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.

[blackkitty2014]

@teufel @Mochapj I’m tempted by smaller brushes for sure. I like the looks of these.

[Mochapj]

@blackkitty2014  I ordered a set last night; I will let you know how they are once I receive them.

I am curious to see how the hair compares to my Kiwami set from a few years ago.

[blackkitty2014]

@Mochapj Please do. I’m eyeing at the KZ-3, KZ-4, KZ-5, KZ-6 and KZ-7

[treestar86]

squirrel!?!? 😮 😞

jeez...I don't really pay attention to brushes, since I hardly wear makeup, but I have several just in case.  they were cheaper, so I hope they're not from any animal.  seeing 'fox' and 'squirrel' here is a bit disturbing...I hope sephora doesn't carry any of these kinds of brushes.  but I'll be sure to look at them more closely before buying any more.

[WinglessOne]

@treestar86  Yeah, if you want to avoid natural (animal) hair brushes, you should check carefully before buying more brushes. Some brushes use a blend of synthetic and natural bristles, so make sure the product page states "synthetic" instead of a blend. 

In particular, goat hair is very common in makeup brushes. Before MAC switched their entire brush line to synthetic bristles, their brushes were mostly goat hair. (I have some of the MAC synthetics and still use my decades-old MAC goat brushes.) In addition to goat and squirrel, you'll commonly see badger hair bristles—usually in brow brushes. 

[Mochapj]

@treestar86 Sephora carries both natural and synthetic brushes.

Squirrel and goat are quite commonly used in natural hair brushes.

[treestar86]

good to know.

[KNC24]

Brush lovers I was able to find the Sephora OG pro 64. I admit I was never knew about the brush before recent YouTube videos. I’ve been looking for a brush like this. A diffuser brush without the longer hairs. It would be nice to one that is wider. If anyone knows where I can find this unicorn brush let me know. The brush is densely packed like a kabuki and not loose like a powder. I find it allows me to buff foundation with using a sponge.

[blackkitty2014]

@KNC24 Did you check out Sephora PRO SEPHORA COLLECTION PRO Foundation Brush #70 null.  I got that one as a gratis and i love it.  It's very similar to the Shiseido foundation brush but a whole lot bigger and probably as big as my Koyudo foundation brush (which is available at Beautylish). Koyudo Fu-pa 4, Sephora Pro 70, Shiseido

[KNC24]

@blackkitty2014 thank you. I’m going to check it out know and buy!!!

[hersheykisseslv]

Fude Beauty is back with another cashback event. I regretted not taking advantage of their Mother's Day event. I think now is the time. Any suggestions? I'm looking into Chikuhodo. Also, if you wouldn't mind sharing the use of the brush and a little on care.

[teufel]

I do not have the Z-1 brush because I have super oily skin so using a squirrel hair brush for overall face powder would actually damage thehair pretty badly over time. That is why I purchased the T-1 and theFO-1 instead. I use the T-1 on days when I really need my powder to last all day and the FO-1 on more casual days when I can use lighter powder. The T-1 is also a pretty large brush compared to my other brushes. The Maki-E brushes I have are squirrel and I use those with the Hourglass Veil powder as more of a finishing powder (yes, I know it is actually a setting powder but I use it to lightly finish). Truthfully I don’treally use the Maki-E brushes very often. However, if the quality of the Z-1 is anything like the Maki-E brushes, it would be great for applying light powder to dry to normal skin. However if you really need to usepowder due to having oily skin, you need a goat hair brush like the T-1. TheFO-1 brush is beautiful but despite being more durable than squirrel, it applies powder lightly like squirrel does. Now if you are looking for abrush that is in between the Z-1 and the T-1 because you want a slightly heavier powder application or maybe you are slightly oily, you may want to consider the GSN-1 which is squirrel/goat mix. I honestly think the GSN series is very underrated. Maybe it is because they cost less or because they don’t have the same minimalistic aesthetics as the Z series or the Takumi series.

[hersheykisseslv]

Thank you so much for your insight!

[teufel]

I highly recommend the FO series. They are silver fox hair, very soft but also very durable compared to squirrel. I picked up FO-1 (powder), FO-2 (foundation, use it with Koh Gen Do Aqua foundation), and all 3 eye brushes. They are small so good for travel. The foundation brush is small so it is best for applying foundation in smaller areas of the face which is fine for me since I mainly apply in the T-zone and areas that need coverage. I love the powder brush. The eye brushes are beautiful but not necessary especially if you already have a good eye brush collection. Also recommend GSN series, GSN-2 and GSN-4, both for powder. I use 4 (squirrel hair) for more pigmented blush and 2 (dyed goat) for less pigmented blush. I have read that GSN-5 is also good for foundation. GSN series is also considered the workhorse collection and the prices are pretty good for them. I recommend Z-11 (squirrel) for blending. T-1 (goat) is great for all over face powder, especially if applying over a dewy foundation or using a lot of powder. T-6 (goat) is a large eyeshadow brush that is great for applying a wash of a single eyeshadow when you’re really in a hurry. If you are considering any of the Maki-E brushes, they have MK-KO (koi), MK-UM (plum), and MK-2 in stock. Those brushes are considered more collectible due to their beautiful designs and they are all squirrel and best suited for lighter face powder. I don’t have a lot of their eyeshadow brushes since most of mine are Sonia G so maybe someone else can make some recommendations there. Here are some pics of the last brushes I hauled if you are interested.

[tjffc]

@teufel Lovely collection

[MCSSavvy]

@teufel  Those FO brushes are gorgeous.  They are on my want list.   

[hersheykisseslv]

Do you happen to have the Z-1? If so, do you like it? Curious to know since everyone raves up and down about it lol.

[spadersgirl]

@hersheykisseslv  I just wanted to show a photo from my blog of the Z-1. I'm pretty surprised by how dense it is, at least compared to the MK-KO and FO-1 which are my largest other Chikuhodo brushes. I've only had it for a few weeks (so only one washing so far) but I love it. I know it's meant for like foundation powder or translucent powder or bronzer but I actually use it for blush. I have a big face, so it's not too large to be able to use it for that. lol.

[Luvstravel]

Your brushes are beautiful @teufel especially the new Koi 💗

[hersheykisseslv]

Thank you so much for sharing, all of the information you provided is invaluable; I appreciate you!

[teufel]

As far as care, I am still trying various brush cleansers. Problem is that many of them have unnecessary fragrance which can trigger my allergies. Also you need to avoid anything with alcohol because it can dry out and damage natural bristles. If you must use anything with alcohol to sanitize, spray the cleanser on a towel and use the towel to lightly wipe down the bristles but try to avoid doing this. So far I have tried EcoTools brush shampoo and Bare Minerals Well-Cared For but both have fragrance and leave a residue on the brushes. I also don’t think that they do well with removing caked on makeup based on how they cleaned my foundation brushes. Some people swear by Johnson and Johnson’s no tears baby shampoo to clean and occasionally use a few drops of a moisturizing oil, like argan, to condition when necessary. I do use a brush cleansing mat to gently help clean between the bristles. I normally clean my brushes once a month and in between washings I use a dry soft microfiber cloth to wipe them down after I use them each time. I clean my foundation brushes normally every 2 weeks unless they get really dirty but I also have 3 foundation brushes in rotation.