"I think the Nakamura Seisakusho brushes are just so well thought out." – Alicia Archer. Nakamura Seisakusho is a Kumano brush maker we've stocked at Fude Beauty since October 2020. We are really excited to offer their brushes with our customers, as the company has an innovative, sustainably minded approach to brush creation – as well as beautiful, meticulously crafted brushes. We reached out to Alicia Archer to review the brushes and give an insight into each of the five specific series. Support Alicia's dedicated work by using her affiliate link when shopping with us! Nakamura Seisakusho brushes are a mixture of natural and synthetic blends, as well as purely synthetic. There are some important differences that sets their brushes apart: The innovation in blending: natural and synthetic bristles are blended in optimum ratios for function and form. The fibers: where the tips of typical synthetic brushes are 0.07mm, Nakamura Seisakusho developed a synthetic fibre with a tip of 0.05mm, with a cuticle-like formation to give the same pickup and softness as a natural bristle. “0.02mm makes a world of a difference in terms of how the brush feels – very soft – but also performs better; a lot better pick up,” says Alicia. "I am blown away by the technology." Kei Series The sleek black brushes of the Kei Series are a professional series that emphasize performance and durability. Bristles are a fine blend of carefully selected natural hair and PBT, which are combined in the optimum ratio for a delicate skin feel, similar to that of gray squirrel. 01 Powder Brush Bristle material: Saikoho goat + PBT “Even though it’s half natural, half PBT, I have to say it’s a beautiful silky brush.” Alicia recommends it for: "Although it’s labelled to be a powder brush, I think it’s not only ideal for loose powder application, but beautiful for blush, as it’s not too big but not too small." 06 Eyeshadow Brush Bristle material: Pine squirrel + PBT "I love this brush for its versatility." Alicia recommends it for: Under eye application, pat powder under the eye, one and done fluffy brush for shadow application, highlights. "I’ve been using the heck out of this for highlights." Nao Series The Nao Series is a collection of brushes designed for everyday use: they're gentle on the skin and easy to use, with bristles of a moderate firmness. Bristles are a blend of natural and synthetic fibres in an ideal ratio. "I love the brushed matte black on the brushed matte magenta on the handle." 01 Powder Brush Bristle material: Goat + PBT “The mix is stiff but not rough, it lives on the softer side of the spectrum than most brushes… because of that slight stiffness and pushback, it offers a lot more control.” Recommended for: "I feel this design yields a variety of uses. Loose powder application… because it’s wide, you can apply powder to a wide area." "My favorite use for this brush is the pinched shape for flawless bronzer and contour application." 06 Large Eyeshadow Brush Bristle material: Weasel + Horse hair “I am so impressed with this weasel and horse hair blend… we have really nice pigmentation. And I really love the wider base on this brush as… it allows for a grip.” Recommended for: “You can get that beautiful laydown and use the softness of the brush for the crease… This is a bigger brush, so if you want more precision you can go for one of the smaller designs.” Ai Series The Ai Series is a collection of stylish, vegan-friendly brushes. Bristles are made from an innovative, ultra-fine PBT fibres of only 0.05mm and 0.07mm diameter, with well-balanced elasticity. 03 Highlight Brush Bristle material: PBT 0.05mm + 0.07mm “Let me tell you something fam, this could have fooled me… for it to move like it does, and feel like it does, this is very impressive for a synthetic brush.” Recommended for: Even though it’s labelled as a highlighter brush… I used this for cream bronzer... The fact that it’s smaller, it just fits beautifully into the hollows of the cheeks.” Moe Series The Moe Series is a modern, sophisticated set of brushes that use ultra-fine PBT hairs of only 0.05mm in diameter. The cuticle-like corrugated fiber is blended with an antibacterial agent, which enables it to be hygienic and easy to clean, as well as pick up a good amount of product content and distribute it evenly. 04 Cheek Brush Bristle material: PBT 0.05mm + 0.07mm “Even being synthetic, the 0.05mm technology does have an impact on softness and performance, for sure.” Recommended for: Foundation application for a lighter coverage, foundations with liquid consistency, powder products. Makie Series Two traditional Japanese techniques come together in the elegant Makie Series brushes: Kumanofude and Echizen lacquer work. Both crafts emphasize beauty and luxury in everyday life. Compact and multi-purpose, these brushes are functional as well as decorative. Makie Portable Brush, Cosmos Design Bristle material: Goat + PBT “With the Makie series, you have the design and the portability.” Recommended for: “This brush size is particularly versatile – you can use it for all-over powder application, it’s beautiful for bronzer application in the hollows of the cheeks, really nice for blush, and dare I say – because it’s so pointed, you can get away with loose powder application under the eyes."
