We've had a lot of questions about Chikuhodo's powder brushes. We've left it with Alicia Archer (aka Kinkysweat) to use her vast knowledge and passion for fude brushes to help you choose the one* that is (*or ones that are!) right for you. Alicia talks through the new Kazan Homare Powder Brush, as well as the MK-UM (Plum design), MK-2 (Sakura design), FO-1 (Silver Fox), MK-KO (Carp design), and the classics, Z-1 and Z-9. Check out the full video below! Chikuhodo Powder Brushes Compared Chikuhodo Kazan Homare Powder Brush, KZ-1 Delicate, soft, and slightly wavy kazan squirrel bristles are excellent for powder application. Brushes that use hair this long are extremely rare. The airy tips give a soft and natural finish. From Alicia: “This brush is just magnificent in its construction, its design.. you have the shiny black ferrule, with the wood handle and the special kazan bristles.” “The bristles are dancing on my skin… It’s soft, but has that pickup as well.” Price: $244 Chikuhodo MK-UM Powder Brush, Ume (Plum) Design, Maki-e Series This stunning powder brush from Chikuhodo is made from 100% ash squirrel bristles, completed with a handle of plum blossoms in Yamanaka-Shikki lacquer work. Compared with some other premium Chikuhodo powder brushes, the bristles are a little shorter, which increases the density so you can enjoy a firm and smooth touch. Because the are very delicate, the brush is recommended for loose powders and lightly pressed powders. From Alicia: "The brush shape is a little firmer, so this brush could be great for the press and roll method that a lot of artists prefer." Price: $178 Chikuhodo MK-2 (Sakura, Cherry Blossom Design), Maki-e Series This seductively beautiful brush is made from high-quality squirrel hair, making it supremely soft on the skin. It’s ideal for both loose and pressed-style powders and is a wonderful brush for base coats, blending touches, and finishing powders. The full and densely packed bristles mean it can pick up powder and apply it evenly across the face for a polished look every time. Price: $168 Chikuhodo FO-1 Powder Brush, Silver Fox Series The FO Series is the industry's first natural makeup brush made with silver fox bristles. The softness is comparable to gray squirrel, with the strength of goat hair. Encasing the bristles is an elegant olive tinted aluminum ferrule, with a hard maple wood handle that rests smoothly in your hand. The powder adheres tightly and smoothly to skin, to produce a uniform finish. From Alicia: “The fox hair bristles just feel so plush… they pack so many bristles in here... they feel so soft and bouncy on the skin, even compared with my Z-Series brushes.” Price: $112 Chikuhodo MK-KO Powder Brush (Carp Design), Maki-e Series This stunning new brush by Chikuhodo is a collaboration between artist Hideki Kimura and Yamanaka Makie. The handle features Kimura's carp motif embossed in gold and colors on the handle. Carp fish are called “koi” in Japanese and are very symbolic in the culture. They represent luck, prosperity, and good fortune. Enjoy the soft and smooth touch of bristles made 100% of the finest gray squirrel. From Alicia: "This I feel is just ideal for not only powder, but for bronzer as well because of the oval ferrule. You could even strike some highlighter because its slightly tapered." Price: $187 Chikuhodo Z-1 Powder Brush, Z Series This is the holy grail of powder brushes. It’s lightweight, fits in your hand like it was custom-designed just for you, and hits that sweet spot of price, performance and quality. The fact that it’s incredibly soft, but bristles are packed closely together, means you can use it for powder, bronzer, blush, even highlighting and contouring. The softness means a diffused look with bronzer, but the denseness means a precise application if you’re using it for blush. It works great with meteorite pearls as well as powder. From Aliclia: “The Z-1 is round, so I think it's great for buffing once everything is applied, or for applying loose powder for bronzer application, even blush… even though it's labelled as a powder brush, you can most certainly use it to pat down a very light veil of color on the cheeks.” Price: $169 Chikuhodo Z-1 Powder Brush, Z Series This is the holy grail of powder brushes. It’s lightweight, fits in your hand like it was custom-designed just for you, and hits that sweet spot of price, performance and quality. The fact that it’s incredibly soft, but bristles are packed closely together, means you can use it for powder, bronzer, blush, even highlighting and contouring. The softness means a diffused look with bronzer, but the denseness means a precise application if you’re using it for blush. It works great with meteorite pearls as well as powder. From Aliclia: “The Z-1 is round, so I think it's great for buffing once everything is applied, or for applying loose powder for bronzer application, even blush… even though it's labelled as a powder brush, you can most certainly use it to pat down a very light veil of color on the cheeks.” Price: $169 I love the Z-9, I do. I think the Z-9 is so special because there’s a width to it while it’s still tapered, which makes it ideal for bronzer… it just gets right into the hollows of the cheeks; for loose powder application there’s a wispiness to it that lays down the powder so beautifully. If you're wondering about the high price-point of the Chikuhodo brushes, Alicia explains perfectly about the work and tradition that goes into crafting them: “Natural hair brushes that are made in Japan are vastly different from brushes that are made elsewhere. The primary difference is the fact that these fibers are left intact, they’re not cut, to create the shape of the brush. In fact, highly skilled artisans in Kumano, Japan – which is where is which these brush makers primarily reside – they hand-bundle all the bristles by themselves, they shape them with their hands, to dictate the brushes' tasks. They don’t rely on cutting, they don’t rely on machinery to make these brushes... When you realize and understand the craftsmanship that goes into creating these brushes, then everything starts to make sense.” We couldn't have said it better! Thank you, Alicia!
