First look at Hakuhodo makeup brushes – are they worth it?
Written By Jenny Wu on
When you think Japanese makeup brushes, phrases like exquisite, high quality, and expensive af probably come to mind, and that last one is the reason why I stuck with e.l.f. (please don’t judge) and Real Technique all these years.
But after hearing repeatedly that the right tools can take your makeup to the next level, I decided it was time to upgrade my entry-level brushes to the Japanese brand, Hakuhodo.
Benefits of Hakuhodo brushes
They’re readily available in the US. And by that I mean they have a US-based online store and they do 2-day priority shipping for a flat fee of $9 ($15 for outside of US). It’s much easier than navigating through CDJapan or eBay to source directly from Japan. If you visit their CA showroom or attend IMATS, you can even purchase them in person!
Their beginner J-series is very reasonably priced. You’re looking at MAC prices, except Hakuhodo is softer and quality is better (I don’t own MAC brushes, but that’s the general consensus). The only difference between the J series and their more expensive series (assuming the number is the same) is the handle.
The selection is incredible. I spent days trying to decide which ones to get because there were So. Many. Options. So don’t worry, you’ll definitely find something that fits your skin type and makeup needs.
They’re made of natural hair, which are ideal for powder products. I use my makeup brushes exclusively for powder products, and natural hair picks up pigment much better, provide better application, and blends like a dream.
They’re hand assembled in Japan. Which means each brush is carefully put together and inspected by an artisan to make sure it meets their stringent quality. This isn’t a guarantee that they’re all are flawless, but the chances of getting a “faulty” one is much lower.
Hakuhodo brushes review
- J5529 Eye Shadow Brush ($17) – I love this! It’s the perfect size for my crease area and it’s a beast at blending as well. Probably my most used one for the eye area.
- J5523 Eye Shadow Brush ($19) – Another wonderful gem. This is bigger than the J5529, so I use it for applying a base color and blending, the latter which it is incredible at. I’ve never tried the MAC217, which this is comparable to, but everyone says the Hakuhodo is superior in every way.
- J242 Eye Shadow Brush ($18) – I love using this to pat eye shadow on my lid, and then lightly blend it in. I also use it occasionally to create a softer outer v.
- G5514 Eye Shadow Brush ($17) – If you have a smaller crease, this one is great for doing the outer v and blending it out. I also like using it to apply shadow under my eyes along the waterline, and in the inner corners. Basically it’s perfect for finer details.
- G5528 Eye Shadow Brush ($30) – I’m ashamed to say that I have not used this one yet. It’s quite dense and while I originally picked up for smudging, I ended up just using the G5514 for that purpose.
- B110/J110 Blush Brush ($54) – A super versatile brush that can be used for bronzer, blush, or powder, though I mainly use it for blush. This is really soft and picks up just the right amount of color to give my cheeks the perfect glow. Love this.
I was so impressed the first time I used the Hakuhodo brushes that I took a selfie in Instagram stories because my eye makeup was on point (you know, compared to previously):
There’s something magical about how Hakuhodo brushes just seem to pick up and deposit just the right amount of color on my lids, so I never have to worry about ending up with patches of color. Plus they make blending so easy, but I’m pretty sure I’ve said that already.
Of course, you might take my praises with a grain of salt considering the tools I was using before. Would I have the same positive experience if I was using Sigma or Mac already? Probably, though I’m not sure the difference would be as drastic.
Why you should use synthetic brushes
First of all, synthetic ≠ bad by any means, and some of them are just as soft and luxurious on the skin as the Hakuhodo (and also just as, if not more, expensive). Plus if you use any cream or liquid products, synthetic is definitely the way to go.
For example I still use my Real Technique buffing brush for my foundation, and I recently bought the giant IT for Ulta All Over Powder Brush for all over powder (because ordering a single powder brush from Hakuhodo and paying $9 for shipping seemed silly), and that thing feels like a bunny on my face.
In the end it all comes down to the quality. That was probably the most DUH statement ever, but what I’m trying to say is that the hair type or a brand origin isn’t an automatic guarantee of a great brush – it’s a combination of all the different factors.
Also, while you do need to pay more for better quality, you definitely don’t need to sell your home or your child to have a decent collection. There are some expensive options out there that really aren’t worth the $$$, and then there are some affordable brushes that are of great value.
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Aesthetics
6
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Softness
9.5
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Color Pickup
10
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Performance
9.5
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Price
8.5
For me the Hakuhodo brushes hit the perfect sweet spot between price and quality, and I would highly recommend them to anyone who's looking for an upgrade from their drugstore brushes. If I had to nitpick about one thing, it would be that they're also the most basic looking brushes I've seen. So if you want the pretty saffron handles and 24k gold ferules, you'll have to pay a pretty penny for them. But if functionality is all you're looking for, you honestly can't go wrong with them. Just make sure you get all your brushes in one order to minimize the shipping cost!
Learn more about Japanese/Hakuhodo brushes
If you want to get down to the nitty gritty of Japanese (specifically Hakuhodo) brushes, definitely check out the following posts:
- The Hakuhodo J Series review by Sweet Makeup Temptations
- The Hakuhodo Buying Guide from /r/fude subreddit
- Hakuhodo Starter Set Recommendation by A Different Face
- Japanese Brush Starter Kit by Shamless Fripperies
- Comparison pic of most Hakuhodo brushes – super helpful when you want to figure out the size differences between 50 eye brushes
- Different brush hair types – each type has its characteristics that will affect the application and finish
Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.
Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨
Comments & Questions
Shireen L. Platt
Dammit, dammit, dammit....why are you doing this to me?! Shireen, calm down, you have tons of good brushes, deep breath. ????
No bueno, all the chanting and kumbaya, whatever yoga thing is not working...I need to get my hands on at least a couple of these brushes. It took me a long time to click on this post because I know I will be tempted and you know what? I am bloody tempted. You're right about one thing though, the eye brushes in this J-series is cheaper than Wayne Goss and I already have my eyes on three of them. ????????
Jenny Wu
So I totally LOLed at your kumbaya comment, and er, I will make it up to you by posting about things I don't like in my next post? It's been a while since I've ranted about things so it'll be good to get it out of my system, haha
You know what, I was actually looking at Wayne Goss' eye brushes too before I stumbled upon Hakuhodo, and then well, you know the rest of the story. Seriously though, no regrets, maybe except for that $30 brush that has been sitting pristinely in my brush holder. I WILL FIND A PURPOSE FOR IT IF IT'S THE LAST TIME I DO.
Shireen L. Platt
When you find the use of that brush then please let me know? I have a similar one from Sigma that honestly I struggle to find what to do with it. I probably end up using it for art and craft with my 3 year old. The makeup brush God might strike me though. ???? And yes, I love rants and negative reviews! What can I say, I'm a cranky old woman or at least I'm heading that way as my husband repeatedly told me.
Jenny Wu
Err, so I tried using it for my outer v, and it's not bad if I want a more smokey/smudged look. I still won't use it as much as the other 4 but at least it's not totally useless now? ????
Nina
I've never tried any of these brushes but they sound amazing.
Nina's Style Blog
Jenny Wu
Thank you Nina, they're absolutely incredible and I'm so glad I bought them!
Cat L.
Jenny, you sold me on the J series!!! I can't believe how reasonably priced these are and I agree with you 110%: the right makeup tools make a world of difference. I need to set aside some time to peruse their online store and pick some of these up! Great post! I remember seeing your unboxing on Instagram Story and was hoping you would do a post about these as well! And by the way, you look absolutely stunning in that selfie! If these brushes can make me look as flawless as you do, sign me up! Pronto!
~ Cat L.
www.CatsDailyLiving.com
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much for your sweet comment Cat! The more I use my brushes the more I love them, they really are one of the best makeup investments I've ever made. I would love to see which ones you pick up (if you end up buying that is) and how you use them, because you create some of the most beautiful makeup looks ever!
Caked To The Nines
Girrl I've been wanting to try their brushes for ages because I always hear good things. You're right though, expensive as shit definitely comes to my mind when I think of Japanese brushes, which has stopped my from buying them. I'm still using ELF and Real Techniques with some MAC ones, but I do want to invest in some really good quality brushes soon. I know where to start looking :)
xx
Nida | Caked To The Nines
Jenny Wu
I can't speak to the other Japanese brushes but these definitely live up to their hype and so much more affordable than say Chikuhodo or other brands! You'll definitely notice a difference, especially coming from ELF brushes :P
Samantha
I've never given much thought to brushes - until last year or so, I was using my fingers for my foundation *GASP*. Then I got a ton of bareMinerals brushes and I'm still figuring out what to use for what (but from my inexperienced eyes, they are great so far). Love that these are so affordable though; all the ones I see are sooo expensive, Japanese or not.
Sam | My Beauty Cloud
Jenny Wu
Aw I totally get where you're coming from, to tell the truth I still use finders for my foundation sometimes, especially when I'm feeling lazy :P It's crazy how expensive some brushes can get, so it's awesome when you can find something reasonable and still works well!
Amy
I neeeeed to try these! I am horrible about using brushes but lately I've become sold on how useful they can be. These look really wonderful!
xx, Amy
http://www.theluxilook.com
Jenny Wu
These are definitely some of the best makeup investments I've made, especially since if taken care of, a brush can pretty much last forever? Or at least a really, REALLY long time! :D
Shelise
I've never heard of these brushes but I do have a few real techniques ones along with the beauty blender which I love, I must admit sometimes I just think the hair on the brush can determine its quality! These look great x
S x | SHELISES WORLD
Jenny Wu
I love the beauty blender as well, it's definitely my go-to for foundation and I don't think a brush will ever replace that :P Totally agree with you that the hair on a brush can make a big difference, some of the cheap brushes feel so scratchy on the skin!
Kiran
I agree although they sound great and of high quality their design is super basic and looks almost cheap I hate to say. Hopefully they come out with some more aesthetically pleasing collections, but they look like Morphe brushes so it seems unreasonable to ask for such a high price when they don't look as good as they are? Does that make sense? But I did see a real difference with application and that is really interesting, good tools go a long way! Fantastic, in-depth review, loved it xxx
ALittleKiran | Bloglovin
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Kiran! I do agree that Hakuhodo's J series are really basic looking, but if you want something prettier, they also have ones with vermillion handles and 24K gold ferule. The price goes up exponentially for those though!
As much as I like beautiful packaging, for me the quality of the brushes far outweigh its appearance so I'm willing to sacrifice one for the other (though trust me, I'd love to have my cake and eat it too, for cheap, haha). But to each their own, in the end it's whatever makes you happy! :)
Maroon Caludin
And now I want to try them. XD I always got the cheaper ones. I too love the Elf ones!
Jenny Wu
The elf ones were great when I just started wearing makeup, you can get an idea of which brushes do what and which shapes work best for your face! On the other hand, Hakuhodo brushes are definitely what I recommend when you want to upgrade your beginner brushes :)
Marina Rosie
I loved this post Jenny, honestly, these brushes sound amazing. The blush brush looks SO fluffy! I've stuck with my Morphe and RT brushes for quite a while so I might have to give these ones a whirl! You do look on point there Jenny, stunning! xx
Lots of love,
Marina Rosie xx
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Marina, so glad to hear that you enjoyed this post :D These are definitely some of the fluffiest and softest brushes I've used so far, and I can't recommend them enough!
Emily
I've actually never heard of these brushes before but they sound pretty good! I love that you swatched them with RT brushes. I would have never though to do that! Haha. You can definitely see that these ones help transfer more pigment on to the skin. They are definitely pricey, especially that blush brush! I don't think I own any real hair brushes, but these would definitely be the ones I'd pick up. :)
-Emily www.coatandcoffee.com
Jenny Wu
I feel like Japanese brushes aren't as well known, but they've definitely developed a cult following - for a good reason too! I figured it would be easier to see the difference on my hand and on paper, plus it'd be easier for me to photograph as well :P
Believe it or not the cheek brush is one of their less expensive ones, many of them are over $100, which seems to be the norm for Japanese face brushes D: Thank goodness the eye brushes were much more reasonable!
Kasie Chelanne
These brushes sound fabulous! I really need to invest in quality brushes like these!
Jenny Wu
Highly recommend them if you're looking for quality natural hair brushes!
Amy
'Expensive as shit' haha! These brushes sound good and you look lovely. A brand to keep an eye on!
Amy - http://amyevans.blog
Jenny Wu
Thank you Amy! Seriously though, some of these Japanese brushes (from other brands) have prices that make me want to cry!
Camilla
I'm so glad you posted about this because they are really not as expensive as I expected! I would really like to up my eye game and like you, the real techniques are just not cutting it anymore!
Camilla / Gracefulface.com
Jenny Wu
Yay, so glad my post helped! Ever since I got these I haven't touched my Real Technique or e.l.f brushes again, definitely worth the money spent!
Naya // www.partyparrotblog.com
I am so happy you shared this post, because I own quite a few of Hakuhodo brushes too and was thinking about reviewing them! I enjoy your post a lot Jenny, I have two of the brushes you have featured here and they are so amazing. I own MAC brushes and you are so right - although MAC is (strangely) more expensive, those from Hakuhodo's own brand are much softer and are simply fab.
Naya // www.partyparrotblog.com
Jenny Wu
Thank you for your kind comment Naya, it's great to hear someone who has both MAC and Hakuhodo brushes confirm that the latter really is softer :) I'd love to read your review and learn more about Hakuhodo's other brushes!
Kathryn
Wow, it really does look like they blend super well! I'll definitely have to look into these brushes, they seem like great high quality options. Thanks for sharing the review!
Kathryn • simplykk.com
Jenny Wu
You're welcome and thank you for reading Kathryn! Highly recommend Hakuhodo if you're searching for new brushes :)
Dasynka
These brushes seems amazing! And you look so pretty :)
With love,
Dasynka
http://dasynka.com
Jenny Wu
Thanks so much Dasynka! Highly recommend these brushes :)
An
I'm the same like you, my whole life I worked with brushes like RT and some unknown brands just because they just worked fine to me. When I came on Instagram I saw several people who invested more than 200 dollars on a Japanese brush set, say whuuut? A whole new world opened infront of my eyes. My first 'expensive' brush purchase was the Air brush by Wayne Goss. So happy with it and I finally can say that quality is really noticable when you pay more for your brushes. I'm not sure if I will get more japanese handcrafted brushes. All the brushes you got here look very similar to my 5 euro brushes from a small Dutch webshop haha! they are synthetic but i'm very with them!
xx, An - http://thebeauparlour.com/
Jenny Wu
Oh yes, Japanese brushes can definitely cost you hundreds of dollars, especially if you go with the more expensive brands like Chikuhodo and Suqqu (I'm pretty sure 1 Suqqu brush will set you back at least $100!). I do wish these Hakuhodo brushes looked prettier, but then again, I chose to go with their basic series instead of their fancier (aka more expensive) series, so I can't complain ????
Face to Curls
I’ve never tried any of these brushes but they sound so amazing. I really need to try at least a couple of these brushes soon. Thanks for tempting me...Hehe
Ann-Marie | http://facetocurls.com
Jenny Wu
These are definitely worth trying, and once you use them, you'll won't look back!
Ashley
I didn’t know that Hakuhodo had any more affordable prices! It was great to know.