Love for Brushes

[AMK721]

I'm developing a love for brushes of all kinds.  I bought a few higher end brushes and they are amazing.  They are incredibly soft and my makeup glides on like a dream.  There are so many interesting shapes. I am really interested in creating a beautiful brush collection.  Show your brushes and share any cleaning and storage tips and let us know which ones are your favorites.

[DiVWA]

TY @blackkitty2014! I do think the Hakuhodo one looks like it's enough for me.

I did get the new Air Brush though. I got it to use to set my under-eye concealer. It has an interesting cut to it. I haven't used it yet but it's definitely soft.

[lysbainch]

I don't know if I am reading what you wrote correctly but the Z-4 is squirrel too. The whole Z series is squirrel except the lip and brow brush. Hakuhodo calls it blue squirrel and Chikuhodo calls it grey squirrel but they are just different names for the same type of squirrel hair. 

[blackkitty2014]

I made a mistake. Z4 is squirrel. For some silly reason I thought it was goat. That's when I know I'm getting old mixing all the facts 😉 The funny thing is I even own the brush

[PavYellow]

The Airbrush looks lovely! Can't wait to get mine today! 

[blackkitty2014]

It reminds me of Z4 but it might be a bit softer. I'm not sure. I don't have my Z4 with me at the moment

[PavYellow]

@blackkitty2014 - that's interesting, I suspected that it would be just as soft because of the grey squirrel hair (Z4 is also grey squirrel I think?). I was hoping it would be less dense than the Z4. I'll post pics for anyone interested when I get home this evening 🙂

[blackkitty2014]

You might be right.  I havent used my Z4 for the longest time so you might be right about it's grey squirrel (I prefer goat hair brush for everyday use 😉  It is less dense i think. Please do post picture and let me know what you think 😉 I dont have the Z4 with me at the moment 😉

[Sprytely]

Heh, I glanced over that quickly and read "a Z4" and wondered why we were discussing cars. lmao.

[blackkitty2014]

Hey, Z4 (the car) is also a beauty 😉

[frametheface]

Reading this thread has finally convinced me to make the plunge into spending money on quality brushes. I've been looking at Hakuhodo's site (I like the variety in options and price points) but that said: I'm lost.

Spoiler

Help me Obi Wan, you're my only hope!

I'm looking for a brush that'll work well with powder (loose setting powder), brush for applying/blending eyeshadow (could be one brush, could be multiple), blush brush, and something that can blend cream products (highlighters primarily, but a few blushes as well).

If anyone has a favorite for any of these things (or feels like being my hero and wants to help navigate me through all of them) I would be tremendously appreciative. I'm going cross-eyed at the moment, trying to figure this out!

[lysbainch]

@frametheface It really depends on the type and size of brushes you enjoy using now. Some people like big powder brushes while others like smaller. Some like dense and other like less dense. 

I have a rather extensive Japanese brush collection and really think that Hakuhodo does the best eye brushes and white goat brushes. They also make some new amazing goat/squirrel combination brushes. 

Let me know what type of brushes you like now for those thing and I'll try to give some suggestions. 

One eye brush you definitely need is the J5523 eye brush. Apparently it is like the Mac 217 which I don't own. It is a great brush. 

[PavYellow]

@frametheface. My favorite for loose setting powder is the Wayne Goss #14. I use that for the Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Setting Powder, the Ambient Lighting Powders and Meteorites as well. Needless to say, I ordered another one of these as soon as it came back in stock today 🙂

[sravanthi]

Not natural hair, But I like mufe big fluffy brush for powders, it is so soft. Wayne goss -no.2 brush for powder blushes. 

[Mochapj]

A while back I ordered some travel brushes for an upcoming trip (so long ago actually that I forgot about them) and they happened to arrive from CDJapan today, just in the nick of time

From left, I picked up 3 Houkoudo brushes (powder, angled and eye), the CDJapanxKoyudo yakusugi cheek (still so bummed I missed the saibikoho one), 3 very mini Koyudo Somell Garden brushes (powder, cheek and highlight) and the Chikuhodo puff.  

The puff and the CDJxKoyudo are the size you'd expect a normal blush brush or kabuki brush to be, but the others are travel brushes for fairies 😂

[PavYellow]

These look so dreamy @Mochapj! the minis ones seem perfect for travel. How soft are they? I got the mini pink Koyomo ones recently. I can't stop staring at them!

[Mochapj]

@PavYellow the ones on the left with the silvery handles (from Houkodou) are very soft goat hair.

The ones to the right of the FS blush brush are also goat, but aren't nearly as soft, which is as I expected for the price of them.

The black Chikuhodo at the bottom is also really soft, but I think the FS Koyudo blush brush is the softest of them all 🙂

[PavYellow]

Ah the Yakusugi is grey squirrel? Is it very dense? (compared to let's say the Z4?) I'm off to google the Houkodous now 😄

[Mochapj]

@PavYellow the Yakusugi is grey squirrel.  It is not dense at all.  It is well bundled, but feels sort of fluttery?  It's not a super thick brush at all.

I would say the Z4 is a bit denser than it.  I think the big draw of this brush by comparison is in the handle, because it is made of yakusugi (aged Japanese cedar) so aside from being pretty, it has a very nice smell 🙂

These are my first Houkodous, so I don't have a lot of thoughts on them yet (they just arrived today) but they are nice and soft.

[PavYellow]

@Mochapj - wow I'm learning so much! I didn't pay too much attention to the handle until you pointed it out (see how little I know?). I prefer fluttery soft brushes for blushes and powders, I really like the Z4, but I have to be really careful with pigmented blushes. I'm adding the Yakusugi to my wishlist 🙂 Can't wait to hear your thoughts on the Houkodous! 

[blackkitty2014]

Love love love! I'm such a sucker for Koyudo, Hakuhodo and Chikuhodo. Waiting for the exchange rate to be a bit better so I can hoard couple Chikuhodo on my love list 😉

[Mochapj]

@blackkitty2014 I still haven't tried any Hakuhodo (other than the TF ones) but I'm excited to try these Houkoudo ones.

Really, they could sell me just about anything if it was mini 🙂