the wedding and it’s not available for purchase in Germany. So, I ended up buying the Sephora Makeup Setting Spray for my trial runs. What I like more about the Sephora spray, besides the lower price, is that it’s unscented. The One/Size spray has a slightly floral, but not overwhelming smell.
I’ve tested both of the waterproof claims by splashing water on my face and have seen how the water rolls off my face without leaving streaks in my makeup. In terms of making things transfer-proof, that wasn’t the case with One/Size unless I just wasn’t using enough of it. The Sephora Spray only seemed to make my makeup transfer-proof that was in lighter layers and on lighter makeup days. It didn’t seem to work with a full face of everything. I haven’t tested the One/Size spray in the same scenario of a lighter makeup day, so perhaps they are equal. On my actual wedding day, I still stuck with using the One/Size product. We ended up doing a second day of photos, so the picture below shows what I looked like by the end of the night. On my wedding night, I got home at nearly 3 am, so I don’t have a photo for that. All things considered, I think it held up pretty well. It rained on the actual wedding day, but my makeup didn’t budge. I just transferred some of my nose contour onto my husband’s nose. I had to wipe it off him a few times, but it didn’t transfer any further after that.
I always use MAC Fix+ if I want to dampen my shimmer eyeshadows. It can make the face look hydrated, which is what I need, but sometimes it can cause makeup to not last quite as long and break down a little faster. So, I was too scared to use it on my face (nor did I have the time to test it with everything), so I just used it for my eyelid shades. At one point during my trials, I tested spritzing my highlighters with setting spray and my sample of Fix+ to see if I could intensify the look without leaving a stripe on my face. I ended up deciding to just skip that step as the Charlotte Tilbury Face Architect Glow Glide Highlighter worked well enough as a base highlighter. Others might prefer using a liquid highlighter, but powder products are always easier for me and I was planning to do a technical enough makeup application, so I’d accept easier options wherever possible. Throughout the practice days, I used some combination of multiple other highlighters shown below. On the actual day, I ended up sticking to just Charlotte Tilbury by adding the Pillow Talk Multi-Glow highlighter and I used the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Highlighting Duo on my shoulders and collarbone. Since I ended up wearing a faux fur shawl/stole and my hair was down, that final step ended up being pointless. It couldn’t be seen on my body. I also forgot to spray setting spray to those spots on my body afterwards, which could have potentially helped lock the highlighter into place.
Although I didn’t end up glowing as intensely as the models in the inspiration photos I procured from Google, seen below, I was still happy with my makeup choices. I applied highlighter to my brow arch, slightly above the brows on either side of the forehead, one specific spot on the bridge of my nose that I build up with contour and another spot lower down, and the tops of my cheekbones.
I mentioned earlier that I used the underpainting technique to contour. Then I used the powder contour in the Kaleidos Symphony Trio for more depth. It’s not grey toned enough to give an actual shadowed effect, so I added a mix of Feel + Real from my Hindash Beautopsy Palette to create the shadowing for my jawline, under the cheekbones, and nose contour. I didn’t use the Kaleidos powder on my nose, only Hindash’s product because I didn’t want it to be overkill in person.
When it came to bronzer, I was dead set on using the Hermès Plein Air H Trio Healthy Glow Mineral Powder because it’s the highest quality powder one that I own. However, in test photos I kept feeling like I was looking too warm toned. With a few days to spare, I tried some of my other top powders like the Glowish Soft Radiance Bronzer Powder, but that one was too red toned. Ultimately, the one best suited for my undertone is the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun Kissed Glow Bronzer in Tan. Even though it’s a cream product, it went next to and slightly on top of my powder contour with no issues. This meant that my bronzer was going to be natural looking in person and likely too subtle to see much of it on camera, but it was a better alternative for me than having my face pull too orange.
I finished my face with my Dior Face & Body Powder No Powder. It blurs imperfections and helps blend the makeup seamlessly into each other. I didn’t use it all over my face, just in key areas that I wanted to touch up. If I had a sparkle-free version of Ambient Lighting Finishing Powder from Hourglass in my shade, I would have considered using that instead or in conjunction with the Dior product. Finishing powders can do wonders for a makeup look, but be sure to test in photos whether the sheen might or might not be too reflective for flash photography!
Waterproof Tests are Required
I’ve always hated waterproof mascaras because of what a pain they are to remove, but I was so certain I would need one for the wedding. I have plenty of favorite mascaras, but according to customer reviews I’ve seen online, apparently getting a waterproof version doesn’t mean it will perform as well as the normal formula. Some of the most beloved mid-range and high end mascaras have terrible reviews for their waterproof counterparts. So, I decided to try exploring the higher rated drugstore waterproof mascaras that I was familiar with in the original form. In my testing, the L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise gave volume, but not as much length and was prone to clumping. The L’Oréal Bambi Eye Mascara gave length, but not much volume. I was debating whether or not to try using both, but it ended up not being necessary because I got the results I wanted from the Essence Lash Princess Waterproof Mascara.
Another alternative I considered was the KVD Beauty Full Sleeve Long + Defined Tubing Mascara. I love the length and volume of that one, and in theory tubing mascaras aren’t supposed to come off easily unless under warm water. While the KVD one seems to be harder to remove than other mascaras with regular temperature water, it can still be done. So, I didn’t want to risk a circumstance where I would have even the slightest chance of having my mascara come off. So, I stuck with using the Essence mascara.
When it comes to using eyeliner, I have a few that are supposed to be waterproof (Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner and One/Size Point Made 24-hr Liquid Eyeliner pen), but they aren’t as effective when my eyelids get too oily. I’ve always had great results from Sephora’s waterproof liners, so I purchased the Sephora Collection Hot Line Brush Tip Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. It definitely did the job. I didn’t end up crying, but there was a bit of rain and both the mascara and eyeliner held up completely all day and night.
For the tiny spot I wanted to smudge on my outer lower lash lines, I used the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil. I don’t find them to be as waterproof as my other liners, but I can’t get the smudge effect with those, so this was my best option. One thing I should have considered was getting colorful eyeliners to put on my lower lash line instead of regular eyeshadows. It’s possible I could have still ended up with a mess if I had actually gotten teary-eyed. I lucked out, but that might be something to consider.
I’d like to note here that another option for waterproof eyeliners could be those false lashes eyeliner pens. I went back and forth debating whether or not I wanted to wear fake lashes for the wedding. They look amazing on camera, but they are an absolute nuisance for me to wear, especially for an extended period of time. My eye shape, with my super rounded upper lash line, doesn’t hold onto even extreme lash glues very well. Within an hour max, either the inner or outer corner will lift up. The majority of lashes are too short (in width) for my eyes because I need extra length to account for the higher degree angle of the rounded curve of my eye. If I want to rock a half-lash, I have to use 3/4 length lashes. Then, even if I put the eyelashes properly on my lash line, I can still see them in my field of vision. I still thought that if I practiced putting them on enough times, I could make them work. I also heard of the recommendation to cut the lashes into 3 pieces (also from Mixed Makeup) instead of 2. Since splitting them in half never worked for my eye shape, I was willing to give smaller ones a try. My lashes ended up looking like the Cynthia doll’s hairline from Rugrats! Even when I tried to use the pieces just on the outer lash line, it was so hard to get them to look even since I don’t have perfectly symmetrical eyes. Plus, it’s my inner lashes that need the most help, but it would look just as strange if I had lashes there and nowhere else.
Ultimately, for all the hassle it would cause me on the wedding day, I decided to skip the false lashes. I figured I could just try to cheat the look with more coats of mascara and extending the eyeliner out a bit more. This trick worked well enough for my satisfaction. From all the trials though, I did figure out that the House of Lashes Lash & Dash Glue Liner pen makes for a tough to remove waterproof liner even without putting lashes on top of it.
Brow products are never exciting to me, so I almost forgot to mention that the brow product I used is the Benefit Precisely, My Brow PencilWaterproof Eyebrow Definer in shade 5. Although I don’t recall if I’ve purposely tested the waterproof claims, I know from experience that I’ve never had my brows run or smudge when using this product, so I didn’t think twice about using it on the day.
The last waterproof or transfer-proof thing to consider is the lip product. I’m sure most spouses-to-be would be grateful not to have lipstick transfer onto them. However, I didn’t go that route because my lips were in too poor of condition, even with using masks. There are some great waterproof lip liners that I could have used to cover the entirety of my lips instead of opting for a liquid lipstick, but I decided I didn’t want to go that route either.
My lip combination was to use the Coloured Raine Botanical Collection Lip Liner in the shade Decadent. It’s darker than my natural lip line to give me a slight shaping effect. I consider it a transfer-resistant product, but it only claims to be long-wearing. I then filled the insides with the Lisa Eldridge Velveteen Liquid Lip Colour in Muse. This isn’t like most liquid lipsticks that dry out the skin like crazy, but that also means it’s a low-transfer product rather than transfer-proof or even transfer-resistant. The brand claims it’s “smudge-proof and budge-proof,” but that hasn’t been my experience. The final step for slight shine is from using my Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last very long, but I wanted a little bit of shimmer and a slightly creamy look to the center of my lips. My husband hates lip gloss or any kind of sticky balmy product on my lips (which makes keeping them conditioned even more of an uphill battle). So, for his sake, I held off on using any gloss products until later in the night.
Many makeup artists commented that having some color and shine on the lips looks beautiful on camera. For that reason, I wanted to make sure I carried the Pat Mcgrath Lip Gloss in Bronze Temptation in my makeup touchup kit. On the second day of taking photos (because the weather was bad), I didn’t bother with the other products and just applied this gloss.
I chose the other three products because their tones of pink looked so complimentary with my blush. My PML lip gloss shade is a warm toned one, so that was something easy to carry with me to warm up the look if I wanted. The other lip product I considered swapping out instead of Lisa Eldridge’s was the Kaleidos Cloud Lab Lip Clay in Sienna. That shade went very well with my skin tone, but looked almost too natural. I wanted more of an impact since I don’t often wear colored lip products and usually stick to clear or slightly tinted glosses and balms. The Kaleidos product is also long-wearing and not completely transfer-proof.
Considering the amount of kissing throughout the day and night, the transfer onto my husband’s lips was minimal. It also helps that I was wearing pinks that weren’t ultra vibrant. Food was the culprit that removed most of my lip products.
Tools and Extra Makeup Helpers
I mentioned the MAC Fix+ as something I always have on hand, but another one is the Nyx Glitter Primer to help make my shimmer eyeshadows pop and better adhere to my lids. For any mistakes that need to be cleaned up, I have Q-tips, but for more precise spots I like to use these tiny fine point cotton buds from MyKitCo called the My Small ‘On Point’ Buds. I dip them in a little micellar water, which my tried and true is the Bioderma Sensibio H2O. These are the types of things that are easy to forget when getting ready, that is, until they’re needed.
For my touch-up bag, I kept my skin-tone matching concealer and brush, the BB puff, the travel size mini CT powder, and the lip gloss. I was also gifted a slim compact with a magnifying mirror. I didn’t end up doing any makeup touch ups at all on the wedding day, but it’s nice to have things on hand in case there is an accident. Other random products in my Emergency Bride Kit were bobby pins, safety pins, band-aids, ibuprofen and pain meds (in case my back decided to act up which thankfully weren’t needed), hand lotion because of the constant dryness on my knuckles in this weather and taking pictures up close of the rings, eye drops with a backup pair of contacts, and tissues.
The photo above shows all the brushes I used on the wedding photo days!
Sonia G Mini Booster – Used for darker eyeshadow shades on the outer corner. Needed a small size blender brush for precision and for it to be not too dense to build up the color slowly. Mizuho MB123 – For applying the transition matte eyeshadows. Smashbox Double-Ended Smudger Brush -Used to apply shadows to the lower lash line, smudging the UD liner with the rubber side, applying the shimmer highlight shades to the brow arch and inner corner. Wayne Goss 08 – Applying concealer under the brows and to clean up any other spots around the eye makeup. Sonia G T4 – Extra blending to the eye look with no product on the brush plus blending out the nose contour. Sonia G T2 – Applying/stamping powder nose contour. Real Techniques Brightening Concealer – Used on the first day used to apply highlighter on the collarbone and shoulders, but the next was was used to set my under eye concealer with powder. Bisyodo B-ES-08 Eye Shadow – Was intended to apply the Clionadh multichrome. Real Techniques Setting – My usual under eye setting powder brush. MS-4 Mai Sakura Eyeshadow – Brush to apply shimmers to the lids prior to using my finger afterwards to build up eyeshadow in strategic spots.
Sonia G Jumbo Concealer – My holy grail concealer brush because it gets the most coverage by packing on a lot of product at once, but it can still smooth things out. Amazon Brush? – Used to apply eyeshadow primer to the lids and touch up concealer in other places. Chikuhodo FO-2 – Used to apply the Dior Powder No Powder. Eihodo WP PC-1 PUFF Makie Powder Brush Goldfish – Used to stamp on foundation mainly on the outer perimeter and over under-painted creams and liquids. The denseness and surface area size help with quick blending if needed and also aid in giving maximum coverage from not soaking up as much product. OdensEye Blush – Used to whip across the face the lighter shade of foundation. Functions like a stippling brush. Sonia G Soft Cheek – Applied powder blushes lightly, which was needed since I was building up three shades. Patrick Ta Contour – Applied the CT cream bronzer and is a holy grail product for sculpting around my face. Bisyodo CH-HC – Used to apply highlighter to the face in a light non-concentrated way, but without being dispersed in too wide of an area. Sephora Concealer Pro Concealer #71 – Used to apply liquid contour (the deep foundation shade) around the face. The angle of the brush was helpful, but technically many other brushes could have been used. Eihodo Outlet 153 Highlighting/Blush – Used to apply the contour shades from the Hindash Beautopsy palette over the areas that already had the Kaleidos contour. Was very useful for it’s small size considering the shape of the Beautopsy pans. Wayne Goss F3 – Used to lightly apply the Kaleidos Symphony Trio contour under the cheekbones and along the jawline. Sonia G Mini Base Keyaki Version – Used to apply the Rare Beauty liquid blush for under-painting. Bisyodo B-F-05 Perfect Fit – Intended to apply powder bronzer in a slightly concentrated amount under the cheekbones, but I used it instead to do slightly more blending to the contour areas. Sonia G Jumbo Bronzer – Intended to apply a lighter application of powder bronzer around the forehead, though on the actual wedding day I changed plans and opted for a cream bronzer instead.
Using the correct tool for the job is extremely important. To make things easier, I started narrowing my collection down ahead of time so that I wouldn’t be wasting time digging around looking for specific brushes. I knew which one (or ones) I wanted for each specific type of makeup. This came from practicing those makeup looks as often as I did. The backup brushes I also had on hand, but didn’t end up using, are in the photo below.
Another very important tip is to make sure the brushes are clean or “clean enough” before the big day. Gunked up old product on brushes can effect the performance of the makeup. Things can be harder to blend, not be color accurate, not apply as smoothly or in the right amounts.
All this being said, and for all the effort and planning I did…the funny thing is that I don’t have up-close shots of my face! The photos below are the best I’ve been able to produce. We couldn’t get a professional photographer in time and a coworker of the family graciously offered to take pictures on her high quality camera for us. The pictures were often dark or on some setting I’m not sure what (I’m not very knowledgeable about photography myself). My focus was to apply makeup in a way that would stand out at far distances, and it’s a good thing I did because most of the pictures were taken from father back and the quality dips when trying to zoom in closer. I have some wedding photos that I ended up liking or loving after tweaking them a little, so I’m happy about that. However, I don’t have ones for blog usage that specifically showcase the makeup except the two below. Sorry about that! I had too much on my mind to really think about how the pictures would turn out after a while.
Like I mentioned in the eyeshadow section, I plan to post a Part 2 with step-by-step details on how I completed my wedding look. Over the next few weeks, I plan to create a few alternative makeup looks as well. I hoped to get it finished sooner, but I got bronchitis and was feeling sick for over a week. Then, I took two weeks off of blogging to finish the wedding planning. Unfortunately, we all got Covid immediately after that, which put me out for a while too. And now, since the beginning of March and for the next eight weeks I’m taking an intensive course so I can get A1 certification in German language, as is required for me to have in this moving process. So, my usual Monday postings will likely be interrupted again. I’ll be back as soon as I can!
Welcome, lovers of Japanese brushes! If this is your first time visiting, I’d like you to know that I have a page that’s accessible on the left menu bar with every Fude post linked, as well as a description of the topics discussed in those posts and a list of which brushes are in which posts. For cell phone users, this page is visible by clicking on Navigation. If this is not your first time here, welcome back!
Regarding my measurements, “hair width” is measured from the widest part, regardless of the overall brush shape. I don’t measure thickness. Anything with an asterisk indicates that I had to measure that one myself as those numbers were not listed on the website. All figures listed in inches are converted estimates.
With costs of materials ever increasing and supply of certain hair types being harder to acquire, brush prices also increase. So, the prices I’ve listed might not reflect what is current, though I will do my best to keep them updated.
*DISCLOSURE: To those who have been using my affiliate link to shop from CDJapan, thank you so much! I am truly grateful! The commission from that was used to partially pay for one of the brushes in this post. Otherwise, all other brushes discussed today (excluding the one accidentally shipped to me) were purchased by me with my own money.Non-highlighted links in bold blue font (Example) are standard non-affiliate links. Links marked in bold black font with a light blue background (Example) are affiliate links. Affiliate links allow me to get a commission if purchases are made directly using my link. Whether you click to shop through them or not, I appreciate you visiting and I hope you find the information I’ve provided to be helpful!
Chikuhodo
The Zen Collection became available at various retailers in very limited quantities. On CDJapan’s website, they stocked 5 of each brush individually and 5 complete sets. Within the first 5 minutes, most of the brushes were in low stock. Within 10 minutes a few sold out. By 20 minutes, everything was gone. They did not allow the purchase of more than 1 brush per person in order to allow more people to get their hands on them. There have been several restocks since the initial launch that were less restrictive in quantity. I don’t know how much supply there was in total, but Fude Beauty emailed customers stating the line is discontinued.
I love the look of the brushes, which was enough to make me want something from this collection, but I was also curious to know the difference between Chikuhodo’s standard and premium Silver Fox Hair. When I put them on my face, I can’t tell a difference. The softness is the same. It’s only when I feel them along the strands, not the tips, that I can tell the premium hair feels silkier, as if the bristles have been conditioned. I’m not sure if treating the bristles is what makes them special, if it’s the difference in the hair color, or if the premium hair naturally has some other quality I can’t detect that makes it “premium” above the FO series hair. Since the tips feel the same to me anyway, I recommend just choosing the shapes one likes most between the FO series and Zen series while there is stock left.
In my opinion, the Chikuhodo Premium Silver Fox hair feels the same as the silver fox hair used by Koyudo in their Yoshiki SF line.
It was also interesting to me that the ZEN series has Granadillo wood handles, just like the discontinued Homare line. I don’t know if that was to make use of leftover stock of handles or because the brand just likes that wood, but I’m not complaining. The wood is beautiful and I hope they use it in yet another line in the future.
Chikuhodo ZEN Series ZE-5 Eyeshadow Brush
Full Length: 145mm / 5.7 in
Hair Length: 30mm / 1.18 in
Hair Width: *13mm / 0.51 in
Bristle Type: Premium Silver Fox
Handle: Granadillo Wood
Of course, I was drawn to nearly all the brushes in the set, but because I already own so many FO series brushes, I wanted the ZE-5 for its intriguing shape that added something different to my collection. I wanted it specifically for highlighting because it reminded me of my beloved Bisyodo CH-HC brush, just thinner. It’s interesting that this is intended to be used for eyeshadows since it’s so huge for that purpose. I have round-shaped eyes, and I think this is why I don’t enjoy using it for even eye tasks as simple as single shadow looks.
For highlighting purposes, it’s better with loose pressed products. The hair is resilient enough to pick up firmer pressed highlighters, but it’s more prone to dispersing in a stripe if it’s a wetter formula that sticks where it’s placed and needs to be blended and/or buffed in. My favorite use for this brush is with the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Multi-Glow Highlighter because that one contains four color strips and the pointed tip allows to me pick up an isolated shade without the other colors getting mixed in. It’s also great for spotlighting, which I tend to take a brighter highlighter shade from one of the other four strips and precisely place it in one strategic spot at the very highest points of my cheekbones. The Bisyodo brush is still my favorite, but this has been my second most used since purchasing it.
If it ever comes back in stock, the link to it is HERE.
Chikuhodo ZEN Series ZE-6 Eyeshadow Brush
Full Length: 135mm / 5.32 in
Hair Length: 20mm / 0.79 in
Hair Width: *14mm / 0.55 in
Bristle Type: Premium Silver Fox
Handle: Granadillo Wood
There was a mixup with my order, the only time that ever happened to me via CDJapan in all the years I’ve been purchasing from them. That’s how I ended up with this brush. I never planned on buying it because I thought it was going to be like the FO-5, which I ended up selling. However, this brush is so much softer than that one and gentler in the corner of my eyes. It’s a great brush to quickly pack on a lot of color to my lids and crease. I’ve found myself using it more often than I expected over the past year! In addition to using it for eyeshadows, it also works as a highlighter brush too. Sometimes in my massive collection, I end up misplacing my favorite brushes, so in times that I’m in too much of a rush to look for something else, I’ll wipe off the shadow on a microfiber cloth and apply my highlighter with it. The third and final use for this brush is for contouring my nose. It’s the right shape, and picks up and disperses the product gently.
At the time that I’m finalizing this post, the brush is on backorder for 5500 YEN available HERE.
Chikuhodo ZEN Series ZE-3 Blush Brush
Full Length: 155mm / 6.1 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.57 in
Hair Width: *33mm / 1.3 in
Bristle Type: Premium Silver Fox
Handle: Granadillo Wood
Pre-wash versus Post-wash
This brush is more rounded than the FO-3, which slightly ovular. I like this aspect. The two brushes are quite similar, but the reason I ultimately bought it is because the FO-3 is one of my favorite blush brushes of all time. I even have a backup of it. So, if there was a chance to get a premium version of it, I just had to take it! I am happy to say I have no regrets on this decision. It really is like having another FO-3, but even better shaped to my preference.
On the left is the ZE-3, in the middle is the FO-3, and on the right is the KZ-4.
This picks up a good amount of product with one dip into a pan of powder blush (though baked gelee formulas need a lot more pressure and swipes). It’s dense enough that I can buff, and is still loose enough to lay down blush in a way that isn’t too heavy upon the initial application. I can use it for applying face powder, but the splay isn’t super wide, so it takes longer than with my typical powder brushes. I can also use it with bronzer, though I have to be careful not to use it with my more pigmented bronzers, or else it can apply too much at once.
As I mentioned, it’s like an even better suited FO-3 for me, so I’m extremely happy I bought this.
If this brush ever returns in stock, the link to it is HERE.
Beautylish Presents
Beautylish Presents the Year of the Rabbit Lunar New Year Powder Brush
Full Length: *170mm / 6.69 in
Hair Length: 47.6mm / 1.87 in
Hair Width: *40mm / 1.57 in
Bristle Type: Blue Squirrel
This brush is very similar to all the other Lunar New Year ones thus far from Beautylish, which means it’s similar to Chikuhodo’s Z-9 brush as far as I can tell from my research online (I don’t own the Z-9).
It’s soft and just dense enough to keep it from feeling floppy, ensuring one has full control of the direction of the bristles while moving it, and airy enough to disperse a thin layer of product. It makes a great brush for a light (not fully sheer) powder application, and for large mostly-diffused bronzing purposes. I’m in love, yet again, with the design. As long as these brushes remain the same price each year for this quality and craftsmanship, I will continue to recommend them. They’re very much worth it to get if you’re a lover of Japanese fude.
Because this post took so long to complete, I can say that as of the end of January, I also own the newest Beautylish Lunar New Year Brush in the Dragon design. I have not used it yet though, so I’ll have to include photos in another fude post in the future. Just looking at it though, the quality appears to be just as great as the others.
Eihodo
Eihodo Makie Powder Brush Goldfish Silver
Full Length: 173mm / 6.8 in
Hair Length: 55mm / 2.16 in
Hair Width: *50mm / 1.97 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel
This brush came with a gold or silver ferrule color option. I chose the silver because I felt it matched more of the makie powder color in the handle design. The silver ferrule was also around $7 lower in price. In hindsight, after getting another brush in the goldfish handle (brush isn’t tested enough, so I can’t include it in this post yet), I should have gotten the gold since it’s more of my preference, but silver still looks nice.
This brush is on the floppy side, due in part to how long the bristles are and the brush not being as tightly packed. Due to the more rectangular shape, I can get away with using it as a bronzer brush, but it has to be a pigmented bronzer since it would take too long to build up with my sheerer bronzer formulas and with shades that are too close to my skin tone. It just isn’t dense enough to my liking to use for blending or buffing, so I prefer to use this exclusively as a sweeping brush to apply a sheer layer of finishing powder to my face. I could set powder with it as well, but since I prefer a setting powder brush that has resilient enough hairs or is packed tight enough to do a little bit of buffing/blending while applying, it’s better for me as just a finisher.
Above are size comparisons to the Chikuhodo FO-9 that I consider nearly rectangular in shape to show how much more rectangular the Eihodo brush looks.
At the time of me posting, this brush is 17000 YEN and available HERE. The gold ferrule version, which is also accessible through the link, is 18000 YEN.
Ordering From Fude Beauty
My first order from Fude Beauty arrived while I was overseas and had been unpacked for me, so I didn’t see how it was originally shipped. I just knew that it took about a week to be delivered after I received the initial shipping notification.
With my second order via FedEx, I bought three brushes and was shocked to see them arrive in a large poster-board/paperboard envelope with no additional padding/protection other than the (admittedly beautiful) pink bubble wrap. Up until this point, all my orders from other Fude websites came in boxes to help give extra protection against being dropped, stepped on, thrown, or even from the weight of another person’s heavy package being placed on top of it. My envelope looked like it had been stepped on, and one of the three brushes had a large dent in it.
I contacted Fude Beauty’s customer service and they asked if I wanted a refund for the brush or a replacement. I knew there was a Fude Beauty exclusive brush I still wanted, but was waiting to purchasing during a coupon event, so I asked them for a refund so I could add the replacement brush to that future order and they wouldn’t need to spend their own money on shipping. I ended up deciding not to reorder the brush (and not reviewing it for the blog either), but I did make that third order.
The third order was via DHL. I specifically chose that option hoping I’d get better shipping packaging because my DHL orders always came in a box. It turned out that it didn’t matter. My Fude Beauty order came once again in an envelope. The envelope isn’t the biggest issue for me, and it’s more about not having at least a smaller box on the inside to help protect the brushes, the way that Rephr ships their brushes (eco-friendly recycle-padded envelope with a small carboard box housing the brushes on the inside). Considering Fude Beauty’s shipping costs are the same as everyone else in Japan, yet they pack the brushes in the least protected method of the other retailers I’ve purchased from, it’s quite irritating. As I said, the bubble wrap with the flower logo sticker is a beautiful touch, but I prefer to have my brushes protected over a pretty presentation, especially since it’s coming thousands of miles with plenty of opportunities to be damaged along the way. When I’ve bought brushes from Mercari, it was understandable to get them in bubble-mailers because I didn’t request a higher shipping option (typically $5) and it was coming from within the US. However, getting a similar experience with $20 shipping is unacceptable. Even though I’m a CDJapan Affiliate, I can honestly say CDJapan has the best and most protected packaging. I once got an order where they even bubble wrapped a card! The usual card with every order that has washing/care instructions on it. Brushes that automatically come with Paulownia boxes are still wrapped with care by them. Plus, they have a much better free shipping minimum than Fude Beauty!
While Fude Beauty’s customer service is great (I contacted them another time when their website was having problems issuing the coupons), I’m so displeased with the way their items are shipped that I will only order from them again for brush exclusives on their website. Even though the company is willing to replace or refund damaged goods, the fact that these gorgeous brushes with rare hairs and special handles will be unwanted and wasted in someone’s collection, or even tossed out (since they can’t be fixed and resold) due to carelessness bothers me as a lover of fude. Considering Fude Beauty is seemingly the most popular of the Japanese brush retailers with their early access to products, exclusives, and the number of semi-large influencers I see affiliated with the brand, I expected way more consideration for their packaging and deliveries.
There are of course pros and cons with every retailer of fude, so I wrote up a chart to help with comparisons between them as things stand to my current knowledge. In the future, these things may be different.
Eihodo Maiko Powder Brush Makie Series
Full Length: 167mm / 6.57 in
Hair Length: 47mm / 1.85 in
Hair Width: *42mm / 1.65 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel
This is the brush that was in my first ever Fude Beauty order. It was originally listed as a limited release (of I believe only 100 brushes total). It had been available as a pre-order and for months was only available via Fude Beauty. Eventually, Fude Beauty restocked it in low quantity numbers and CDJapan got their hands on a few, but not many.
This brush remind me of the Beautylish Lunar New Year brushes due to the shape and quality of the hair, plus the shiny black ferrules and handles with such a beautiful makie design. It’s exquisite! Even though I paid more money buying it from Fude Beauty, I have no regrets.
This can be used for all over face powder, bronzer, and blush depending on what one’s preferences are. All over powder is the main function, but because there’s a significant amount of hair in the bundle at about medium denseness, it can buff fairly well (for a squirrel hair brush) in addition to applying a light to medium amount of product. It’s not going to be ultra sheer because it’s not wispy or loose, which is what I like about it. With bronzer, there’s a large surface area, but I can pick up some on the side instead of the tips to prevent the area of application from being too wide for my liking. Again, the application won’t be as diffused as it would from a brush with a wider hair splay, but it’s still sheerer than my typical bronzer brushes. So, I still use it with more pigmented bronzers. For blush, it’s definitely too big for my preference, but it can still work if product is picked up in a small area and if the blush is a more neutral nude type of color. I still use it mainly for powder (and/or bronzer if my bronzer brush favorites aren’t nearby).
This brush is currently 21000 YEN and available HERE.
Eihodo (Z11) Makie Blending Brush Sakura Black
Full Length: 115mm / 4.53 in
Hair Length: 20mm / 0.78 in
Hair Width: *10mm / 0.39 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel
I’m fairly certain I once owned the Chikuhodo Z-11, but I believe I might have sold it long ago. I liked the softness, but the length of the hair made it too floppy while blending, which I discovered that a slightly firmer blend with less movement is my preference with eyeshadows. This Eihodo brush is extremely similar to that one. However, mine is bundled a bit tighter, so it isn’t as floppy. The hair type is the same and nearly as soft in quality. It’s still not my preferred blending brush, but I honestly wanted it for the handle pattern. I don’t mind using a reasonably short brush, but this is shorter than I tend to reach for. If I’m going to use it in the crease, it’s with lighter transition shades that just need to be a wash of color anyway, and not something to build up depth.
This brush at the time of posting is 3850 YEN and available HERE. There is also a handle version in red.
Eihodo RE10-1 Makie Eyeshadow Brush Sakura Black
Full Length: 105mm / 4.13 in
Hair Length: 12mm / 0.47 in
Hair Width: *7mm / 0.28 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel and Weasel
I also bought this brush for the handle, but because it has a more resilient bristle (weasel) mixed in, I get stronger blending power along with precision application from the pointed tip. My two most similar shaped brushes are pictured below.
The Koyudo brush is my favorite of the three because it has the most defined point, which means I can use it to apply a highlighting shade to the inner corners of my eyes without the shimmer going everywhere. It’s also easier to use precisely on the lower lash line. The Eihodo brush is still better at being able to diffuse a smokey look in the outer corner and crease than the rephr brush, but the rephr brush is still nice for working with darker shadows in the outer corner. The Eihodo brush is softer feeling than the Koyudo brush because there’s enough gray squirrel hair in the mix. I like this brush, and find it even more useful than the Sakura blending brush, but I still tend to not use it as often because of the total brush length.
This brush is currently 3850 YEN and available HERE. There is also a red handle version.
Eihodo Face Mask Applicator Brush
Full Length: 147mm / 5.78 in
Hair Length: 28mm / 1.1 in
Hair Width: *35mm / 1.38 in
Bristle Type: Raccoon
This works for applying face masks evenly, but I wanted to use it with cream bronzer and contour to see how precisely I could shape my face with this. It applies those products perfectly well, but it’s the matter of blending it out that isn’t as easy, since the brush isn’t shaped for that purpose. So, I may as well use a regular brush that can do both. Also, this is softer than my other raccoon hair brush. I read that raccoons have guard hair that’s coarse and stiff, as well as underfur that’s softer. Even though the hair in this brush is softer than the Koyudo y-8, it doesn’t feel that much softer that I’d suspect that they came from two different areas of the raccoons.
Muragishi Sangyou
MS-4 Mai Sakura Eyeshadow Brush
Full Length: 138mm / 5.43 in
Hair Length: 13mm / 0.51 in
Hair Width: *10mm / 0.39 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel
I was a bit shocked to see this labeled as Gray Squirrel because it feels synthetic to the touch. It’s so firmly packed that even though it’s soft, there isn’t much movement in the bottom third of the brush closest to the ferrule. When used on the eyelid to apply shadows or adding color to the crease, the movement is almost entirely from the tip to halfway down at most. This stiffness in the bottom half, yet the amount of give in the tips, allows it to feel gentle when used in the eye area while performing more like a goat brush. I’ve never had a gray squirrel brush work as sturdily as this (only other unusual one I own is the Mizuho MB125) because they’re usually designated for lighter washes and diffused eyeshadow looks rather than packing on color, but I think that gives this brush a wonderful balance. I consider it one of my workhorse eye brushes. I’ve even been using it more than my beloved Sonia G Builder Three and Builder Pro. The flat shape is thin enough that I can also comfortably apply eyeshadow to my lower lash line, making it even more versatile. In fact, I can do pretty much every eyeshadow step using this one brush (and I have done that plenty of times).
This brush is 3200 YEN, at the time of me posting, and available HERE.
Wayne Goss
Wayne Goss Brush 13
Full Length: 165mm / 6.5 in
Hair Length: 30mm / 1.2 in
Hair Width: *25mm / 0.98 in
Bristle Type: Goat
This brush is wonderful. It’s one of those that I like to compare to applying a product on the face with a bunny tail. It’s soft and bouncy with the majority of the movement remaining in the tips. It’s great for blush and bronzer, and I actually got this as a set with Wayne Goss’ Bronzer/Contour duo.
I can buff with it, but it doesn’t apply too much at the start either. The way that it’s bundled keeps it feeling airy even though there’s a lot of hair packed in and it feels medium density overall. The downside of the brush is that it sheds a lot. I love using it, but I’m fearful about how it will perform after a few years, so I bought a second one when it was half off during a Beautylish sale. Then, nearly all of Wayne’s remaining brushes sold out and I would later learn a new fundamental collection was being created.
The F2 brush in that collection is like a smaller, slightly denser, and even softer version of the #13 brush. I posted comparison photos on my Instagram. The downside is that for the past month that I’ve had the F2, it sheds even more than the 13!
Rephr
On the topic of their “using natural fibers” labeling, it bothers me that rephr isn’t more forthcoming with listing their hair types. I’ve discussed this in the past and gave them at least some credit when they started listing brushes as “goat” and explained in their FAQ that most of their brushes are some combination of what would be considered saikoho and sokoho depending on what purpose the brush served and which types were needed. Then they finally started listing some of their brushes as synthetic or partly synthetic. However, when they list in the description “using natural fibers,” it doesn’t clarify whether that means it’s a 100% natural animal hair brush or if they use animal hair in addition to synthetic. Also, choosing to say “natural fibers” instead of “natural hair” leads me to wonder if they aren’t even referring to animal hair. Plant fibers would be considered “natural fibers” and there are brushes made of that (such as from Pure Colors Cosmetics). So, the wording leaves wiggle room that the brushes could be animal hair mixed with plant fibers, flat out plant fibers, or some other natural non-animal source. What lead me down this rabbit hole is the fact that some of my brushes from rephr weren’t listed as synthetic, yet they felt like synthetic mixed brushes. This made me question the entire labeling system until I thought more about their wording and how it leaves them open to using other means of avoiding a “synthetic” label.
The reason this is important is because of their pricing and authenticity. We all know natural hair sources in the upper tiers are expensive because the supply of high quality ones are dwindling. If, for example, I bought a brush “using natural saibikoho” and I bought it thinking I was getting an insane deal on the price, but in reality the brush was made “using saibikoho” along with some other types, then I’m not getting what I thought I paid for. I’m not actually experiencing what a true pure saibikoho brush feels like. If the quality is lackluster, someone would think saibikoho wasn’t worth buying and/or they would think the other companies were overcharging theirs. So companies producing authentic goods could potentially lose business because of another company ruining the reputation of saibikoho with misleading labeling.
Ultimately, things are worth what the consumer is willing to pay. If the brushes perform as well as similar counterparts, the material technically doesn’t matter. However, I do tend to see a quality difference and half of my rephr brushes feel worth their discounted prices (never full price) while the other half don’t. I really started liking rephr more and have been giving them more of a chance, but I go back and forth on whether I want to continue buying their products and reviewing them because of their unclear descriptions.
Rephr 37
Full Length: *168mm / 6.6 in
Hair Length: *30mm / 1.18 in
Hair Width: *27mm / 1.06 in
Bristle Type: Natural Fibers
This brush head is nearly identical in size, shape, and density to the Wayne Goss 13. The rephr brush is decently soft, but Wayne’s is much softer. This purchase was also to ensure I’d have a backup brush since it performs the same way as well, but it managed to shed far less. Since rephr has sales/concept store offers of 40-50% discounts fairly frequently, this could be a more affordable alternative. Granted, the Wayne Goss brush is still softer and holds its shape better. Compared to other rephr brushes though, this one doesn’t splay as wide as most other shapes of theirs (which is a good thing in my eyes).
I should mention that this is one of those brushes that felt like it wasn’t entirely made of animal hair, and I later noticed it was just listed as “natural fibers” on the website. So, this could factor into whether someone wants this brush or not. Even if it is made entirely of animal hair, perhaps someone won’t like that it doesn’t feel that way to the touch, in my opinion.
Rephr 36
Full Length: *157mm / 6.18 in
Hair Length: *15mm / 0.59 in
Hair Width: *18mm / 0.71 in
Bristle Type: Natural Fibers
I have a few brushes that are shaped this way that I really enjoy, so I hoped this would be a great multipurpose brush. The best part about it is how dense it is, because it seems to help me get the most coverage out of my products. The downside is the shape. I would have preferred a flatter and less wide portion where it angles and tapers, so I could have been able to get between tight spaces easier on my particular face shape.
As it is, the best use for it is applying eyeshadow primer. The size makes it difficult to control the area for concealer (and between the eyes and bridge of my nose). Not having a section that can diffuse what was applied makes it not ideal for applying contour to the hollows either. Since I have other brushes that can apply eyeshadow primer in addition to concealer, I haven’t used this brush again. I only kept using it long enough to test it thoroughly.
Rephr 35
Full Length: *155mm / 6.1 in
Hair Length: *18mm / 0.71 in
Hair Width: *15mm / 0.59 in
Bristle Type: Natural and Synthetic Fibers
This brush is small enough to fit in the hollows nicely for cream contour use, and very quickly covers the eye for priming. So, it’s already more useful to me than Brush 36. However, I wish there was a version that’s oval instead of round so I could get more sharpness. Although I can use it for cream contouring and/or bronzing, it doesn’t surpass the brushes I regularly use for that purpose (mainly the Patrick Ta Contour Brush). Also, one thing I like about Sonia G’s Jumbo Concealer brush is that I can get maximum coverage, but still easily blend out the edges. This brush is dense enough to pack on product, but I feel like it also lifts some of it back away and blends the outer edges a little too well. So, it’s a useful brush, but not enough to replace anything currently in my routine.
Rephr 26
Full Length: *147mm / 5.79 in
Hair Length: 11.5mm / 0.45 in
Hair Width: *7mm / 0.28 in
Bristle Type: Uncut Natural Hair
I discussed this a bit already in the Eihodo RE10-1 section. My favorite use for this brush is applying a dark eyeshadow to the outer corner/outer v. I can pick up the product with the side, not the tip, and just lay it onto the outer corner like a stamp. It gives the right amount to smoke out the eye look without it turning too dramatic or putting in much effort. I bought this because of Sofia Sees Beauty’s recommendation video and how it might be the closest dupe I was going to find at the time for Sonia G’s Crease One brush which has been discontinued.
I got this brush for such a niche purpose, but I can’t deny it works well enough for me to keep it around. It’s a bit too chunky for applying shadows to my lower lash line, but I can do regular crease work with it instead.
Rephr 29
Full Length: *137mm / 5.39 in
Hair Length: 2.4mm / 0.1 in
Hair Width: *4mm / 0.16 in
Bristle Type: Uncut Natural Hair
I purchased this for its lining ability. I’m forever looking for a backup to my tiny Smashbox brush that was discontinued. That brush works so well in applying a good amount of product to my lower lash line without making a mess, being able to blend it out, and also applying highlight shades to my inner corner while being precise about it. Naturally, I expect all tiny brushes to be as good, but they really aren’t. The way the tips are shaped on this brush, I constantly accidentally flick powder shadow into my eyes while trying to apply shadow to my lower lash line. It sweeps it up along those edges that splay out. This can be seen in the photo below compared to the extremely similar original Wayne Goss 08 brush.
I’m used to having to sometimes use the aloe trick to reshape my rephr brushes. So, I’ve been able to get this brush to work better for my needs, but I have to reshape it every so often. Realistically though, I just keep going back to the Smashbox brush yet again, or I use my Wayne Goss equivalent if it’s dirty.
Surratt
In a Surratt review from 2015, Sonia G mentioned that Chikuhodo makes Chicca brushes. Chikuhodo also lists Suqqu as one of the brands they produce brushes for on their website. Both of those brands have brushes similar to Surratt’s, so it stands to reason there’s a high chance Chikuhodo makes Surratt brushes as well. Since Chikuhodo is one of my favorite brushmakers, I figured I would like Surratt’s brushes, but the premium price is what kept me from getting them. Occasionally, Surratt has a 30% off sale on their website. Even more rare are when select brushes go for 40-50% off via them or Nordstrom. The only brush I currently own of theirs came from one of these Nordstrom sales. However, I have purchased from Surratt’s website for other products. They shipped fast with the products presented nicely and securely inside.
Surratt Artistique Petite Classique Eyeshadow Brush
Full Length: *128mm / 5.04 in
Hair Length: 9mm / 0.35 in
Hair Width: *6mm / 0.24 in
Bristle Type: Canadian Squirrel
Nordstrom had 50% off all Surratt products on their website. By the time I learned about the sale, the majority of the brushes were out of stock and this was the only one left that I wanted.
Because the hair on this is comparatively long for a small brush, I don’t feel I get enough control to apply the amount of product I want to my lower lash line. This brush is soft due to the hair type and also doesn’t pick up as much product, so I’m unsatisfied with the wash of color. However, I like a natural looking brightened inner corner, so this suits my needs for applying a highlight shimmer to my inner corners and highlighting the arch under my brow bones. The small surface area doesn’t make it ideal for me to use in applying shadows all over my eyes, so I haven’t gotten much use out of this brush. I don’t mind because I wanted to experience what at least one Surratt brush was like, but it’s a brush that can be skipped.
I assume the GS in the name means it’s a goat and synthetic hybrid brush considering Hakuhodo has been transitioning more towards goat and synthetic mixtures from 2022 and onward. The newly released brushes with pure goat tend to be part of special sets and is no longer the norm. I bought this brush, and all limited edition Hakuhodo brushes from Fude Japan. That website usually has very few details listed. I tend to avoid buying goat and synthetic hybrids, but at least with this one I don’t notice much of a difference between the way this performs versus a fully natural hair goat brush from Hakuhodo. So, that’s a good thing in my books.
This brush is a traditionally shaped shader brush, but it’s wider than most. Viewing it from the side, its widest part is in the middle or belly of the brush, but because the hair is so long, it performs like a fully flat shader brush. I can get a bit more picked up if I lay the brush flatter, but for the mostpart, I get less pickup in one go than I usually want. This just makes time using it to apply mattes or shimmers to my lid take a little longer. Picking up mattes is satisfactory, but I don’t like it as much for shimmers.
Hakuhodo G/J5545 (April ’22 Limited Edition Mint Handle)
Full Length: 178mm / 7 in
Hair Length: 38mm / 1.5 in
Hair Width: 8.6mm (thick) / 0.34 in
Bristle Type: Blue Squirrel & Goat
Black and white mixed hair brushes are so pleasing to my eye, which is the main reason I’ve been interested in them lately. It gets a little tricky when the hair types are so different though. Blue squirrel and goat mixes, in theory, should be the best of both worlds combining the resilience of goat with the softness of squirrel. However, this works best with makeup that is buildable and blendable. Ultra pigmented products that are harder to blend will make the squirrel hair useless to get an even application and the blending work falls on the goat hair, which can result in a patchy look. This is also the case with dry powders that like to stick to the skin where it first touches and is difficult to move around. As I discovered with a brush I’ll discuss at the end, certain shimmer formulas and tighter packed products are too tough for the squirrel hair to pick up, and so the work falls to goat once again.
All of these potential issues, thankfully, was not a problem for me with this blush brush. Sure, it doesn’t pick up a lot of product at once, but that’s fine with me when it comes to blush and not wanting to overload my brush anyway. I don’t want to generalize, but based on the Hakuhodo squirrel/goat mix brushes I’ve used (in this review and future ones to come), it appears to be a trend that they keep these brushes on the sheer to the lightest side of medium denseness at most. My Hakuhodo brushes tend to be airier and have even less blending strength. I like the shape of this brush, as it makes for a nice sweeping application on the cheeks, and I like the performance. The hair mix compensates for the lack of density, giving me better results than an equivalent brush if said brush was a pure squirrel mix. However, for someone who prefers the pure softness of blue/grey squirrel, just choosing a denser squirrel brush (even if it’s more expensive) would probably be preferable. And for someone who likes more buffing power, a pure goat brush (above sokoho grade) would probably be more preferable than this one too. This particular brush works as an in-between and is close to having a “best of both worlds” situation, but I forewarn that not all brush shapes of this hair mix will have that kind of result. I’m thrilled to have this brush. I can use it in a few other ways, but only with my softest and most blendable bronzing and contouring powders. This brush works best for me and my preferences exclusively for blush.
Hakuhodo B004 (April ’22 Limited Edition Green Handle)
Full Length: Around 4 inches?
Hair Length: 11.5 mm/ 0.45 in
Hair Width: ?
Bristle Type: Pine Squirrel & North American Squirrel
*I always list the official website specifications of sizing whenever they’re available and forgo including my own measurements. In this instance, I forgot that the limited edition brushes are smaller than the standard sizes, so I did not remember to measure this by hand before I left it in the US.
I’ve seen some information referring to North American Squirrel as Chipmunk. I’ve been looking for a “chipmunk” or “tamias” labeled brush for four years now, ever since I missed out on this one Koyudo Brush, so I don’t know if I’ve technically reached my goal or not. I’m going to continue to assume North American Chipmunk is different from North American Squirrel unless I learn otherwise. Pine squirrel brushes alone tend to be slightly coarser than this, so I welcome the addition of that North American squirrel hair. The shape and softness is quite comfortable to use on my sensitive lower lash line, though when I apply eyeshadow there, it’s a little thicker than I usually have when I use my go-to Smashbox brush, but sometimes a look calls for that extra drama. It picks up nearly as much hair as goat and grips onto the powder very well. I don’t have to worry about product dropping onto my face before it reaches my eyes, except for eyeshadow formulas lacking good adhesion or ones that are extra powdery, which doesn’t apply to the majority of my collection. So, this is a really enjoyable brush to use! There are very few squirrel hair eye brushes I actually like to use, and this is one of them. However, this version of the brush with such a tiny handle is the reason I don’t reach for it nearly as often as I would if I had a larger handle version. I ordered this one for the color, but I was making a conscious effort to reach for this for testing purposes. Otherwise, it’s short size would have kept it from being used because of having to dig around and search for it at the bottom of my brush holder. I have a lot of eye brushes I enjoy, so my typical routine is to just grab the first thing I see in the shape that I need. Hakuhodo currently sells a G004BkSL for $44. I’m not sure I like it that much to buy it for that price, but if Fude Japan ever lists a longer handle equivalent of this brush at a lower price (as can sometimes happen), I’d consider buying it.
Hakuhodo B005 (April ’22 Limited Edition Green Handle)
Full Length: under 4 inches?
Hair Length: ?
Hair Width: ?
Bristle Type: Horse? Goat with a little bit of synthetic?
*I always list the official website specifications of sizing whenever they’re available and forgo including my own measurements. In this instance, I forgot that the limited edition brushes are smaller than the standard sizes, so I did not remember to measure this by hand before I left it in the US.
I cannot confirm what type of hair this brush has because I purchased it from Fude Japan and that detail wasn’t listed. In addition, there aren’t any equivalents that I could find on the Hakuhodo USA website. The closest I could find to the shape is the J005BkSL, but the hair type is listed as goat and synthetic mix. The hair in my brush feels like horse or sable. It’s coarser than goat to me, which is why I don’t like using it. It’s so small that I only get the urge to use it for lining/detail work, but with it being rougher and on such a tiny handle, this just doesn’t get used in my collection. I don’t like it.
Hakuhodo 2023 Valentine’s Day Brush
Full Length: *140mm / 5.5 in
Hair Length: 40mm / 1.57 in
Hair Width: 30mm / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Goat and Synthetic
The gorgeous design overshadowed the fact that this brush is a goat/synthetic mix brush, which I tend to skip out on. For a mixed brush though, it’s very enjoyable to use! It’s about a light-medium density that holds well from the base of the bristles to about the middle of the brush with the benefit of a slightly wider splay of wispy tips. It’s fully round, but because it’s tapered at the top, it doesn’t feel intuitive to use a fully circular motion while applying products. I treat it a bit like the original Real Techniques blush brush and use a combination of patting motions to apply and swiping back and forth to blend. So, I tend to use this brush more on the side rather than the tips, except for additional blending in the areas that I didn’t tap my brush into the powder (and won’t add extra product to my face). I’ve used this brush for sweeping bronzer on and applying contour, but the majority of the time I use it as intended for blush purposes. The performance and airiness reminds me of the Chikuhodo T-4, even though their shapes are a bit different.
This brush, purchased from Fude Japan, didn’t have any specs listed. The J210BkSL Round Blush Blush is listed as being only goat, but mine feels partly synthetic, so I listed that in my details above just to be safe. This limited edition version may very well still just be fully goat. If it is, it’s quite softer than most other pure goat hair brushes I have from Hakuhodo. It looked like it would be a thick and flat-head brush based on pre-wash photos, but it widens beautifully after the first wash. It’s another one of those “bouncy bunny tail” brushes that I love. It’s softer and still denser than my similarly shaped and performing rephr 37, Wayne Goss 13, and Wayne Goss F2. Unlike those, this brush seems to be bundled tighter and doesn’t have the same kind of shedding issue as the others. Considering how gorgeous the pink handle is with the gold ferrule, combined with the performance, this is one of my favorite limited edition purchases. I wanted to buy a backup, even though the handle is on the shorter side of what I like to use for face brushes, but it sold out and never restocked. Because I have so many brushes of this style that I’ve collected over time, I don’t intend to buy the permanent version. However, if a limited edition version gets released again, I’d definitely be tempted.
Another thing I noticed about the J210BkSL version (other than the high price I definitely did not pay and is currently still $20 cheaper on Fude Japan’s website versus the Hakuhodo USA site), is that it’s listed as being useful for powder in addition to blush. Because of the small splay area, I personally wouldn’t bother using it for powder purposes. It’s also much too dense for all-over-powdering in my opinion. I recommend sticking to blush with this one.
Hakuhodo F7344 Ougi Angled L
Full Length: *162-166mm / 6.38-6.53 in
Hair Length: *23mm / 0.91 in
Hair Width: *30mm / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Blue Squirrel and Goat
This is the brush I referred to in the 5545 section. This highlighter brush is very flexible and wispy if used in a dusting motion in the vertical direction, but there’s a lot less movement if used horizontally following a line along the cheekbone. This brush is fine for use with typical powder highlighters that aren’t too firmly pressed and aren’t too wet. With baked gelee formulas and smoother slippery ones that compress down into the pan, this doesn’t pick up an even amount of product and can look splotchy in the application. Since it’s not intended to be dense, it doesn’t blend that forcefully, which makes correcting the mistake with this brush quite the challenge. For that reason, I found myself continually reaching for my other highlighter brushes. Even the F6210 with less luxurious hair does a better job for my needs. I prefer highlighters that aren’t intense, so I thought the squirrel would give me the sheer wash and the goat would buff it out, but to get that, I have to use that horizontal motion and I prefer to use candleflame shapes if I’m going to use it that way. This motion isn’t a problem for my other fan brushes because those are mainly goat, which require less pressure to get the desired effect.
I included the photo above as an example of different fan styles from Hakuhodo, not as a comparison of how they are similar. They both perform and feel very differently.
So, to sum it up, this brush is fine with my standard powder highlighters only. I have many other highlighter brushes I’ll continue to choose over this one.
That’s everything for today! I apologize for this taking so long! I hope it was worth the wait! I have Fude 7’s photos all uploaded as a draft, and I’ve been testing them alongside Fude 6, but the writing/reviewing portion will take me quite a long time to complete. It might be another few months.
UPDATE/EDIT: I’m also throwing in here the fact that I decided to take two weeks off of blog posting so I can focus on completing wedding preparations and some relaxing time afterwards.
This is one of the two Halloween themed palettes Angie launched with Odens Eye, making it her second time collaborating with the brand overall. There are very specific shades that appealed to me in the Trick or Treat palette, so I decided to go ahead and grab it since the chances of it being restocked are low. There was quite a bit of drama associated with this launch on social media. Particularly on Instagram, I saw a disturbing number of borderline xenophobic comments regarding the brand and Angelica with people expressing displeasure that non-Americans were doing a Halloween themed launch, as if it’s an American invented holiday with no Celtic (and therefore European) origins. I’m paraphrasing in a nice way. Some people took it quite far. There was even one semi-large beauty account who tagged Angelica twice in a vile mean-spirited post. Reddit made me aware that this same person has said horrible things about other groups of people, so I’m no longer surprised. In any case, Angelica took the high road in not addressing the negativity, instead sharing her joy of her first Halloween experiences on her YouTube page, and everyone moved on. For that reason, I won’t dwell on the incident, but it was actually a pretty gross reminder of how small minded people can be and the aspects I despise about social media. I’m not sure if this impacted sales at all, but I believe this is the first time an Angie collab hasn’t sold out within the first month and with indie brand timetables being what they are, it’s safe to assume there won’t be a restock. So, for anyone wanting items from the collection, I recommend getting it sooner rather than later. Oden’s Eye is likely to have a Black Friday sale, and maybe even a Christmas one, but there’s no guarantee the palettes and lip products will still be available by then or even after that.
I’m happy to say the Trick or Treat palette is so much prettier in person than I could see from photos and videos. This is the good Oden’s Eye formula I’ve come to know and love. The shadows are pigmented, but blendable. The shimmers are high impact. The only issues I had were with two shades. Wicked is a much thinner and more powdery matte than the others. It doesn’t show up on me at all. I’ve tried several times to build it up in my inner corner the way Angelica likes to have a matte inner corner brightening shade, but it disappears after a few pats on my eyes. I can at least still use it as a shade to blend the edges of eyeshadows or tone down the brightness of colors, but it only makes a small difference.
The other issue is that Witches Brew isn’t as even in color and smoothness on the eye. It’s like a slight separation between the base and the shimmer. I can get patches where the vibrant blue-green peeks through when I apply it, and there’s no shimmer in those spots, whereas all the shimmer has gathered onto other parts. So, it takes some smoothing back and forth to get the area covered evenly. It’s such a vibrant glowing shade and one of the ones I was the most excited to have, but it’s a little less enjoyable in the application process.
I have no issues with longevity or creasing. Regarding my skin tone and how the shades look on me, there are only two important enough to mention. One is that Cemetery looked like a red that was bordering on purple. I expected it to be nearly an ultra-deep mauve, but it’s more of a burgundy color on me. Magic Potion looks like it should be a silvery-light blue but none of that blue translates on my skin. It’s basically just silver, which might end up being better since I don’t know how much I’d have enjoyed that kind of blue on me anyway.
If you have a big Oden’s Eye collection, you might feel some of these shades are similar to what is in other palettes. I thought some of my yellows looked like others, but in swatching them on myself I realized there were no dupes. The reds are also just different enough. I thought Crypt Keeper would be similar to Luxury from the Urd palette, but luxury is lighter. The only one actually close was Deadly compared to Eternal from Solmane II. I don’t have every palette though, so perhaps there are a few more that are close, but I was satisfied that this palette is different enough to be worth having in my collection. In fact, one of the selling points for me was that it reminded me of the Merry Christmas palette and that those two pair well together.
And of course it can also be paired with the original Hela palette.
I’m on a lip product low-buy, so I wasn’t interested in that part of the collection and can’t vouch for the quality of those, but I think those who are interested in the eyeshadow palettes will be happy with them.
I wasn’t planning to review Singe Beauty, Angelica’s brand that she unveiled this year, because after my initial impression I didn’t think I’d end up using them enough to review. I really wasn’t a fan at first, and honestly being a natural hair Fude lover plays into that. However, I’m still going to share my thoughts here today because these brushes do have their benefits.
Singe Beauty
Angelica has said that her brushes are, “specifically made out of synthetic fibers to emulate the way a natural bristle will pick up and distribute product,” but in various videos including this one and others that came after, she describes them as “super soft” and that they feel like natural hair, not just perform like them. I have to say this is a major discrepancy between what I expected when ordering versus what I got in reality. I was expecting them to feel like the highest grade of goat, but I can see someone thinking it could pass for sokoho goat at best. They’re closest to sable, which some people love because of their strength and resilience. However, I’d prefer to spend a little longer blending if it means I can use a softer less firm brush. The manufacturer nailed the natural hair performance part of it, but there is absolutely no mistaking that these are synthetic and they feel synthetic. This isn’t a point against the brushes; I just think saying they’re comparable can lead to others having higher expectations and then being disappointed. I only use synthetic brushes for specific limited tasks, so I would not have been interested in picking up this set if not for the natural hair comparison.
E01
The E01 is the brush I was most excited to have because the shape reminded me of the Sonia G Builder Pro which is one of my holy grail eye brushes. This is my favorite brush of the bunch for applying shimmers to the lid. When I was having a hard time getting the shade I mentioned in the palette section (Witches Brew) to apply smoothly, this was the brush I switched to that helped make things much easier. I know that Angie says it’s great for packing shadow on the inner corners, and while it can do that, I still prefer to use my smaller brushes for that purpose. Plus, this brush is a little pokey and doesn’t feel as comfortable in my corners and creases. So, I end up using this brush mainly for shimmer lid shades, and it’s great for that. Plus, as a lid packing brush, how soft it is barely matters. What matters is how well it picks up and lays down the product, which this works well for, making it quite useful for my collection. It being synthetic also has the advantage of being great with liquid and cream shadows.
E02
The E02 is a brush I didn’t intend on using since I prefer smaller crease and blending brushes, but when I was working with some stubborn matte eyeshadows and found that the E05 was taking too long to blend out the edges because of its smaller surface area, the E02 came in handy. I was able to finish the blending job quicker and decided that this brush is actually perfect for me to blend shadows in my crease, but without any product on it. It’s still too large (even though it has a slight taper) for me to precisely apply shadows with in my crease, but I will continue to reserve it for the times that I have a stubborn or just extra pigmented eyeshadow that needs something firmer to blend with and that’s big enough to make it quick. Admittedly, the majority of the shadows I regularly use in my collection are high quality and don’t require me to have a brush like this on hand. But, since I do still test palettes and there’s always the chance I could wind up with a dud, having this within reach is useful.
E03
The E03 is the only brush still in the plastic because I know I will never use it. It’s essentially a larger version of the E02, which is a larger version of the E05. Because of my partly hooded eyes and need for more precision, I always use tiny crease brushes. The E03 is simply too big for my preference and if the time occurs when I do want a brush of this size, I have several in my collection already that are good blending brushes and also immensely softer feeling while I use them.
E04
The E04 is a packing brush with a taper that I find is great for applying shadows to the lid without getting too much of the lid shadow into the crease area, because I can pick up product on one of those tapered edge sides. It’s also nice for intentionally tucking color into the crease if product is applied just on the tip and those tapered sides have no product on there, keeping the width of the application area on the smaller side. I’m actually surprised that for a brush of this thickness, I’m still able to use it to apply eyeshadows under my eyes. I usually designate that task to my tiny brushes, but I haven’t needed to switch brushes to do that when I’m using this one. Of all the brushes in the set, this is my second favorite after the E01.
E05
The E05 is one of the brushes I was the most excited by because of its shape, yet was still concerned that it might not be able to measure up to my Sonia G Mini Booster. Honestly, this did end up being the case, but the Mini Booster alone is also the same price as half of this set costs.
The E05 is useful for its size, the ability to pack on a lot of color to a small region, and for detail work. However, the combination of how tall the fibers are with the tightness of how it’s packed in the center makes it partly bend/flop when pressure is applied that is then halted from bending any further because the fibers align to an even level at that point. It’s like the way it’s made generates extra friction, leading to the brush feeling like it’s not applying as smoothly as it could. Working the bristles around enough will complete the task and not lead to any patchy results, but the two battling forces makes the application process feel less comfortable than I think it could have been if the head was shorter with a flat top instead of rounded. Angelica chose these brushes to be shaped, bundled, and cut to the exact specifications she wanted, so my desire for a slightly tweaked shape is a matter of my own personal preference.
None of these brushes feel loose. They feel secure within the ferrules, unlike some of my inexpensive synthetic brushes like ELF and Real Techniques. I’ve only washed these a few times so far, but I haven’t had any shedding issues or problems with them losing their shape.
While I’ve found use for 4 out of 5 of these and enjoy the E01 and E04 in particular, I can’t easily recommend everyone just run out and buy them. These brushes are ideal for those who love very pigmented, intense, and opaque eyeshadows. Also, those who have a lot of troublesome eyeshadows could benefit from these. Since I review a wide range of products like high quality natural hair brushes to inexpensive Real Techniques ones, and soft refined luxury eyeshadows to intense pigmented indie brands’ eyeshadows, those of you who read my blog have varied and diverse interests. So, these particular brushes aren’t something I can recommend across the board to everyone. It’s a bit niche in my opinion, which makes sense considering Angelica says there isn’t a brush brand out there that has made what she considers her perfect eye set. So, it makes sense that it’s not going to be perfect for the masses if this specific collection is tailored to her.
I was able to get this set for 20% off during the brand’s Memorial Day sale, so considering the price and the usefulness of the set, I don’t regret it. If face brushes come next, I think I’ll be skipping them. However, I look forward to seeing what other type of products come out from Singe Beauty. If it’s makeup, and especially eyeshadows, I’m all in!
*DISCLOSURE: I paid for all of the items in this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Non-highlighted links in bold blue font (Example) are standard non-affiliate links. Links marked in bold black font with a light blue background (Example) are affiliate links. Affiliate links allow me to get a commission if purchases are made directly using my link.There is currently just one affiliate link in today’s post.
New Nudes Hazy Finish Powder Brush
I have to admit that I wasn’t very impressed with this brush at first. Despite the beautiful semitransparent handle, pretty ferrule, and bristles dyed with soft latte colored tips, there was no mistaking those shiny fibers. Fresh out of the box, these looked and felt very obviously synthetic with a slippery feel to them.
However, once I began using the brush and powder started to build up on it over time, I stopped being able to feel anything except the softness from the powder. Of course, this goes away once it’s properly washed again, but the slippery feel of the bristles don’t bother me anymore.
Because of the way the bristles are bundled, it looks super full (and does have a decent amount of fibers) but it’s not as dense as it looks. It’s a little bit floppy, but there’s enough there to keep it from being flimsy. I personally wish it was fuller, but not at the cost of it being wider in order to maintain the airy quality to it. If it was a little more dense, I’d be able to buff with it to my liking. It’s too wide of a brush for me to want to use for any purpose other than all-over-powder, but I don’t mind that. It is written on the website that it can also be used with bronzer. Some people like jumbo bronzer brushes, but considering the splay and the looseness, I definitely wouldn’t like it for that purpose.
According to the brush details, these bristles are custom-cut for good pickup and laydown. I agree that it picks up more than I expected. Because it’s not tightly packed, I was initially gripping the bristles tighter myself in order to pick up product from my Dior Powder No Powder, thinking the strands weren’t strong enough to do the job if I just gripped and swirled the brush in there normally. However, I was wrong. I realized the way the tips were cut allows even firm pressed products to be picked up. I can get a layer of product on my face that’s light to medium coverage.
No matter how it feels to the touch of my fingers, it feels quite nice on the face. It’s fluffy and inexpensive. A synthetic powder brush I can think of that I enjoy the feel of more than these is the Lunar Beauty LBF-1 Large Powder Brush, but that one is $18. So, I don’t have any regrets buying this. However, if you’re a Fude lover, I’m not sure how satisfying this brush would be. I’m still going to reach for my squirrel and silver fox ones for face powdering pretty much every time if I’m using a loose face powder. The main reason I’ve gotten so much use out of this brush so far is because I’ve been using the Dior Powder no Powder a lot more often again, and my airy natural hair brushes can’t pick it up. But, just as often, I’ve been using the Chikuhodo FO-2, and since that has the benefit of major buffing power along with good pickup, the Real Techniques is fighting an inevitably losing battle. At the full retail price of $12 for those that prefer using synthetic brushes, I could recommend this one if the Lunar Beauty brush is harder to access.
Soft Sculpting Brush
This is great for cream and liquid bronzer, as well as applying blush to precise areas. I’m guessing this replaced the original Sculpting Brush. The Soft Sculpting Brush is much smaller, which I prefer. The original brush being wider caused me to sometimes apply product in too large a zone if I wasn’t careful. The new brush has the same amount of splay proportionally in the front, but it remains more compact on the sides than the previous version. That not only helps with precision, but also gives me slightly stronger application power and feels firmer towards the back in comparison, though it’s a soft brush. Even though it’s touted as giving light to medium coverage and a subtle finish, the old sculpting brush did that as well, and was even gentler due to how much if splayed under the same amount of pressure. When using this new one with cream, I get medium coverage. It picks up a bit too much product to be considered light, unless the makeup I’m using is a sheerer formula.
I prefer the new brush, though they both are excellent, so this was a good purchasing decision. Now, I can toss my old one with its sticky handle.
Tapered Cheek Brush
When I tried using this brush in a circular motion, I didn’t like it so much, and this brush really isn’t intended for that based on the way it tapers on the sides and is ovular from the front. Instead, I apply blush on the tapered slightly angled portion of the tips and make patting and/or sweeping motions the same way I used to use the original Real Techniques Blush Brush. This is like a slightly denser version of that one, but much shorter in bristle length. I very much like it!
It’s also like a much fluffier less precise version of Smashbox’s Precise Blush Brush in the overall head shape. It would look the same if it was made with sharper angled sides, but the taper is much more gradual to create softer edges. I don’t get as much product pickup with the brush, which is why I think it’s great for powder bronzer use that I wouldn’t want to apply heavily, use with strongly pigmented powder blushes to get a softer flushed effect, and with liquid and cream blushes that I want to be a little more diffused. It works alright with cream bronzer, but the soft angle doesn’t give me the level of precision that I like with my cream bronzers. So, I just keep that in mind when I reach for it, but it’s easy to forget considering I buy synthetic with the intent to use it exclusively for cream and liquid products. However, since I don’t see my Patrick Ta Contour Brush being supplanted for cream bronzer use anytime soon, the brushes that work nicely with liquid and cream blushes (such as this one) are the ones I’m more likely to keep using long after this review is posted.
Seamless Complexion Brush
I use this brush pretty much the same way and with the same products as the Soft Sculpting Brush. However, instead of utilizing the full edge with cream bronzer, I pick up and apply it on the part with the shortest bristles from the base and then finish blending it out using the tip region that has no extra product on that portion of the bristles. This brush is much wider than the Soft Sculpting one, so it picks up too much product if I don’t do it this way. With powder bronzer and all forms of blushes, I pick up product closer to the middle which lets me pick up the amount I like and still have clean areas around the brush to diffuse it. This is another good brush, but because of the shape of it compared to the contours of my face, I prefer to stick to using this for blush products exclusively. I have an easier time bronzing with other brushes instead. With the Soft Sculpting Brush, I still use it for both blush and bronzer (and prefer it for bronzer over this one), but even then, I still like my Patrick Ta Contour Brush the most with cream bronzer and my natural hair Fude for powder products.
Brightening Concealer Brush
I think I’ve mentioned this brush before, but not in a full review. The Real Techniques Setting brush has been my number one brush for setting the concealer under my eyes with powder for nearly eight years. However, the Brightening Concealer brush has become my second favorite for that purpose. I hadn’t even known this brush existed until a year ago when a lovely blog reader and I were having a private discussion and it came up. The curved angle and tip lets me get into the corners to set around my eyes with a light dusting of powder, as well as sweep away eyeshadow fallout. Because the bristles on the tip are splayed a little haphazardly, it can be a little pokey at times. This is why it doesn’t surpass my Setting Brush. However, this brush has an additional function as a fantastic highlighting brush because of the way it hugs the top of my cheekbones at that slant.
Even though this brush was created to blend out concealer, I hate it for that purpose. While I can get into the corners with powder because it doesn’t require much pressure, it’s not strong enough to evenly spread my liquid concealer and then I lose coverage as well when the concealer stays within the bristles. So, I keep this strictly for highlighting and under eye powdering purposes.
Lastly, they are totally not the same size, but I wanted to point out the similar shape I noticed between the Brightening Concealer Brush and the Seamless Complexion Brush.
In my previous review, I mentioned that the brand seems to be more focused on quantity over quality and in photos like this one and some of the others throughout this post, you can see the strands that weren’t cut properly (those aren’t loose bristles) by either people or machines, though some of the brushes on Ulta’s website are listed as being “hand cut.” Some brushes of mine have been bundled in a way that don’t look uniform. Some of those ferrules get loose very easily. I can be a little rough sometimes, but this ferrule issue is one I’ve only ever had with inexpensive brushes. Even then, it has only happened with the brushes made after the original black rubber handle ones were discontinued. Quality control just isn’t what it used to be. The permanent lines tend to be better than the limited edition ones, but even these aren’t perfect. I continue to recommend Real Techniques as an affordable brush brand, but sometimes they make changes that aren’t for the better. My Setting Brush, that’s still my top favorite brush from them, has a slightly different brush head than the original. The change was small enough that I continued viewing the new one as my top brush, but the original shape was superior. So, I cannot guarantee that the brushes I recommend of the same name (but different handles as part of different lines) will be the same quality and shape as what I currently own. I just want to make sure I put out that disclaimer.
Miracle 2-in-1 Powder Puff
I could drone on about my initial mistakes expecting this brush to perform in ways it wasn’t intended to, but instead I will keep it to things that I discovered.
For starters, this sponge is not intended to be used wet. When wet, the sponge portion lifts off the silicone core on the inside.
The reason the website demonstration photos show this product used with concealer, cream contour or bronzer, but not foundation is because most people expect to use tapping/bouncing motions when applying with sponges. Those products demonstrated in those smaller areas should be fine if tapped, because without liquid, this sponge doesn’t diffuse product very much. I would like concealer to be tapped in without losing coverage, but using that motion in a larger area like for foundation just places a bunch of dots across the face instead of it actually blending in. However, this sponge can still work for foundation if a spreading motion is used. I saw one review video prior to mine arriving where the YouTuber sprayed the sponge to add a little bit of moisture. I tried that once and it does work. With a fully dry sponge, if the primer used underneath creates an emollient surface (like the Rituel de Fille Thorn Oil), then it is also fairly easy to spread. Swiping foundation on the face works in a pinch, but is less enjoyable than using something softer like the Blendiful or my usual foundation brushes.
I mentioned that the sponge side is supposed to be better suited for concealer, cream contour, and cream bronzer but I don’t like it for any of those purposes, and that’s because it just doesn’t blend things in well enough. The concealer gets around the corners nicely, but it doesn’t properly blend out where I have lines under my eyes. I’m not left with smooth even coverage and have to switch back to my usual Sonia G Jumbo Concealer brush for proper coverage. Cream face products don’t look blended enough either. The only thing that worked were liquid blushes and liquid bronzer because those naturally spread and move easier. Overall, the sponge side is just a dud for me except to swipe liquid foundation.
The puff side is the better side. Normally, I’d have to roll a puff into a different shape to set the concealer under my eyes with powder and make sure there’s enough pressure behind it. That’s why I usually don’t bother. However, the silicone insert has the perfect firmness and the pointed tips on either end let me get between corners and apply a smooth even layer of powder. That layer ends up being more powder than I usually apply with my brushes, but it looks like the typical amount I see the beauty gurus use online (the ones that don’t bake, although this would be great for baking too). I don’t wear powder foundation, but I have tried this for all over face powdering and it works nicely, but I bought my pricey face brushes for a reason and I prefer to apply with those heavenly bristles instead. Plus, with my dry skin, I need a lot less powder all over my face in particular.
I’ve used the puff side with powder blush as well and it works! But, again, I prefer the feel of my brushes. So, I might continue using the puff side, but to just set my under eyes.
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