Japan Hakuhodo Brush Haul
Back in May I went to Japan and I did a thing... I had watched Estee's Japan vlogs and after seeing her visit to the Hakuhodo store in Kyoto, I knew I had to visit for myself. It was our last day in Kyoto and we had a train to catch to Tokyo, but I slyly picked a brunch/lunch place close to the store so I could sneak in for a little bit. I had an amazing month with Glossier, had one of my first paid collaborations, and had just finished a good few months at my full-time job. So to treat myself - I went (a little) crazy.
If you ever have the option to visit a Hakuhodo store, I highly recommend it! As my boyfriend put it, they were the Apple store of makeup brushes. Everything was simple, neat, and streamlined. He actually took this photo of the brushes on his iPhone 7+ (#iphoneonly). Each brush is carefully placed in a little acrylic holder, each brush delicately leaning towards one direction. Yes - there was a sales associate who went around and lined each brush up after I had picked it up to examine (lol).
I picked up 5 brushes:
J5522 Eye Shadow Brush Round (H3917) | I have my MAC 217 brush which I've had for years that I like to use to apply my eyeshadow base with. I needed/wanted another one that could blend it out in the crease and soften the look up. One thing I liked about this brush was the tapered shape that still felt dense. I have a tapered one from Bare Minerals which is similar but it's so fluffy that I feel like it spreads everything around in a not so polished way.
J4004 Fan Brush (H3924) | I had been using a Morphe fan brush for quite some time now and I really like how it applies my highlight to my face. I had been wanting something of better quality so I thought what other better time than to pick one up at Hakuhodo. I liked that this one had a shorter brush and denser bristles. I feel like it picks up a ton of product without going overboard on application. I've been using this one religiously since I got it and only take my Morphe one when I travel (in fear of smashing the bristles).
Powdered Brush Angled (H4576) | I had been using my Sephora angled blush brush as a face powder brush for a while so I wanted something similar to use as my designated face powder brush. Before this I had a large fluffy one from Real Techniques that I used to get the job done. I like the angled shape as my face is pretty small and it helped get around my nose, mouth, and eyes easiest. I must've been on to something as Glossier later released their Wowder duo that comes with (you guessed it) - an angled brush. This one was one of the pricier brushes I picked up but it was so worth it. I've used it pretty much every day since I got it (that I wear powder) and I have no regrets. The only times I haven't used it is when I travel - mostly in fear of damaging the bristles. But that's where the next purchase comes in!
J602 Slide Face Angled (H3007) | Ahhh, a travel friendly angled brush. I love that this comes with it's own nifty little case that helps keeps your bristles protected and your bags clean. This is the perfect size to throw in your makeup bag or purse with a mini powder to keep things in check throughout the day. I love that this is covered as it helps minimize the amount of excess powder flying around and dirtying up the rest of your makeup.
Maple Kinoko Brush White Medium (H3010) | This was probably one of the highlights of my purchases - this one is truly a thing of beauty. I love how it looks and while I couldn't bring myself to shell out on the larger size, I did treat myself to this as a last minute cave. Although I do love using an angled brush for my powder, this one is just a fun one to apply with. I love how dense it is and it just packs product in without looking heavy handed. Since I've moved I do my makeup in the bathroom - not the most ideal situation but it is what it is. I don't want to risk this one getting damaged in moisture so I'm keeping this one tucked away for safe keeping until I have a designated vanity area once again!
I know it's a bit excessive to spend so much on makeup brushes but this is definitely one area where I believe "less is more." I don't have all that many makeup brushes and am due for clearing out all the unloved/unused ones in my collection. I don't treat myself to brushes often and when I invest, I want something that is great quality that will last me years. I don't have many brushes on rotation which forces me to clean my brushes more and treat them more gently - I've had brushes since I started wearing makeup when almost 8+ years ago that are still going strong. Price doesn't necessarily mean quality, but taking care of your products is important. I've been playing around with similar brush types and knew what I wanted to invest in! And I think that's perfectly fine. All these brushes have an extra special meaning and it makes getting ready each morning with them all the more wonderful.
What are some of your favorite brush brands? Have you tried any from Hakuhodo before?