Beauty Product Reviews

The OG Kakishibu Brushes

First of all, I need to point out that the measurements provided are very wrong. The bristles are 36mm, not 45mm. This is very important because it immediately turns this from a powder brush to a blush brush. Of course you can you your brushes for whatever, but you know what I mean. This brush has medium density, so if you pair that with the goat bristles, you can expect a lot of pigment if you don't tap off the excess use a light hand. Likewise, it's the perfect tool to use for more hard pressed formulas. That being said, it's still extremely soft and the brisles flow easily, which will enable you to twirl and blend and buff. Compared to Sonia's TF2, the KSZ-3 is only 3mm longer and its ferrule is slightly pinched instead of round. They are both moderately dense and have the same hair type so they are both quite comparable. Sonia's brush has a stunning Keyaki handle and the Koyudo one has an equally gorgeous sakura handle. Don't get me wrong, I love both Sonia and her brushes to death, but this brush is extremely similar, it's also been handmade by Japanese artisans and it's almost 20 euros cheaper. Unless you absolutely need a round brush instead of a slightly oval one, you are enamoured by Keyaki handles or you want to complete your Sonia collection, I suggest you give this little gem a try.

Sheer cream

Don't let the photoshopped swatch fool you. Despite looking like a very intense purple (I got Glamour Eyes), the cream is actually quite dewy and sheer (very similar to the lid lacquer but not as glossy) so it's more wearable that you might think. Also, as long as you don't apply a lot of product, it doesn't crease, which is quite remarkable for such a creamy product. As for the topper. It does actually have a base pigment (so you can wear it on its own) and it looks prettier on the eyes than in a swatch. That being said, I compared it to similar shades in my collection and it's not as special as them. It's nowhere near as sparkly as VR Violet from Pat McGrath. The purple base is murkier and the shimmer is less blue than in Nabla's Alchemy, therefore, it stands out less. The closest shadow I could find was Colourpop's Glass Bull. It shares its murky base but, again, there is a bigger contrast between the base and shimmer in Glass Bull (however, the one in Glamour Eyes is a lot more multidimensional). I still gave it four stars because it IS a good product, nonetheless, the packaging is cute and convenient AND I bought it on sale. I don't think it's worth buying it full price since there is a lot less product than in a Tom Ford cream and powder duo (less than half the amount).

Sheds a lot (and I've just received it)

I have literally just received it and it has already shed three hairs (and I haven't even washed it yet!). I used it once like Wayne did in his video: contour, blush, highlight and "buffing". And no, I'm not being rough. It is indeed very soft, applies product beautifully and is very affordable, but it is not a terribly dense brush to begin with, and if it's going to shed every time I use it, I will just be able to use it twice a year. I really hope it's just a few loose hairs and that it stops shedding soon, but from what I've read, I'm not the only one who's experiencing this :(