Chikuhodo x Beautylish Sakura Collection Brush Set // A Review

When New York wasn't busy testing my patience like in my previous post, it was giving me the opportunity to test the travel-friendliness of my new Chikuhodo x Beautylish Sakura Collection brush set. I'm a person that sometimes can't bring herself to use her nice things, so for this trip the Sakura Collection was the only brush set I took (save for one eye brush I will mention later). Suffice it to say that I had to use them. The seal has been broken.

As I mentioned previously, the set comes with a travel case, which has been a convenient storage option even at home, and 5 brushes: the powder brush, cheek brush, crease brush, shader brush, and detail brush. Though the name of each brush is the suggested function, they are all multi-functional in their own right.

I truly mean to post this sooner. However, in reviewing these brushes, I wanted to see how much better they performed (or didn't) in comparison to inexpensive, synthetic brushes you could purchase from a discount store. Thus, I took some extra time with these to compare them, and then began writing a blue streak about their performance. For the comparison, I was able to find 4 comparable synthetic brushes already in my collection and 1 natural-synthetic hair brush from a set I purchased from a European website. (In the photos, all Sakura brushes are on the left and have a black ferrule.)

Because all of the brushes in the Sakura Collection are made from natural (animal) hair, they are all incredibly soft. As such, Japanese brushes are often marketed as a great option for those with sensitive skin. I wrote this off until I compared these side-by-side during application. While my skin isn't so sensitive that synthetic brushes irritate it, there was a definite extra level of comfort that I preferred in using the natural bristle Japanese brushes. As a result of being so soft, they pick up just the right amount of product, making application easier to navigate, and diffuse and blend makeup with ease. When I first purchased the brushes, my mother-in-law, a talented sumi-e painter who knows a good brush, remarked that the natural hair Sakura brushes were likely to blend product better. This was true for all of the brushes, and the powder and cheek brushes were a stand out representation.

The Powder Brush
Made of grey squirrel and goat, the powder brush does the function its name suggests, but it also worked well to apply bronzer. What struck me most about this brush is how soft it is, especially in comparison to my inexpensive brush, the Real Techniques blush brush. Though marketed for blush, I've tended to use the Real Techniques for powder and bronzer in the past due to its sheer size. (I tend to like a smaller blush brush, which I'll detail later.) The Real Techniques brush not only kicked up way more product when dipping it into the compact, but as a result of that it took more blending. The Sakura brush picked up a smaller, more appropriate amount of product, and blended with much more ease.

The Cheek Brush
Because this is easily my favorite brush in the collection, I have plenty to say about it. The cheek brush does not at first look like your average blush brush. It is smaller than most of those you can find on the western market, and also has a flatter shape. During the pre-sale conference call Beautylish held for customers, they explained that this is because Japanese women often prefer a flatter brush to apply blush. Because I find blush application to be tricky, this piqued my interest. Wayne Goss's #2 brush, though rounded, was also made smaller than the average blush brush because Goss feels that they are often over sized and apply too much color than is necessary for a small area of the face. Goss also prefers to put cheek color farther back on the face rather than on the apple of the cheek, eschewing the technique of applying color to the apples of the cheek while smiling. Utilizing a smaller brush and putting color farther back on the cheekbone are 2 tips that have helped me feel a bit more confident and less like a clown in my blush application. The flat shape of the Sakura Collection cheek brush lends itself well to this non-traditional application of color. As well, while visiting the Charlotte Tilbury counter in Bergdorf Goodman during my travels, the artist at the counter used a shade of blush that I had previously tried, but I thought it too red for my coloring at the time. She demonstrated how she applied the color, picking up way less product than I used when sampling the color before. I'm not exactly sure where along the line I lost the "less is more" common sense approach to blush, but I have a feeling it was a habit created by years of synthetic brush use. As a result, I tended to remain very neutral in blush selection. Because of its softness and ability to pick up just the right amount of product, the Sakura Collection cheek brush has helped me come back to my senses. I'm a little more confident in wearing pinker shades, rather than just my standard peachy browns. In comparing it to a less expensive brush, the best thing I had to compare it to in my collection was the Real Techniques contour brush. Of course, as is the theme, the Sakura collection's cheek brush was much softer, it also blended like a dream with its grey squirrel bristles. Blush is, as I've realized, where you want to use a light hand and build from there. The Sakura brush helps make that light hand less of a conscious effort, and blends easier and much more effortlessly than my Real Techniques contour brush.

The Crease Brush
Crease brushes are something I've written off in the past. They always seemed to be too soft, too large, or any other Goldilocks and the Three Bears adjective. Never "just right". Consequently, I've just grabbed whatever brush was within reach that looked like it might work. I was skeptical when I saw this brush. How is a pointed crease brush supposed to work? But its shape is what actually makes it work. With this crease brush, also made of grey squirrel, I actually feel like my blending game has been stepped up a notch. Soft? Of course, and as such it blurs the harsh lines of eye color well and gives crease color a softer and more diffused look. It was difficult to find anything like it in my collection to compare it to, obviously as it is so unique, but the closest I had was the Zoeva 224 Luxe Defined Crease brush. While the Zoeva brush is a slightly higher price point than the Real Techniques brushes (around $10) and available to US customers online only, it was the closest I came to the unique pointed shape of the Sakura collection brush. The Zoeva brush is also a blended natural-synthetic bristle brush, putting it on a different playing field than the previous synthetic model comparisons I'd been using. Given that it's blended, it's softer than the Real Techniques brushes, but not as soft as the Sakura brush. Even so, where the Sakura brush really wins is its pointed shape. I don't think I've ever seen a pointed crease brush before, and I'm wondering where its been all my life. Where other crease brushes splay no matter how narrow they're made, the Sakura brush maintains a precise point to get into the socket. It's so genius, I wish I'd thought of it.

The Shader Brush
Eye brushes are my vice. Simply put, I collect them all. Because I'm so used to having many at my disposal, littered around me as I do my eye makeup, just having two eye brushes on hand while on my trip was a little like tying one hand behind my back. As well, because these brushes are so soft, it's like having a light-handed autopilot on. While that was GREAT for the face brushes, I tend to pack on eye color like Mimi on the Drew Carey show, so this brush was a bit of a change from how I normally apply eyeshadow. That said, it can build up shadow intensity, it just does so at a more gradual pace than I generally work at. Given my comparison to Mimi, this is probably a good skill to re-learn: less is more. Though it builds up color gradually, the grey squirrel bristles blend and diffuses faster than a synthetic brush, which was a definite plus. I compared this to my Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush. Slightly larger than the Sakura brush, its synthetic bristles definitely pick up a ton of color at once. And while I don't mind that, it definitely requires another brush for a softer blend. The recommended method to keep the Sakura brushes clean was just to simply wipe them off and deep clean them once/month. I was skeptical once more, but this method proved to work. I can wipe the Sakura brush clean and move on to another color with ease, while my synthetic brush tends to hold remnants of other colors. While I still like to utilize a variety of brushes while doing my eye makeup, this one has proven to be a workhorse that I reach for daily.

The Detail Brush
Last, smallest, but not least is the detail brush. Made of fitch (distant ancestor of the ferret) and horse, this brush lives up to its name and does jobs that need precision. Pinpoint concealing, lip color, and eyeliner are all made easier with this brush. I mentioned before that I took one extra brush along on my trip. I also packed the Zoeva 317 Wing Liner brush, thinking that there was nothing in this set that could do eyeliner. After my trip, I noticed that its description on the Beautylish website indicates this brush can actually be used for kohl liner. Up until that point, I had only used it for pinpoint concealing. True, this brush does a good job with eyeliner, but definitely gives it a kohl/smoky look as indicated in the description, and less of a "precise" line. If you're looking for precision, try it with lipstick. When I used this brush for lipstick, I was surprised at how it muted the color a bit. (This set has taught me that subtlety is perhaps not my forte.) I'm generally a straight-from-the-tube gal, even when using less than subtle red shades, so I don't often use a lip brush. Even if you prefer straight from the tube, this brush will help clean the edges for a more precise application. The smallest brush I had to compare this to was the lip/concealer brush from the Body Shop. Both brushes do all of the functions listed. The edge the Sakura brush has is its smaller size, and the ease of cleaning waxy products like concealer and lipstick from its natural bristles.

As you can imagine, a handcrafted set of brushes from Japan does not disappoint. After using these brushes almost daily for several weeks, I can definitely say that the quality is impeccable and the set is worth every penny. (Though brush enthusiasts will agree, the price point for the set is very competitive compared to the per-brush cost of a single handmade Japanese brush.) Given the variety of brushes in the set and their broad range of applicable uses, this collection would be great for someone looking to explore Japanese brushes...if you can get your hands on it. The set is currently sold out on the site and interested parties can join their email wait list.

First Impressions // Chikuhodo x Beautylish The Sakura Collection

Confession time: the Chikuhodo brushes I purchased in a previous post are in a protective box, unused, like a grandma’s couch covered in plastic.

I know.

And would you shake your head at me even more vigorously if you knew that I just went ahead and bought myself an entire set of Chikuhodo brushes? 

I KNOW.

But hear me out! 

For one thing, my birthday is in sight, which is a self-bestowed carte blanche to treat myself. (Or, a convenient justification for things I was going to get anyway...) Second, San Francisco-based beauty retailer Beautylish recently teamed up with Japanese master brush makers Chikuhodo to release an exclusive collaboration brush set, the Sakura Collection. When two things I love are paired together, I am incapable of resisting.

The response from customers was apparently overwhelming. Slated for an early July release to the public, the brushes were released in 3 pre-sale events due to demand with the first pre-sale shipping in late June. I managed to snag my set during the first pre-sale, and I'm so glad I did as all 3 pre-sales sold out immediately and there is currently a waitlist. The hype around these brushes was immense, and if the first impression is any indication, this set lives up to that hype.

I just received my brushes a few days ago, and while this is not yet a review of their performance, their exquisitely designed cherry blossom-print handles and soft goat and grey squirrel bristles are indicative of the high quality you would expect from a handmade Japanese brush. The price, however, was not as high as most were expecting for the set. Retailing at $215, the set is an excellent value for money for brushes of this caliber. During a conference call set up for those interested in the first round of pre-sales, Beautylish founder Nils divulged that the intended audience was not only brush fanatics, but also those who are wanting to dip their toe into the waters of high quality Japanese brushes, hence why they were sold as a set and not individually. Because of this, the collection makes a wonderful travel set and even comes with its own travel brush holder. As a set, it gives a well-rounded picture of Japanese brushes to a novice. 

Each set contains five brushes:

The Powder Brush

The Cheek Brush

The Crease Brush

The Shader Brush

The Detail Brush

Detail on the Brush Handles

While not the most important feature of my order, I so appreciated the detail that went into the packaging. It is the mark of an authentic Japanese retail experience to have the product housed in exquisite and detailed packaging, and Beautylish delivered in true Japanese fashion. And in true Beautylish fashion, a handwritten note and brush care card are included. (Side note: I had the order shipped to my mother's while I'm here, which is why the card is written to Gail.) 

This is Beautylish's first retail product, and it has set the bar high for future products from the retailer. It is hard to imagine a better collaboration partner than the masters at Chikuhodo. Even though they are tricky to get at this point, I assure you they will be worth the wait!

As luck would have it, I have the perfect opportunity in the near future to not only test the performance of these brushes, but their ease and convenience for travel as well. In other words, grandma’s about to take the plastic cover off the couch! Stay tuned for a proper review on 8/1/15. 

Beautylish.com - $215

*Not an affiliate link

Visiting Beautylish Headquarters // Chikuhodo Brushes // The Superior Quality of Japanese Brushes

If France is the first place you think of when searching for the world's best wine, allow Japan to be your first thought when you're in the market for makeup brushes.

Japanese makeup brushes are the best of the best, and the brand Chikuhodo is among those ranks. Based in Kumano, Japan, the company was founded in 1971 by master brush maker, Tesshu Takemori, who got his start making calligraphy brushes at age 18 to follow in his parents' footsteps. Today, Chikuhodo employs 100 people including 3 generations of Takemori family members. This New York Times article profiles Mr. Takemori and is a detailed portrait of the high level of craftsmanship that goes into a single Chikuhodo brush. 

A few weeks ago I took Beautylish headquarters up on their offer to see their brush inventory in person. Knowing that I was about to view some of the finest Japanese brushes on the market, I went with a plan in mind. I was to merely browse their Chikuhodo stock and stick to rounding out my collection of Wayne Goss (swoon!) brushes.

Wayne Goss brushes are sourced from the same region in Japan as Chikuhodo. Mr. Goss, the God of YouTube, has made his line of luxury brushes approachable by marketing them via his YouTube channel where he rose to internet fame. I gifted myself the Goss brushes last Christmas, and I so cherish them that I practically handle them with white gloves. They are kept in their own separate holder, away from my cheap and mid-range brushes. We're not worthy, Wayne. They were my first and only foray into serious brushes and since then have been the only luxury brushes I've allowed myself to purchase. If these Goss brushes were any indication of what Japanese brushes are like across the board, my pocketbook and I dared not explore further.

Because Chikuhodos are prized by serious makeup artists, are made by Japanese artisans with an impeccable eye for detail, and come with the promise of a flawless application, they were already calling a siren sound my ears were struggling to ignore. Of course, I failed miserably to ignore it once I arrived at Beautylish. Once I laid my hands on the superior quality of their line, I was forever changed. Ever since that day, no seemingly decent brush I've stroked has lived up to my expectations. I have recoiled in horror after touching brushes in Sephora. Brushes I've long lusted for, like the NARS Yachiyo, fail to compare to what I experienced that day at Beautylish. I fear this is going to become an even more expensive habit.

Dear Santa, Bring them all.
(Front and top two with black handles - Wayne Goss; third from left with black handles - Z-Series; pink handles - Passion series, white handles - GSN series.)

Beautylish founder Nils set up a lovely display for me to peruse the best of their offerings. Laid out for me were the Wayne Goss line, as well as Chikuhodo's Z, GSN, and Passion series. If there were a Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman (minus snobby salespeople) moment for makeup, this was it. There I was, a comparatively cheap brush tramp, sitting in front of the Rodeo Drive of brushes in a personal shopping dream come true. I made a mental note to ditch the ELF brush I had hurriedly used to powder my nose that morning, as there would be no coming back from this moment.

To my delight, Trisha (the artist who did my makeup at the Charlotte Tilbury launch) was there to help me shop. Since the launch, I have been a frequent visitor to Trisha's YouTube channel, A Glittery Life. Though getting to know her via her channel is a one-sided relationship, she did recognize me. It was nice to have a familiar face there to help me, especially when that familiar face can help you navigate some seriously intimidating brushes.

Trisha likened the three series of Chikuhodo brushes before me to cars: the Z series are the Bentleys, the GSN your Jaguars, and the Passion series a Mercedes Benz. While Chikuhodo is a pricey brand, this analogy is a great reference point to indicate their price and quality. All are luxurious brushes of impeccable quality and are handmade. It takes about a week to make a single brush, and each one passes through the hands of several brush makers, each an expert at their place on the assembly line. While all are made from soft, natural animal hairs that are always hand picked and never cut, the GSN and Z series use animal hairs of an even softer grade than the Passion series. The culmination of this is with the Z series which is made entirely (less one brush) of gray squirrel, the softest (and priciest) hair available. This also makes it great for sensitive skin.  The Chikuhodo line has something for everyone looking to make an investment in their brush collection.

As I perused the brush smorgasbord, 2 in particular from the GSN series caught my eye: the GSN-2 Powder brush and the GSN-6 Liquid Foundation brush. While I'm generally not a fan of liquid foundation brushes, the GSN-6 stood out to me. Trisha noted that it is particularly useful for serum foundations. Where most foundation brushes are nothing more than a flat, flimsy paddle shape, the GSN-6 has more bristles giving it a sturdier feel and leading me to believe it will blend product with great ease. The GSN-2 Powder brush has to be one of the most beautiful powder brushes I've seen. Incredibly dense with a perfectly round shape, it looks to be the perfect buffing brush. Made from weasel and goat hair respectively, they are easily the softest brushes I've ever gotten my hands on. Because, weeks later, I can still do nothing but stare at these on my vanity, a review of their performance is forthcoming. Given all that goes into making these products though, I think it's safe to say I made a great investment.

In addition to being kind enough to let me come by the offices, Nils took the time to give me some great advice for my trip to NYC and some previews of what's to come on Beautylish. While I am of course sworn to secrecy about what is forthcoming, what I can say about one of the things I saw is that I've never in my life seen a beauty product quite this exquisite. Furthermore, you'll want to stay tuned to this blog in the new year, as something special might be going on! (And I just might get the guts to actually use the brushes I bought on my face.)

I still have love for my less expensive brushes, and some perform despite their price point. But since visiting Beautylish headquarters, my acquisition of the low-end (and even mid-range) brush has slowed considerably. Beware! Once you've tried a fine wine, it's pretty hard to go back to the boxed version.

The Wait is Over // Beautylish Charlotte Tilbury Preview Party

For the beauty-obsessed in the United States, this week marked another British Invasion as Charlotte Tilbury, British makeup artist to the stars, officially launched her cosmetics brand stateside. Now celebrating its 1-year anniversary after launching in the UK last year, the brand was previously only available to US customers via the internet through UK-based retailers. In the year since the brand launched, the products have risen to cult-status for American beauty lovers eager to get their hands on the elusive products. On September 2nd, the wait was over. Those crimson-and-rose-gold compacts can now be purchased with our hard-earned greenbacks, no conversion required. The wait was worth it!

She's thrilled.

Yesterday, San Francisco-based retailer Beautylish held their Charlotte Tilbury preview party. Like many other attendees, this was the first time I've ever seen a Charlotte Tilbury product in person. This was also the first time I have taken part in a launch party for a luxury cosmetics brand, an opportunity that doesn't present itself often. To put it into context, the last time the beauty world has seen the birth of a brand of this magnitude was the launch of Kevyn Aucoin's line in 2001. Though he passed in 2002, his brand lived on and his products are still coveted by makeup lovers the world over. To attend a launch party for a brand that is sure to remain iconic for years to come felt like taking part in beauty history.

Fittingly, Tilbury's inspiration for her product packaging came from the past: "I was inspired by the cigarette cases of the 1920s, the beautiful cut-glass perfume bottles of the 1950s and the timeless allure of Paloma Picasso's lipstick." (Source) What resulted was a line of products so beautifully packaged, it felt like being at an exhibit showcasing vintage beauty products. With crimson boxes with rose gold trim, lipsticks in metal tubes, and the line's pièce de résistance - a compact made to resemble an art deco cigarette case, Tilbury isn't just selling makeup. She's resurrecting the glamour and allure of an era. Perhaps that's why one of her collections (sadly, still only available through the UK site) is called "The Future Vintage", a "great investment in future vintage beauty pieces".

For as much as I can wax poetic about packaging, beauty is, after all, on the inside. What's on the inside of these compacts definitely counts. While I wait for the products I ordered online to arrive, the party was an opportunity for me to try...what I've already bought. (Makeup lover logic.) And for reasons I can't explain (the intoxicating packaging? the cheeky color names?) I've found myself attracted to products in the range that I normally overlook: blushes and highlighters. I have a reasonably tame amount of blushes (a handful) and highlighters (ONE!) in my collection. "It's because I flush so easily," I whined to the makeup artist, Trish, about my face's pale-or-overflushed appearance. She immediately reached for the Cheek to Chic blush in "First Love". A peachy-brown shade with no pink undertones, it will lift and add light when my face is pale, and counteract redness when I flush. And though I've only experienced it once, it blended like a dream. I've already ordered 2 other cheek products from the lineup, but "First Love" is shooting straight to the top of the wish list. I have a feeling that my long-neglected cheekbones are going to be getting the full Tilbury on a regular basis!

Using my powers of logic once more, I headed to the bar immediately after having my face done. Beautylish knows my idea of a good time: makeup, champagne, and desserts. While I reasoned that the blush would probably do a great job of counteracting champagne flush, I would probably have to touch up the lipstick after smearing my lips on a champagne flute and nibbling macaroons. Because cookie eating is part of my daily routine, I've resorted to having to touch up my lipstick regularly. I don't mind, but I also don't put much stock in lip liners or long wear claims. To my amazement, the lip look held up through my dessert table pillaging. (In fact, the swatches I drew on my hand yesterday with the "Lip Cheat" lip liner -though slightly faded- are still there.) Any lip product that can stand up to me hoovering a cupcake deserves to come home with me.

Conveniently, the party was held near Beautylish headquarters at the Clift Hotel which meant that orders could be placed on site and delivered into our hot little hands. While the blush I wanted was already sold out, the lip liner had just been restocked and was available for me to take home. In fact, it was hand-delivered to me by Nils, a Beautylish co-founder, in a beautiful shopping bag with a handwritten note thanking me for my order. This kind of service isn't just reserved for parties, mind you. My orders have always been accompanied by a handwritten note and are always beautifully wrapped. This level of service was especially nice when I ordered myself the Wayne Goss brush set last Christmas and shipped it to my mom's house (which is why my thank you note says "Gail") so that I could open it on Christmas morning. It arrived so beautifully wrapped that I felt like I was truly gifting myself. When the UPS man drops off a box at my house, it feels like Christmas. When it's a box from Beautylish, it feels like Christmas morning. Beautylish has mastered bringing the boutique experience to your doorstep.

Beautylish has been dubbed a "social commerce" site that acts as both a social media platform and an e-tailer. At the preview party, they created an atmosphere in which we could experience the products and communicate with other like-minded individuals about our thoughts on the line. By the end of the evening, most of the attendees were on a first-name basis with each other. Many of us remarked that we couldn't believe we'd stayed the whole allotted time, but we had bonded over the products and our mutual interest in cosmetics. Some had recognized each other from previous product launches. This is the genius of Beautylish; socializing, even with friends we just met an hour ago, has a strong influence on our purchases. We convinced one woman that she should definitely get the red lipstick she couldn't take her eyes off of, despite the fact that her husband doesn't like red lipstick. The positive experience I had in testing the lip products as well as the positive response I got from other women about my look convinced me that the lip liner might actually be worth its salt. But perhaps my favorite moment of the evening was co-founder Nils, a self-professed brush junkie, held court around the Charlotte Tilbury brush line as we pawed at the soft bristles. Brush-loving is a whole separate level of makeup fanaticism, and in that circle I found my people.

In her 20+ year career, Charlotte Tilbury has become an industry favorite, working with the likes of Penelope Cruz, Gisele Bündchen, Rihanna, and Kate Moss. But yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting and mingling with real-life product lovers who had been waiting with bated breath for as long as I have to try her beautiful products. In addition to having the opportunity to see firsthand the birth of a brand, we also had the rare chance to experience social commerce in the flesh. The essence of what Beautylish is as a brand was brought offline and made tangible at the Charlotte Tilbury preview party, and I was honored to be a part of it.