Fude Collection Part 8

Posted on October 28, 2024 by ghekate

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.

This brush costs 24000 YEN and is available HERE.

WAYNE GOSS

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.

HAKUHODO

Hakuhodo G110A Blush Brush (from Hakuhodo 2023 Beginner’s Set)

Full Length: 143mm / 5.63 in
Hair Length: 38mm / 1.5 in
Hair Width: *27mm / 1.06 in
Bristle Type: Blue squirrel, Goat

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!

Eihodo WP PC-1 PUFF Makie Powder Brush Goldfish / Gold

Full Length: 143mm / 5.6 in
Hair Length: 30mm / 1.18 in
Hair Width: *36mm / 1.41 in
Bristle Type: Sokoho Goat

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.

Eihodo WP PC-1 Puff Makie Powder Brush White Maiko No. 2

Full Length: 146mm / 5.6 in
Hair Length: 30mm / 1.18 in
Hair Width: *36mm / 1.41 in
Bristle Type: Sokoho Goat

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.

This brush cost 4070 YEN and was sold HERE.

Eihodo No.63 Blush Brush [Outlet]

Full Length: 130mm / 5.1 in
Hair Length: 37mm / 1.46 in
Hair Width: *26mm / 1.02 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel

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 cost 3080 YEN and was available HERE.

Eihodo No.129 Eyeshadow Brush [Outlet]

Full Length: 154mm / 6.06 in
Hair Length: 9mm / 0.35 in
Hair Width: *5mm / 0.2 in
Bristle Type: Canadian Squirrel

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 paid 1540 YEN and it was available HERE.

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!

I paid 1430 YEN and it was available HERE.

Eihodo No.142 Blush Brush [Outlet]

Full Length: 128mm / 5.03 in
Hair Length: 39-25mm / 1.53 – 0.98 in
Hair Width: *28mm / 1.1 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel and Saikoho Goat

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.

This costs 4675 YEN and was available HERE.

Eihodo No.153 Highlighting/Blush Brush [Outlet]

Full Length: 200mm / 7.87 in
Hair Length: 35mm / 1.38 in
Hair Width: *25mm / 0.98 in
Bristle Type: Pine Squirrel and Goat

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.

It cost me 3300 YEN and is available HERE.

Eihodo No.177/No.226 Foundation Brush [Outlet]

Full Length: 150mm / 5.9 in
Hair Length: 25mm / 0.98 in
Hair Width: *30mm / 1.18 in
Bristle Type: Sokoho Goat

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.

-Lili ❤

Fude Collection Part 7

Posted on August 5, 2024 by ghekate

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!

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.

This brush cost 1560 YEN and is available HERE.

Eihodo NO.390 P0wder Brush [Outlet]

Full Length: 160mm / 6.3 in
Hair Length: 47mm / 1.85 in
Hair Width: *36mm / 1.42 in
Bristle Type: Gray Squirrel

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.

I paid 4,620 YEN and purchased it HERE.

CHIKUHODO

Chikuhodo T-6 Eye Shadow L

Full Length: 138mm / 5.43 in
Hair Length: 23mm / 0.9 in
Hair Width: 9mm / 0.35 in
Bristle Type: Saikoho

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.

I paid 3800 YEN for it, and it’s available HERE.

KOYUDO

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.

I paid 3300 YEN for this and it’s available HERE.

B-ES-10 Eyeshadow brush (multi)

Full Length: 140mm / 5.5 in
Hair Length: 10mm / 0.39 in
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.

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.

-Lili ❤

Lili's Beauty Blog

Swatches, Reviews, and Articles Revolving Around the Cosmetics Industry

Tag Archives: fude collection

Fude Collection Part 8

Fude Collection Part 7

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