Hakuho-do + SEPHORA PRO Brush Collection.

Jun 2, 2016

Kristen W.

Hey guys,

So I noticed that the Hakuho-do x Sephora collection is now on sale and I wanted to see if any of you have tried them? Are they worth the splurge or is it better to stick with the original Hakuhodo brushes?

Here is a link to the sale: http://www.sephora.com/hakuho-do-sephora-pro-brush-collection-P398540?skuId=1699792&icid2=D%3Dc6%3Aproducts%20grid%3Ap398540

Jun 2, 2016

Jacqueline H.

In my opinion, they are still overpriced for what they are. If you are interested in more reasonably priced synthetic brushes I would go with the Royal & Langnickel Revolution brushes. The synthetic material used in these Hakuhodo brushes has been used as filler material in some of their foundation and Canadian squirrel bristle brushes.

Construction wise, as with any Hakuhodo brush, you are purchasing quality craftsmanship; however there is something about the synthetic material they use that just does not retain the shape after a few washes. I'm not a huge synthetic brush fan, but nowadays the filaments and materials being used in other synthetic brushes are gaining popularity because these companies are figuring out how to make a material that behaves as a natural bristle brush would in terms of pick up and lay down, so it's kind of exciting to see what's coming down the pike. Even though these brushes are LE, there are no new shapes here, and for what they are, they are overpriced even on sale.

Like I mentioned above, if you want synthetic go with the Revolution brushes. Why these brushes have not gained more popularity is beyond me. There isn't a more durable brush being sold today: Titanium coated brass ferrules, water resistant acrylic handles... These brushes are like Timex watches, they take a licking and keep on ticking.  :)

Jun 2, 2016

Livi H.

What brushes from the chikuhodo line do you recommend Jacqueline? I bought one of the large eyeshadow brush used as a highlighter brush and I love it but unsure which other ones I should invest in!

Jun 2, 2016

Kristen W.

Thank you so much, Jackie! I will definitely look into the Royal & Langnickel brushes when I am looking to add to my collection. I just wanted to make sure I didn't need to snatch these up before they were gone for good.

I have yet to purchase any of the Chikuhodo brushes either so I'd love to hear what your faves are Livi & Jackie. ^_^

Reny, I just got the foundation brush from Kevyn Aucion and I completely agree. They are amazing quality. Now if I could just win the lottery so I could get more. lol

Jun 3, 2016

Jacqueline H.

I love my Kevyn Aucoin brushes as well. His base/shadow brush= awesome, and I can do everything I need to do with that 1 brush. :)

As far as Chikuhodo favorites, I am quite fond of the brushes in the Passion series and the Z series. Capra or goat hair makeup brushes provide optimum bristles which basically make it impossible to get a bad application! Like all other hair types used for makeup brushes, they come in a wide range of quality within its type. The softest goat hair is, known as capra, or the first-cut with the tips still intact. This top quality bristle is hand-made like any other high quality cosmetic brush to preserve their precious tips. The Chikuhodo Passion series brushes are made of this. It's super soft goat hair provides a medium to full application for both the face and body. The only higher quality goat hair that I am aware of is Saikoho, which is similar Gray Squirrel hair but it is far more elastic.

The construction of these brushes are impeccable. They are very light-weight yet well-balanced, and the join between the handle and ferrule is spot on. For someone who is on a budget or for someone that is just venturing into the Japanese brush realm, these brushes are a perfect introduction.

I also love the Z series. There are several types of squirrel bristle, blue, gray, Canadian, kazakhstan, brown (kazan), tree, pine, etc. This series is made with gray squirrel which provides soft, natural washes of color. If you have very sensitive skin, brushes made from gray, Canadian, and Kazakhstan squirrel bristle are ideal; super super soft.

The Takumi series is nice... but they are a bit too elastic for my taste. Let's face facts here...these are Chikuhodo brushes, and you will always get exactly what you are paying for. Chikuhodo does not offer as many series as Hakuhodo does, but in my opinion, knowing what skin type you will be working with really is the best place to start because that determines which brush material and series will be better for you.

Jun 3, 2016

Jacqueline H.

I have the Z10, and I agree with you Marcy... It's the best pencil brush I own.  :)

Jun 4, 2016

Kristen W.

Ok, so this is probably a stupid question but when it comes down to skin types do you mean oily/dry/combo or does skin issues like more mature skin or texture issues determine the types of bristles you want? I don't know why but I've never thought about the types of bristles and the skin itself being a factor. I've always used different brushes depending on the type of product I'm using but never factored in the skin type itself.

Thank you again for taking the time to respond!

Jun 4, 2016

Jamie D.

Kristen, Jackie would know better than I do, but I know that with more delicate bristle types (like gray and blue squirrel) if you have oily skin those oils can actually be detrimental to the integrity of the bristles. Goat bristles tend to be more resilient, so they hold up better if you have a lot of natural oils to your skin.

Wheras if you have dry skin (which can oftentimes tend to be more sensitive and prone to irritation) goat hair may not be delicate enough to not irritate your skin. For that reason, sensitive or drier skin types may prefer squirrel brushes (or very high quality goat hair like saikoho) over other materials.

Certainly that's just a general rule though. My oily skin is in no way standing between me and a beautiful gray squirrel powder brush as soon as I have the money lol. :)

Jun 4, 2016

Jacqueline H.

Yes, dry, oily, combo, sensitive. Different bristle types are better suited to different skin types and different bristle types are better for certain types of makeup in terms of intensity. :) People with oily skin need goat. It's a far more sturdy and resilient bristle whereas most any squirrel bristle would be better suited to those with dry dry/combo and/or sensitive skin because they won't agitate the skin like some types of goat bristle would. Even Saikoho can aggitqate the most sensitive of skins.

For example....Take a look at Wayne's 2015 Holiday brush.... Very similar to the Hakuhodo Kokutan Brush L. This brush on oily skin even as a finishing brush would be a no go to me. Even with a synthetic blend, someone with oily skin it is far too soft to get good finish. In addition, the additional oils coat the bristle and if the brush isn't cleansed more (with high quality squirrel, washing the brush should not be done more than once a month), you get a difficult to remove residue from the makeup and the sebum. I only like to use gray squirrel on super sensitive skin and I love the Z10 pencil brush because I find most pencil brushes far too stiff for the delicate under eye area. The Z10 can define a crease and smoke out an eye like nobody's business and the talent won't feel like you are scratching their under eye area like a brillo pad. :)

Jun 4, 2016

Kristen W.

Thank you ladies! I feel like I just had a giant light bulb moment. I had everything completely backwards. I have extremely dry/sensitive skin and have always used mainly goat for as I can remember but now I definitely will be investing in some squirrel brushes.