i've saved the best for last: my precious brushes by Lunasol.
Lunasol is a japanese high end brand by Kanebo and actually caught my attention through a blog comment to one of my previous brush reviews. after browsing a bit i was really intrigued but could not find an online source for them. luckily the customer service of bonboncosmetics.com could help me once more, although they usually don't stock on these they managed to offer the Lunasol brush range within only few days for me to order.
at first i wanted to try the face brushes so i ordered the Powder and the Cheek brush. the budget didn't allow me to try more eye brushes hahaha ;)
i'm kind of in love with these brushes right now, at the moment i don't even feel the need of purchasing SUQQU brushes anymore when i already have these... (but, well, of course i'll still get the SUQQUs! it's just a matter of time. i'm still brush crazy, don't worry!)
Kanebo brushes are made by Chikuhodo just like SUQQU (and RMK).
the brushes come in normal foil packaging, i would have wanted a pouch or something to keep them for travelling etc.
Powder Brush N
the Powder Brush N is a classic powder brush and made with uber soft blue squirrel hair - i can't stop touching it! it's probably my most luxurious and beautiful (large) powder brush of the moment with a conical handle and ferrule in rich maroon brown. the ultra fine and soft brush hairs are really densely packed into a perfect shape, they are smooth and have a healthy shine. because it's so dense, the brush still has a good fluffiness and resistance. surely the delicate hair is not meant to buff in your powder but you would want to pamper yourself with this brush and a fine setting/finishing powder instead of working any product into your skin. it glides like a breeze of air over your skin, dusting on the finest veil of powder and doesn't interfere with your foundation underneath. the hair tips are so fine that you won't even notice it touching your face but the brush is so lush that it will create the smoothest finish.
the Lunasol Powder Brush was my saviour in the last week when my skin was so sensitive and inflamed that it couldn't stand any "spiky" goat hair brushes touching it. another character of squirrel hair that i truly appreciate is it being so fine that it doesn't get spiky when it's used and has powder residues on it, unlike goat hair that feels really uncomfortable then.
this brush is similar to my A'Squirrel Pure Squirrel Powder Brush, but some quality issues of the A'Squirrel brush always bugged me. the hair seems less healthy and the Lunasol brush is just fuller and feels more pleasantly to use.
it washes very well and doesn't shed. it also keeps the shape perfectly without any stray hairs.
at 81.99$ it's definitely an investment, but one that i will never regret.
the Lunasol Powder Brush was my saviour in the last week when my skin was so sensitive and inflamed that it couldn't stand any "spiky" goat hair brushes touching it. another character of squirrel hair that i truly appreciate is it being so fine that it doesn't get spiky when it's used and has powder residues on it, unlike goat hair that feels really uncomfortable then.
this brush is similar to my A'Squirrel Pure Squirrel Powder Brush, but some quality issues of the A'Squirrel brush always bugged me. the hair seems less healthy and the Lunasol brush is just fuller and feels more pleasantly to use.
it washes very well and doesn't shed. it also keeps the shape perfectly without any stray hairs.
at 81.99$ it's definitely an investment, but one that i will never regret.
pre-wash
post-wash
 |
| Paula Dorf Powder Brush - Lunasol Powder Brush - RMK Face Powder Brush - A'Squirrel Powder Brush |
 |
| Paula Dorf Powder Brush - Lunasol Powder Brush - RMK Face Powder Brush - A'Squirrel Powder Brush |
Lunasol Cheek Brush N
the Cheek Brush N is a classic blush brush, round and flat. it's a smaller version of the Powder Brush N and from thickness inbetween the RMK Cheek Brush and the IPSA Brush Squirrel L. it's a tad bit bigger than those and comparable to the MAC 129 in size. it's made with the same fine and unbelievably soft blue squirrel hair like the Powder Brush N and i use it in alternation with the above mentioned RMK and IPSA squirrel brushes for very pigmented blushes or when i want a really soft and natural result.
i love how the brush glides over my skin so effortlessly which feels incomparable and is fantastic for those times when i suffer from really sensitive skin. also the fine brush hair grabs the perfect amount of pigment when i just tap it once into a blush pan, lets say NARS Desire or Gilda for example, and never scratches on the blush surface making it dusty and messy. using squirrel hair brushes i have never experienced any problems with dusty blushes anymore.
this brush has a certain fluffiness like the RMK Cheek brush and is not as compact and sleek as Hakuhodo blue squirrel (i'm referring to the Hakuhodo S111 or Kokutan Eye Shadow Brush L). it applies the blushes evenly and smooth. being able to blend in the blusher as much as i want to since the brush glides so easily without messing up my foundation, it makes the most intense or frosty blush completely fool-proof.
like the powder brush, this one also washes nicely and keeps the shape well.
if you love brushes, i find you should seriously consider to either get this or the RMK Cheek brush to try a high quality squirrel brush for blush application at a relatively reasonable price (this one costs 58.99$).
i love how the brush glides over my skin so effortlessly which feels incomparable and is fantastic for those times when i suffer from really sensitive skin. also the fine brush hair grabs the perfect amount of pigment when i just tap it once into a blush pan, lets say NARS Desire or Gilda for example, and never scratches on the blush surface making it dusty and messy. using squirrel hair brushes i have never experienced any problems with dusty blushes anymore.
this brush has a certain fluffiness like the RMK Cheek brush and is not as compact and sleek as Hakuhodo blue squirrel (i'm referring to the Hakuhodo S111 or Kokutan Eye Shadow Brush L). it applies the blushes evenly and smooth. being able to blend in the blusher as much as i want to since the brush glides so easily without messing up my foundation, it makes the most intense or frosty blush completely fool-proof.
like the powder brush, this one also washes nicely and keeps the shape well.
if you love brushes, i find you should seriously consider to either get this or the RMK Cheek brush to try a high quality squirrel brush for blush application at a relatively reasonable price (this one costs 58.99$).
pre-wash
post-wash
comparison
 |
| MAC 116 - MAC129 - Lunasol Cheek Brush - RMK Cheek Brush |
 |
| MAC 116 - MAC129 - Lunasol Cheek Brush - RMK Cheek Brush |
so this will be the last post of this brush weekend, of all brushes i showed you i think the Lunasol brushes and the Le Métier de Beauté Crease Brush are most worth checking out and have quickly become indispensable for my collection.
look forward to more brush weekends in the future :)
This looks so good... I have the SUQQU cheek brush and the way you describe these ones, it sounds just like it. I guess I need to have these as well :)
ReplyDeleteWow der Wahnsinn, für deine Pinselkollektion kannst du nen Kleinwagen eintauschen ;)
ReplyDeletehaha, ach du, ich glaub ich bleib lieber bei den pinseln ;)
ReplyDeleteim so jealous u got Lunasol brushes! they're readily available here, but costs an arm and a leg. i dont think im ready to lose both limbs. LOL
ReplyDeleteThank you for this review, I LOVE Lunasol brushes too, just waiting for a good opportunity for someone to fly to Korea and get these for me from DFS. The hair is incredibly soft and goodness, application is a BREEZE.
ReplyDeleteNow to cough up some money for it, lol.
I think the lunasol brushes would be something for me then:) thank you for this review, I was so curious about them! now I think I need that powder and blush brush :D
ReplyDeleteI have RMK ckeek brush and I love it so much, and now I'm looking for a good powder brush.
ReplyDeleteCould you suggest me which one between RMK or Lunasol is better or more worth to purchase?
thank you :)
@anonymous: i think the lunasol brush is beautiful to use with loose powders and for a very sheer dust of powder.
ReplyDeleteit's also the softer and more delicate one.
:)
If I found the Hakuhodo S111 too soft to pick up and apply most of my blushes, should I go with the RMK S? The Lunasol looks lovely, but I fear I'd be in the same situation.
ReplyDeleteto deal with sheer blushes or to achieve a more intense finish quickly i would suggest a goat hair brush such as the Le Métier de Beauté Blush Brush or the MAC 116. the Lunasol would be similar to the S111 (although fluffier) and the RMK Cheek Brush S would perform inbetween. i think the Paula Dorf Cheek Brush or the MakeUpShow Blush Brush would also be great.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! One more quick question- if I have the Hakuhodo 210, do you think I need the LMdB?
ReplyDeletethe Le Métier brush is a lot fluffier than the 210. i don't think that they are very comparable other than the same material.
ReplyDeletei use my 210 with contour products but not with blusher, so i can't really evaluate how it performs with blush application. i think it will give a more intense result than the LMdB. how do you like it for blush application? if you're ok with it, i don't think that you NEED the LMdB.
Hello, so how do you wash the Lunasol brush? Because I am really interested to get one :) Just normal wash with soap?
ReplyDeletei just wash it with normal curd soap and give it a short soak with silicon-free hair conditioner. you just shouldn't wash it too often since the blue squirrel hair is so delicate.
ReplyDeleteHello, been lurking around here for a few weeks as I'm looking for a better powder brush than the one I currently have. I really appreciate your thorough reviews and pictures.
ReplyDeleteI checked out the official brand websites and found that Lunasol brushes were listed as 100% pure squirrel on the English site but a squirrel-goat blend on the Japanese. I emailed Kanebo not really expecting a reply as I wrote my question in English and so I was delighted when they actually gave me a very comprehensive explanation.
Basically since 2011 all new brushes (denoted by the N at the end) are made from blended hairs due to environmental concerns.
From your review it's clear the quality is still worth its price. I just thought it was an interesting fact to share ^^
thank you so much for this information! it's very useful to know!
ReplyDeleteHi there! Could you let me know what is they key notable difference between RMK and Lunasol cheek brush? It looks kinda pretty much the same in the photos. Function wise, how does it differ? Would love to know your opinion. Currently I wanted to try out either brand of cheek brush as you have given them such glowing reviews
ReplyDeletethey are quite the same, just the shape is different. softness and density are almost similar - the Lunasol brush head being a tad bit more loose since the hair is longer. Lunasol is a bit bigger and more flat than RMK and has a longer handle. just choose the shape you like better.
Deletecould you use the cheek brush N as a powder brush?
ReplyDeleteof course, absolutely! if you prefer a smaller brush head to apply your powders more precisely, the blush brush is totally fine.
Deletethank you!! and two last questions, would you recommend the Lunasol one over the RMK cheek brush for powder?...how would you say the rouge bunny rouge blush brush compares to the two brushes? thanks:)
ReplyDelete-Emma
i prefer the RMK brush for blush since its brush head is rounder so the brush is fluffier rather than the slightly flatter shape of the Lunasol. but if i'd use one of them for powder, i'd choose the Lunasol one.
Deletethe RBR brush also claims to be made of squirrel, but is much less soft than Lunasol or RMK. so it has more resilience to it. the shape is similar to the Lunasol brush, a bit fluffier to the sides thanks to the more structured and less sleek surface of the brush hairs, the overall size of the brush head is a bit smaller than the Lunasol brush.
HTH :)