i ordered a bunch of eye brushes from Hakuhodo some weeks ago, here i want to show you the first part.
for more info on the brand as well as ordering/shipping details take a look at my previous Hakuhodo post on my Hakuhodo brush collection so far.
as always, the brushes came carefully and nicely packaged and arrived within 7-8 days.
the first delivery was those 5 eye brushes (3 more to come ;) ):
212 Highlight Brush Round
pre wash - post wash
Paula Dorf Eye Blender - Hakuhodo 212 - Hakuhodo B214BkSL - MAC227 |
it didn't smell too much of goat, but bled a tiny bit of greyish dye in the first wash. it shed 2-3 short hairs while washing, not during usage. it's sturdy and well made just like every other of them and holds the shape pretty well. it retails for 20$.
S142 Eye Shadow Brush Round
pre wash - post wash
MAC 224 - MAC 226 - Hakuhodo S142 - Louise Young LY38 - MAC 222 |
it's best for placing soft crease colours and blend them at once or sheer application of very intense shadows thanks to its softness. because it's rather tapered, it's not really a blending brush but it's suited for precise blending work, like blending colours together.
the quality is great, it didn't smell at all or shed any hair. also it didn't loose the shape after washing. you should be careful with the handle, though. my other S100-brush has a small chip of the lacquer at its sharp edge from careless handling ;) (like letting it fall down or putting into the brush glass too harshly ... oops :P).
this brush costs 27$.
B532BkSL Eye Shadow Brush Round and Flat
pre wash
post wash
MAC239 - Hakuhodo G532BkSL - Paula Dorf Eye Glimmer Brush |
B532BkSL Eye Shadow Brush Round and Flat remembered me of the MAC 227 from its product photos, in fact i even thought it would be just the more luxurious version of it. when it arrived i noticed that they are quite different: the MAC 227 is rather fluffy, thick and wide and is a bit like a small face brush made of goat hair, while the B532BkSL is soft and smooth because it's made of blue squirrel hair. the latter is similarly wide with the same flat squared shape but a lot thinner, denser and with more bounce.
i use it for lid colour application, i find it grabs a medium amount of product but applies it very well. blue squirrel hair is not made for intense colour application, just because it has a very smooth surface so it doesn't hold too much product - if you want intense colour application, go for weasel or sable hair. this brush applies evenly and sheer and is soo smooth to the lid but has a good resistance to use for blending at the edges.
it's thin enough to apply eyeshadow on the lower lashline. thanks to its size it's also pretty convenient to use for the brow bone hightlight.
it washes nicely without bleeding or shedding and holds the shape very well. it costs 27$.
Kokutan Brush T
pre wash - post wash
Sigma ss219 - MAC 219 - Hakuhodo B533BkSL - Hakuhodo Kokutan Brush T - Da Vinci 4194 - Essence Smokey Eye Brush |
the Kokutan Brush T is a round dense brush with rather short blue squirrel hair which comes to a pointed tip. it reminds of a pencil brush shape but is a lot softer than the classic pencil brush (which for me would be the MAC 219). it's thicker than my other small round brushes. i use it to deepen the crease area, it's perfect for precise crease colour application. very soft but applies quite intense and blends out at once. it has the ideal size, the perfect shape and the most appropriate press point for a quick and easy definition of my crease/lid fold. i'm glad i found it!
it washes well without bleeding dye and also kept the shade after washing and didn't loose any hairs until now. it retails for 42$. the Kokutan series is made with ebony handles and exquisite hair, mostly blue squirrel (sometimes blended with synthetic fibres), but also weasel or Sokoho goat. they say the handles get a beautiful patina the more you touch it.
G515 Eye Shadow Brush CM Angled
pre wash
post wash
Hakuhodo G515 - By Terry Eye Sculpting Brush |
and Hakuhodo is the definite winner - while the By Terry brush is quite dense and exactly shaped thanks to its cutted goat hair, the Hakuhodo glares with softness by its Canada squirrel hair with natural uncutted tips. this is key if you want to apply with the surface where the hair ends. the G515 is more loose and flexible than the BT Eye Sculpting Brush. i just couldn't find a good use for the By Terry brush other than brow bone highlight application because i find it so harsh to the delicate eyelid area. in my eyes, the BT brush only wins in terms of handle design.
i use the G515 for crease/above lid fold application. i would apply with its angled surface in wiping motions just above my crease. it's very delicate to my skin and makes it soo easy to achieve a nice and even (and symmetrical!!) eyeshadow shape. i like to do cat-eye or fan-eye looks with this brush because it makes it so effortless!
this brush also washed nicely (it didn't bleed dye or shed) and fortunately it kept the shade pretty well. it costs 36$. there is also a bigger version (G513 Eye Shadow LC Angled) for 42$, but since i have a rather small lid space, i went for the smaller one.
notice the Hakuhodo brushes usually have rather short handles, average about 2cm shorter than common brushes. but the Kokutan series has especially short handles, average 3-4cm shorter than your common brush.
i hope this condensed post was helpful for you - if there are still questions left unanswered, you can always message me or comment. if you need some washing tips, you can take a look at my brush care post.
I just can't stop looking at those brushes :) Amazing
ReplyDeleteWhat are you must have Hakuhodo brushes? I have Bobbi Brown brushes, but I had problems with them shedding and am looking to purchase Hakuhodo brushes.
ReplyDeletemy must have hakuhodos are: 212 highlight brush for undereye concealer + Kokutan brush T for the crease (shown above), Kokutan Eyeshadow brush L for powder or highlighter on small areas, G5519BkSL for blush, K005 for gel eyeliner,224 for eyeshadow application, G5514BkSL for smudging.
ReplyDeleteHi, when you say 224, do you mean MAC brushes?
DeleteThanks!
No, there's actually a hakuhodo 224 brush. It's a flat and firm laydown brush comparable to the mac 252.
DeleteThanks so much for quick reply! You are really a good enabler.. haha.. I think I am going to place an order with Hakuhodo soon! :)
Deletesounds great! what's on your list? i'm eagerly awaiting them to finally launch their IMATS-exclusive J-Series brushes (with white goat hair, seems comparable to the Tom Ford brushe), i'm stalking the online shop almost daily ;P
DeleteI am planning to get all in your must-have list! :p
DeleteBrushes are my new obsession.. haha.. I have almost the full range from Lunasol and RMK and love everyone of them. Never had a Hakuhodo before and after reading your blog, I created an account with them and so far it's USD600 in the shopping cart. OUCH! So I am just gonna break them down into few shipments to make it ''seems'' a little less painful.. ;)
haha, that sounds like the perfect plan! in fact i am moving forwards, too, regarding brushes. am in the middle of the ordering process for a bunch of pretty Chikuhodo Z-series brushes!
DeleteOh, I am thinking of getting G5557-2mm for liquid foundation. Any thoughts?
Deleteit's an amazing brush! makes a light application so fast and flawless! i have this brush too and i think i reviewed it in Hakuhodo IV or V.
DeleteHow would you compare it to Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush (think I saw this brush in one of your hauls! ;p)?
Deletethe Shiseido brush is much much smaller than the G5557, it's as big as the G5552. it's very dense and stiff, reminds me of the Sigmax brushes by Sigma. it applies foundation evenly but takes more time since it's so small. plus, it's a pain in the ass to wash and you can't use the waterproof or super-longwearing foundations with it since then it would be almost impossible to wash out completely withough harming the brush on a long term perspective. it's a nice gimmick though and a brilliant introduction into some "different" foundation brushes for the mass as Shiseido is so much more commercially apparent compared to brands like Hakuhodo & co.
DeleteI am using the Shiseido brush at the moment and you are right about the cleaning part! Ok, the shopping cart just added USD69!! Thanks for all your lovely advice. :)
Deleteit's my pleasure! thank you for the nice chat! definitely let me know when you've ordered/received your Hakuhodo haul and tell me how you like them!
DeleteHi again,
DeleteThe customer service rep of Hakuhodo strongly suggest me to get 5556-4mm instead of 5557-2mm. I am just not sure. What do you think the difference are? I am mostly using Lancome Teint Miracle (yes, another product you enabled! Haha.. ) and Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua.
Thanks.
Hi cc,
Deletesizewise they're the same, just the synthetic bristles will be slightly longer than with the g5557. so you will have more of the effect the synthetic bristles create on your skin and less contact with the white goat hair. i haven't tried my smaller brush with the 4mm synthetic bristles for foundation yet, so i can't really tell you the difference. but i'm sure it's not too big.
Thanks again. I am placing an order with them now. :)
DeleteThank you so much. Sorry I took os long to respond. I have no way knowing whether you commented or not unless I find these pages again. I will definitely take everything you wrote here for consideration. So many brushes and a limited budget! Thanks again!! :D
ReplyDeleteyou're welcome! if you want to get noticed when somebody replies, you can subscribe to the comments of a specific post with the "subscribe by email" button below. if you got your answer, you can always unsubscribe.
DeleteHi, I am thinking of getting Hakuhodo's "Misty Set - Special Edition" Brush set. Do you think this is a good set? What is the difference between the B and G series? I can't seem to find any reviews for this particular set. (is this new?) I don't have a good brush set, I only have a few brushes from Bobbi Brown so I am hoping to buy one good set of brushes. Do you think a Kinoko or kabuki brush is mandatory to complete a brush set? Thanks for any advice you can give. Please reply.
ReplyDeleteHi,
DeleteI just looked up this particular set - i think it's a solid basic set, however i'd prefer to create my own selection by picking individual brushes. especially in the basic-, k- and g-series the prices are not too high. but if you have limited funds, this set seems a fair deal.
i don't think a Kinoko or Kabuki is essential for a brush set, if you always loved to use them or often wear mineral foundation, i'd recommend a kabuki.
the B-series is their Basic line, the G-series contain of more innovative and special brush shapes and materials.
hope this helps!
xoxo Keto
Ooh! I purchased some of the brushes you reviewed in your post yesterday (Sydney IMATS). I did a haul post. Very helpful, thanks for your great reviews!
ReplyDeletexxkarima