Hakuhodo Mizubake Brush

The Mizubake brush from Hakuhodo is an odd little thing. I don't have anything even remotely similar in my collection, which was reason enough to get it. I'm all about unusual brushes. The hair is white goat (about 1" long), the handle is short and wrapped in cane, similar to Hakuhodo's Yachio brushes. The handle is quite short, which might be the only issue with the Mizubake. I tend to prefer heftier ones that are more weighted. But since the Mizubake is part of the Japanese traditional brush series, I assume that's how it's supposed to be.

 Hakuhodo's website lists the Mizubake as a face brush for  liquid and cream blush formulas and it's absolutely perfect for that. The fluffy flat head picks quite a bit of color, places and blends it beautifully while feeling like the softest puffy cloud. The brush is far too soft and floppy for powder formulas but, as predicted, it's ideal for liquids. I've used other natural hair brushes for cream blushes (as well as assorted synthetic ones), but this might be my favorite because of the way it feels against my skin. I would suggest caution when using highly pigmented blushes, but the Mizubake is great at blending, so it's still effective.

Hakuhodo Mizubake Brush ($34) is available from hakuhodousa.com.

All photos are mine.

Le Metier de Beaute Angled Foundation Brush

I only have a couple of flat paddle-shaped foundation brushes and I don't use them for foundation- only to apply and blend concealer. It's a personal preference, of course, and has a lot more to do with the formulas I prefer and my application technique than with the brushes themselves. I like to buff my foundation (and sometimes stipple) rather than do a thin even coat. That said, I like the angled foundation brush from Le Metier de Beaute and find it indispensable, because no other brush has its flexibility and precision when it comes to narrow and hard-to-reach areas (mainly along the nose).

Le Metier de Beaute Angled Foundation Brush is flat, synthetic, super-soft and has a lot of give, to the point of floppiness. That's why I prefer not to use it on areas like my forehead,  but love the way it curves and adjusts to apply foundation around the nose and chin. The brush works best with liquid foundations and tinted moisturizers. The angled bristles are also good for fixing and blending is you have a patchy heavier area and is great for mixing two or more formulas.

Like all Le Metier de Beaute brushes, the foundation brush has a shortish handle that makes it travel friendly. It feels sturdy in the hand and has yet to shed even one hair on my face. It's obviously well-made and quite original, so those who're past the basic stage of brush collecting would most likely find it unique and useful.

Bottom Line: good brush, very nice to have.

Le Metier de Beaute Angled Foundation Brush ($50) is available from Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom (online only, but currently out of stock).

All photos are mine.

Sue Devitt Kolinsky Sable Eye Base Brush

It's a good thing that Sue Devitt's brush handle are such a distinct baby blue color, because most days this Kolinsky Sable Eye Base brush is the first one I reach for as I start my eye makeup (as does Josephine, above, though her motives are somewhat different). Sue Devitt's eye base brush is wide, soft and covers the lid and/or brown with an even coat of eye shadow. It feels luxurious and pampering against the delicate skin, and knowing the hair was collected without harming the Kolinsky sables (all Sue Devitt brushes are cruelty-free) makes it a guiltless pleasure.

The Kolinsky Sable Eye Base brush is thicker than most eye brushes in my collection, except for the Bobbi Brown Eye Sweep brush which is used for a similar purpose. I use these two interchangeably, though I'd say I prefer Bobbi's for a sheer base and Sue's when I want a little more coverage. The flat shape of the eye base brush also lends itself for lay-down application and packing more color, something the Bobbi Brown brush was not designed to do.

For comparison, Sephora Professional Large Shadow #12 (mine is older than the current Professional Platinum incarnation, but it's the same brush) is the closest in terms of size and width. It's not as soft (made of goat and pony mix, and yes, it sounds very very wrong) and has less give, but it's a decent brush for the price ($18). Hakuhodo S121G is even softer than Sue Devitt but thinner and tapered at the edge, making it pretty versatile. It's not so much an all-over lid brush, but can still perform this task with most eye shadow textures and is probably the best eye shadow brush I own (a full review to come). It's only a few dollars more than the Sue Devitt brush, so if you're considering only adding one brush to your collection this might be the one. Paula Dorf Eye Glimmer brush (discontinued but still widely available) is close in size and shape but much denser and is only for packing color on the lid. The Armani Shader Brush is narrower than Sue Devitt but just as thick. It's not soft enough for my liking but is still a good performer as a lay-down brush or an all-over lid brush for smaller eyes/lids.

Bottom Line: a favorite.

Sue Devitt Kolinsky Sable Eye Base Brush ($35) is available from Barneys, Dermstore and suedevittbeauty.com.

All photos are mine with the help of Miss Josephine.

Louise Young LY20 Super Fan Brush

It started last year when I first noticed a new (to me, at least) makeup brand at Barneys that seemed intriguing enough, but didn't actually offer one single item I really wanted or needed. I've tried, played and tested some of their colors (I still do, every time I'm at the counter), it's just not my thing. Except for one brush that always looms in the holder. A big Big BIG fan brush. The problem is that every time I was at the store there wasn't a SA or brand rep in attendance and the well-meaning SAs from other brands who tried to help could never tell me a single fact that was not already on the website. But I became haunted by the idea of huge fan brush, so it was research time.

That's how I found Louise Young, the eponymous brand by a British makeup artist that offers a carefully designed and edited line of makeup brushes. Thus began a love and lust affair, because these brushes are simply made of awesome.

LY20, the Super Fan Brush, is this really big and somewhat menacing tool that is actually as soft and easy to use as can be. Yes, it's a league of its own among fan brushes as is evident from the comparison the standard ones such as Smashbox, Laura Mercier or Sephora Professional Platinum (the only brush in this group that sucks, by the way, and I'm usually fond of Sephora brand brushes). According to Louise Young website LY20 is:

"Large powder brush - great for applying or sweeping off loose powder"

But it does quite a bit more than just finishing your makeup application. The brush is wonderfully crafted and weighted, so holding and maneuvering it every which way is easy and comfortable. It took me very little time to get used to the way the brush feels and moves, and I've learned to take full advantage of the narrow side of the fan and way it glides effortlessly- because of the size (length, if you're using the narrow side) there's no abrupt ending line and any product used this way looks well-blended and diffused. That's why I think this Louise Young brush has become my favorite bronzer brush, of all things. Yes, I love using it with powder, but the results I get when LY20 meets a bronzer are unparalleled.

My pet peeve when it comes to bronzer is obvious applications (usually the result of not enough blending, too dark a color or both. While I've never tried this brush with the wrong bronzer shade, I get the softest and most natural  look, no matter what.

How I use it: After swiping the brush over the product, I use the LY20's narrow side (=the bottom of the brush) to draw the famous Ɛ 3 along the face, slightly turning the brush as needed. If the bronzer is very dark you can use it right there to blend and diffuse the color. That's it. You're done, no matter how much you still want to play with this soft, beautiful brush.

Louise Young LY20 is made of natural hair (no other details were given, but it's very soft). The handles are made from Forest Stewardship Commission protected kiln dried birch or beech. According to the washing instructions, the less contact the handles themselves have with water, the better. So far I've managed not to immerse any of my Louise Young brushes in water, but I understand some users have experienced paint peeling, which is a shame, but doesn't affect brush performance. The Super Fan brush has lost a few hairs the first washing but none since, an impressive achievement for a fan brush (they tend to shed for months. My little Smashbox one was the worst in this sense).

Bottom Line: Love. Love. Love.

Louise Young LY20 Super Fan Brush (£26.00) is available online from louiseyoungcosmetics.com. They ship worldwide.

All photos are mine.

Trish McEvoy The Point Foundation & Concealer Brush

This little cat toy looking thing is my favorite concealer brush. Trish Mcevoy released The Point as a limited edition item quite a while ago. It's still available at most location, though no longer on Trish's website, so I figured it's a good idea to talk about this brush now, before it's gone.

The idea is simple but brilliant- a tiny but full brush with a pointed head and the ability to deposit and buff concealer or foundation on targeted areas without smearing stuff where you don't need it. This Trish McEvoy brush is not meant for very precise concealing of a lone zit or spot, but rather for small problem areas of the face. And it works like magic.

I get a perfect finish and exactly the desired coverage when I buff my concealer with The Point. I also use it with liquid foundation on great skin days when all I need is a touch up. I have no idea how I managed without it. I don't have any other brush that is even remotely similar, so the only comparison i can offer is with CoverFX Precision foundation brush (#21). The brushes are close enough in shape, but the CoverFX is floppier and is good at applying foundation to hard-to- reach and narrow areas, but it doesn't buff the product and it's not very good with thicker concealer texture.

I couldn't find any details on materials, but the hair looks and feels synthetic and the handle is plastic. If The Point has one design flaw it is this handle: it's too small for comfort. It doesn't affect application and I've gotten used to it, but I would have been happier if this mini brush would have offered an easier grip (my hands are a bit larger than average which makes me a freak, so take that into account).

The thing is this brush is grossly overpriced. Brushes are usually priced according to materials used (and their amount) and level of craftsmanship that goes into their making. Trish McEvoy had a wonderful idea and offered a good solution to an annoying problem, but The Point is not a work of art, so the $40 price tag for a miniature fairly simple brush is not fully justified. I love this brush and  use it as frequently as I use concealer, so I definitely can't and won't regret investing in it. But I'm also fully aware that the markup on The Point is huge, which means someone at Trish McEvoy doesn't respect us as educated consumers and that's a shame. Had the brush been priced fairly I would have gotten a backup or two, but as it is I refuse to do so.

Trish McEvoy  limited edition The Point Foundation & Concealer Brush ($40) is still available from many counters as well as online from most department stores.

All photos are mine.

Bobbi Brown Eye Contour and Eye Sweep Brushes

Bobbi Brown is having a (pretty rare) Friends & Family sale online (20% off and free shipping when spending $65 or more, no code necessary). This is a good time to review a couple of Bobbi's makeup brushes, as these sales are the best time to invest in good tools that will serve you for years to come.

 I've had the Eye Contour brush for about ten years, give or take a few months. I was drawn to it because it was  unusually large and angled- it had the feel of a truly professional brush, even if I wasn't quite sure how to make the most of it. Bobbi Brown has since redesigned the eye contour brush- the handle is a little shorter and the head is now more  squat. It's still a good tool for deep set eyes, as it's soft, dense and covers the lid up to the crease with an even wash of color. It's too big even for my crease, though, and is mostly useless for any precise or detailed work.

Bottom Line: Interesting brush but not an essential.

Bobbi Brown's Eye Sweep brush is a very different story. The round and full head is super soft (much more so than the contour brush) and is the perfect size and wonderfully comfortable. Again, it's not a detail brush, but it does a perfect job creating the base of the eye look and/or highlighting the brow bone (again- especially when you have a large area to cover). It feels lovely on skin and always picks the right amount of product. The eye Sweep brush is one of my most used and I always pack it in my brush roll when I travel. It's excellent and always reliable, no matter what kind of look I'm creating.

Here is a photo of the Eye Sweep brush (the darker one on the right) next to another favorite, Sephora Professional Large Shader #21 (black handle). The Sephora is flatter, shorter and not as soft. It performs similar tasks and I use it mostly when I want a more sheer base than the one Bobbi gives me. It's not a duplicate brush and not as well made, but might be a better alternative if you need a smaller tool.

Bobbi Brown Eye Contour ($28) and Eye Sweep ($30) brushes are available from most department stores and bobbibrowncosmetics.com.

All photos are mine, with the help of Peter The Gray and Kosh.

Bobbi Brown Face Blender Brush

I used to reach for Bobbi Brown's Face Blender brush a lot more before I acquired several wonderful other face brushes that do my finishing, blending and color application. Bobbi's Face blender does most of the above quite successfully and is truly a good brush. Just not as good. The Bobbi Brown website doesn't mention what kind of hair was used, but I'll go out on a limb and assume it's goat.

The brush is of medium size and density compared to other face brushes, and is soft enough to feel nice against the skin. It has some give and bounce, so it's just as good for blending and softening any lines that were left from bronzer or blush as it is for a light dusting of finishing powder and buffing it nicely. It's not the right brush if you're looking for a precise or high coverage powder application; that's where a flat-top brush can serve you better. I also prefer wider brushes for bronzing and a round head for blush. But if I were traveling and packing lightly, a multitasking brush like Bobbi's Blender would have been a good option.

Bobbi Brown Face Blender Brush ($45) is available from most department stores and bobbibrowncosmetics.com.

Photos are mine (and Sophie's). Here's a bonus photo of her tabbiness, just because:

By Terry Eye Sculpting Brush

Some of you might remember that I've been on a quest to find the perfect replacement for an old and beloved Sephora angled contour brush (now discontinued). I used to have two, one has survived but it's far from its glory days, and I'm not  talking about the peeling paint on the handle- that's actually an honor badge for a makeup brush.

Generally speaking, I love angled contour brush because of the various ways one can use them. This shape is also great for the larger brushes I use in a windshield wiper motion on the brow bone, such as the one from Sisley or NARS #16- neither one is a true contour brush despite their names, but they're fabulous for larger areas and I've included them in my comparison photos so you get idea of the size.  The closest I got to my desired brush until a couple of months ago was Paula Dorf Eye Contour brush. It's a wonderful brush that I use often, but it was never The One, and now I understand why. Paula Dorf's brush is a bit smaller than the Sephora one and not as dense. It's also softer and more precise, but it lacks a little in density, making it a favorite for a quick eye look with a soft-textured eye shadow in a medium to neutral color.

Enter By Terry Eye Sculpting brush (also labeled as Angled #1). This is a medium sized angled contour brush, super soft and very dense. The hair is a little longer than Sephora's, about the same width. It's definitely bigger than Paula's but significantly smaller than the other ones. The handle is sturdy and gives the feel of a serious tool. I especially love the density, the way the hair picks the right amount of color, distributes it evenly and requires fewer brush strokes for the same effect than the Paula Dorf brush.

When I bought my first By Terry brush it was still widely available. Since then it looks like the brushes (or at least some of them) are being phased out. On the bright side, Space NK has them on sale for 50%  (now $27.50, an excellent price for such a great and very well-made brush). I'm not sure what's the situation at other By Terry counters (such as Barneys) but I'd suggest you visit  or call them. I have a couple other By Terry brushes, but this is by far my favorite.

All photos are mine.

Trish McEvoy Brush 30 Eye Blending

As a makeup brush geek I was quite thrilled to see a new plaything from Trish McEvoy. Trish is responsible for one of my favorite blush brushes, the Sheer 2B, so I had high hopes, especially for a blending brush.

Trish McEvoy Brush 30 Eye Blending is probably meant to compete with the classic MAC 217. They're quite similar in shape, though since the MAC is slightly bigger and wider, those who found it uncomfortably large might be happy with Trish #30. The new brush is of the same softness level as the 217 but less dense, which doesn't make me happy. It's very similar in shape and dimension to Paula Dorf's regular eye shadow brush (though Paula's brushes are softer and feel like they're better made than #30). I also find the blending. You can also see how it compares to Paula Dorf Sheer Crease brush.

I have to say I'm not impressed. My preference for serious blending is bigger and fuller brushes that cover more lid space (I have some serious real estate up there), such as Chanel or Edward Bess. I also get a better performance from Paula Dorf brushes (the Sheer Crease you see above or the wider Blender). When it comes to more elaborate color buffing and placing, I feel the denser MAC 217 does a better job.

Bottom Line: nothing special.

Trish McEvoy Brush 30 Eye Blending ($28) is available from most department stores.

All photos are mine.