I admit, I love luxury.
Tom Ford says :
“My mission is to bring luxury back, expressed through my voice and my style. It is important to me to instill glamour, integrity, and sophistication in everything I do.”
Everything in these brushes feels luxurious, the packaging, the handles, the quality of the natural or the synthetic hair and the finish, but there’s a catch : the price. Their price starts at 35 Gbp for the cheapest brush up to 80 Gbp for the Bronzer brush.
The Tom Ford brush collection is made of 12 white bristle brushes, natural or synthetic depending on the brush, the handles seem to be made of the same material and color as his eyeshadow quads, blushes or the new lipsticks.
I have 7 Tom Ford brushes and I will be giving you some information on the ones I own today :
| Tom Ford Brush |
Full length | Hair length | Width of the ferrule foot |
|
| 05 Bronzer | 17.2 | 4.2 | 3 | |
| 06 Cheek | 15.8 | 3.3 | 2.3 | |
| 02 Cream Foundation | 15 | 2.5 | 2 | |
| 11 Eye Shadow | 17 | 1.5 | 1 | |
| 12 Eye Shadow contour | 16.3 | 0.8 | 0.8 | |
| 13 Eye Shadow blend | 17.3 | 1.8 | 0.6 | |
| 14 Smoky Eye | 16.5 | 1.0 | 0.4 |
Table is in cm (cm x 0.39 = in)
I have always preferred brushes with white bristles, whatever the brand. They look dirty faster than black brushes but I have washed these many times and they always clean perfectly well and revert to the original color, no stains left behind at all.
I have tried to ask at the TF counters what hair they were made of, they always replied “natural hair”. What natural hair ? They could not tell me, at that time they had just launched… I had a very short look at their file since it was open on the counter and I read “goat” and “horse” but I am sorry I cannot tell you exactly which one since they could not confirm…
They are so incredibly soft, I guess that for the bronzer brush, they may have picked goat hair from the neck region since these are the softest, longest and thinner hair but this is only a guess…
- They are well-balanced and feel heavy.
- I did not experience any eyeshadow fall-out during application.
- They did not shed.
- Most of them are very densily packed.
- The hair are perfectly shaped, I just cannot find any flaws on the ones I have.
- They don’t have a funny smell.
- If they fall on a hard surface, I am not sure how they would react, my bronzer brush did and there is a very tiny chip on the handle, you cannot see it unless you look very close but they may be more fragile than any other Mac or Louise Young.
- The gold ferrule is exactly the same gold color as the Hakuhodo S100 series, but I don’t know if they are also made of brass-rolled 24-karat gold with clear coating…
The packaging
They are protected with a small plastic brush guard that covers the bristles and also another full size plastic brush bag, they come in his typical TF boxes.
They are made in Japan, JAPAN is engraved on the back of all the brush handles.
Tom Ford Bronzer
This brush is a master piece. So soft that you will wonder how this is even possible. Heavy and well-balanced. Picks just the perfect amount of bronzer and the application feels like Heaven.
Before having this brush in my collection, I was using Mac 134 or the Louise Young. When I travel I use the LY, otherwise I use the TF on a daily basis.
Brushes are extremely expensive here in Switzerland, buying TF online for me is like buying a normal brush in a shop here. Depending on where you live it can be interesting to buy online rather than in a local shop unfortunately.
Tom Ford Cheek Brush
This is the picture of the TF Cheek brush you will see on the online shops of any Tom Ford distributor.
The site pictures it more pointed and mine as you can see is not that pointed at all.
It still does the job perfectly well, it’s also extremely soft and VERY dense, for very pigmented blushes I would not use this one for example. It’s flat , you could imagine holding it differently for thinner and more precise application of blush and since it’s very dense I also use it for foundation. The only similar brush I have is the Hakuhodo pictured below but the TF is more densily packed and firm.
Tom Ford Cream Foundation
Bigger than the Shu and great for cream contour or foundation. Very densily packed as well and extremely soft. I am always surprised that it reverts to it’s pure color after so many washes.
Tom Ford Eyeshadow
I love it for base eyeshadow, cream of powder. Really soft and picks just the right amount of product for a soft all-over application. Today, it has become my favorite for base eye shadow application. I like how it feels heavy and well-balanced, it gives me better control of the application.
Tom Ford Eyeshadow Contour
The Tom Ford 12 is shorter than the other two Mac similar brushes pictured here, the 239 and the 272, the TF is more densily packed, it allows more precision. It’s designed for the crease and the corner eye application, you can pack a lot of color on the tip of this brush and then draw a nice outer V for example before blending it.
Tom Ford Eyeshadow Blend
The first time I saw this brush at the TF counter, it had just been washed or cleaned, I don’t know why but it did not look great, it was a bit yellowish looking and I thought it would not age well, so I did not purchase it back then.
I just got this one very recently, that’s why it’s not included in my recent post on my favorite brushes, I did not have it yet. I just found my HG crease, packed densily to give a firm but soft application. It’s firmer than the Mac 217 and more precise. I have only washed it once since I got it… hopefully it will keep it’s original color and shape. Time will tell.
I use it to apply crease color and to blend but since I really like a very blended application, I will use the Hakuhudo B214 afterwards.
Tom Ford Smoky Eye
The TF is the softest of these 3, but the difference is not that noticeable…
It’s more firm and densily packed than the Sigma. Between the Mac and the TF the difference is not that obvious, if you have the Mac you sure don’t need the TF…
When I want to smoke the shadow underneath my eyes I will use the Hakuhodo G5520 since it’s even more precise and thin and I like to keep the smokey look under my eyes as thin as possible, but this TF will allow you to do that as well.
I just have way too many brushes and I don’t really need so many… I know…crazy.
The care
I wash them regularly, once a week and it takes me 5 minutes.
I rinse them with lukewarm water, then I use very mild soap or baby shampoo to clean them and rinse them thoroughly.
I very gently press the bristles on to a towel to remove some of the excess water, I put them back to shape (as you can see in the picture below) and I lay them flat on a towel to dry. They dry very quickly, between 1 hour up to 4 hours for the biggest brush.
Once they are dry, I spray a tiny amount of alcohol on the bristles, I don’t know if this is safe, but I just can’t help myself. I am really scared of bacteria and I do this with all my brushes every time I clean them.
This is a picture of them still wet :
I don’t show you a picture before since they were really ugly dirty, you know how the Mac 239 can look so these would look the same.
Bottom Line
The only reason why I don’t have them all is because of the price.
Even if these are very good quality brushes, I think there are still some more out there that I haven’t tried yet, but I will someday…
It’s a matter of taste and preference, I just love everything about these Tom Ford but I am not discussing the fact that you can achieve similar results with less expensive brushes… I just want to add that they are much denser, which means much more hair, and I guess we also have to pay that extra hair and extra work somehow…
Of course I recommend them but for such a price you should be able to see them in person before purchasing since they are so insanely expensive. If, like me, you live in a country were any make up brush is expensive, then just order these TF… 🙂
Hakuhodo will also launch some more brushes in the near future with white bristles, as soon as they will be available I will test them and will let you know what I think of them. I can’t wait !!
Update :
I forgot to mention that I use all these brushes, except the Bronzer, with cream blushes and cream eye shadows and that’s also why I love them so much. Unfortunately this means that I have to clean them more often in between each application but it’s just a matter of minutes and the result is totally worth it.
78 comments
Another brilliant review, Sonia. For those prices, I would jolly well hope that the handles contain 24kt gold! Have you used the cheek or eye brushes with liquids/creams as well?
Thank you Dena 🙂
Absolutely, since they are white, I use them a lot for cream blushes or waterproof eyeshadows. They are very densily packed so if I want to use Chanel Bronzer Universel I would use the Mac stippling for example and not the TF Cheek or Cream Foundation brushes.
I have used the TF 11 with a few paintpots and also with their new TF cream shadow in Platinum (I just got Platinum and Spice), it works really well for an all-over wash of color or you could build up a base color as well. I did a smoky eye with Mac Blackground and the TF 14 and was sold ! I use all of them (well, not the Bronzer one) with cream and liquid eyeshadows and blushes.
The TF 13 helps me to softly build up some dark cream shadow or paintpot in the crease, much better than my Illamasqua which isn’t firm enough…
Cross-fingers that Hakuhodo will launch some of my Hakuhodo favorites with white bristles so that I can use them with cream shadows (G5524, G5527, G5520, B214…)
Oooooooh……BRILLIANT Post!! Thank you:))
I ordered 5 new TF brushes two days ago and I’m super releived that you rate them so well. Considering that I have to give up eating for a while in order to afford them I would have been VERY sad to see a bad FB.
I caught up with all your previous posts this morning too & signed up as fast as I could so that I don’t miss any future entries. Our taste in makeup and brushes seems amazingly similar.
Thank you Buggsiebee 🙂 Yes I know we have such a similar taste in make up 😉
To me, these TF are worth it, it is still possible to do better but I haven’t found better quality than these.. yet…
Which ones have you ordered ? Please let me know what you think of them, there aren’t many reviews out there, mainly because of the price, which I understand can be creepy scary… and it’s not easy to get our hands on them and feel them before ordering !
Thank you also for following this blog, I am really very happy to see you here !!!
Fantastic Blog!! It’s my pleasure to be here. Thank you:))
I’ve ordered the bronzer, blush, foundation and the # 11 & 12 eye shadow brushes.
I already have the blend brush & the shade & illuminate brush…..AND the # 12 which I rediscovered today – so now I’ll have two!! Silly me! I have WAY too many brushes but I just can’t help myself – always looking for the absolute HG!!!
Have you tried any of the Chikuhodo brushes?
You don’t mention any Le Metier brushes. Have you tried them? The blush brush is one of my faves…..as is the Rouge Bunny contour brush and the IPSA blush brush which is SUPER soft and perfect for those really pigmented blushes.
I read some mention in the comments of the Claudio Riaz brushes. Have you tested any of them? I haven’t heard anything particularly positive about them yet.
I’m also LOVING the Tom Ford cream shadow in Platinum & in Spice. Platinum is so complex I can wear it on it’s own and it looks like I’ve done a full eyemakeup with crease color and highlighter included. It just depends on how it catches the light. The Tom Ford products are super expensive & darn hard to get hold of – there’s no doubt about that – but so far I have yet to be disappointed. The blushes are also DIVINE:))
Sorry…..enough rambling…….:))
Hi Buggsiebee 🙂
Today, in my brush wishlist I have Chikuhodo, Le Metier (I will then start with the blush brush as you recommend), Burberry, Trish (I need to try more…), and the next Hakuhodo that will launch soon… I just can’t wait ! I love white brushes and it looks like they will launch a few of them, I am so excited ! I haven’t tried Le Metier brushes yet, and I haven’t tried Claudio Riaz… but I am planning to ! 🙂
I have the TF Platinum and will write a review shortly on this cream shadow, so far I love the color, so complex and gorgeous, I just need to test the lasting power again ! Rouge Bunny Rouge cream shadows seem to last longer but I need to try both of them on the eyes in extreme conditions !
TF make up is amazing… I totally agree with you !
The Platinum lasts quite well on my more oily lids but it never really sets so, unlike the RBR, it is easily smeared if I rub my eyes.. What I love about the TF is the luminocity. It has a nice glow which I find missing in the RBR which, though they have a slight shimmer , are pretty matt. I use the taklon brushes from Hourglass for my cream shadows & other creamy products. They are EXCELLENT quality and cruelty free:))
I wasn’t aware that Hakuhodo was releasing a new range untill you mentioned it. I’ll keep my eyes open. Thanks!
Thank you for this information 🙂
I have seen the new Hakuhodo brushes in this gossmakeupartist video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka52kJTwXwM&feature=plcp at minute 3:10 he talks about them. I started checking Hakuhodo’s online site after I saw that video but after a few days I lost patience and contacted Hakuhodo to ask them when they would be released. They told me they would contact me by email… I just can’t wait ! They look amazing !
I got one of my best tips off one of Wayne’s gossmakeupartist videos. You know how bloggers/ makeupartists always say one should smile when one puts on blush so that one can see where the apple of the cheek is? Well…..he says NOT to smile while you put on your blush and he’s absolutely right. At my age ,if you smile when you put on your blush and then stop smiling ….your blush ends up somewhere near your chin:)))) FANTASTIC tip.
He doesn’t like the TF cream shadows btw.
I just checked out his IMATS video and YES those white brushes are lovely looking. The smaller blush brush is DEFINITELY going to be mine. Beautiful!
PLEASE let me know when Hakuhodo mails you.
Happy weekend:)))
is tom ford cream foundation brush way softer than the shu uemura one? I’d like to know how they compared to each other in more detail! thank you for the great review.
Hi !
I wouldn’t say way softer, but softer for sure. If you are really picky, you will notice the difference, I can tell which one it is with my eyes closed without hesitation 🙂
So, the Tom Ford is softer, bigger, denser, and more flat. Today I use the Shu only for cream contour or for applying a foundation base on precise zones since it would take me a very long time to apply the foundation all over with this small brush. The Tom Ford is more multi-purpose for my make up routine, I can get more use of the TF than the Shu, but your choice may depend on the size of brush you are looking for since for the other specs, the differences are really not that noticeable.
I hope this helps 🙂
Thank you for your nice comment !
Thank you so much for your thorough explanation! I really enjoyed your favorite brush post as well as the makeup organization post .
meanwhile, i couldn’t help but notice that you have both chanel and no.7 foundation brush.
I have chanel one but couldn’t get my hands on the no,7 one since i live far from u.k lol
I’ve noticed lisa eldridge using the no.7 more than the chanel foundation brush.
would you be able to compare these two as well?
after reading your posts and replies, I’ve come to a conclusion that I can trust your opinion 100% when it comes to brushes!
Hi Anaksunamun, I am really touched by your sweet comment and cannot thank you enough ! <3 I am so happy to meet people like you here, I am blessed 🙂 !
I will try to explain the difference between these 2 foundation brushes, I hope it is understandable since my english sometimes is too basic when it comes to getting into detailed explanations, but I'll try my best 🙂
The N7 brush has a different bristle lay out, the shorter bristles start closer to the base of the ferrule, it has more layers, it's thicker and it's more pointy and more flexible than the Chanel.
This means many things to me : you just get many more uses from the N7.
The N7 will give you a less streaky foundation application than the Chanel, I could consider not blending at all after the N7, but after the Chanel I prefer to always buff or blend with another brush, this additional step is necessary to me. Although I could apply my foundation only with the N7, I also prefer to use another brush (like the Radiance) afterwards for buffing slightly (I like a light to medium foundation coverage that you can barely detect, or not detect at all if possible).
The main reason why I love the N7 so much, is to use with thicker (harder to pick) cream blushes or for example Mac ccb's, cream products that are less soft and creamy. The layering of the N7 has "something" that makes the product stick better to the bristles, probably way more than a stippling brush would. The Chanel has more of a sleek bristle finish therefore the bristles glide more on the product…
The N7 is a great multi-purpose brush, I think you could do anything with this one, countour, blush, highlight, concealer, foundation, etc, more than the Chanel, and it's also cheaper. I can live without the Chanel, but I cannot live without the N7, I mean if I had to choose only one 🙂
The N7 concealer is also fantastic, thick and nicely layered, it works well to apply and blend concealer, although I prefer a rounded brush for that…but anyway this does the job perfectly well. You can also use this N7 concealer for cream waterproof eyeshadows, it's what I tend to do right now.
The N7 Smokey Eyeliner brush is very similar to the Chanel 24, a fantastic brush. I have only these 3 N7 brushes but I am really satisfied and I totally recommend them !
I know it's difficult to get them, I always manage to find a way (like swapping or ebay, or mail forwarding, but you may end paying more than they actually cost).
I hope this helps 🙂
Thank you for your kind review of No. 7 brushes! I had my eyes on those brushes but hesitated because I didn’t want to pay the extras if there weren’t going to be as great as I expect them to be. Now, you’ve compared them with other brushes that I own and i have a quite clear idea of what they are really. I finally placed order on ebay for all 3 brushes that you mentioned.
now i am eagerly waiting for them to arrive at my door 🙂
Thank you and have a nice weekend!
Just stumbled upon your blog today and really love it. Drooling over all your beautiful brushes!!
How do you usually do your brush wash? Mind sharing? Thanks a lot! 🙂
Hi !
Thank you 🙂
There is a topic “The Care” in this post, I don’t do anything more than that, just using baby shampoo or a mild soap and softly rinsing under lukewarm water, gently remove excess water with a towel and then lay them flat to dry… 🙂
Thank you for stopping by !
I was just reading about the Tom Ford bronzer brush and apparently one of the SAs said that the range is made by Hakuhodo. What do you think is the most similar Hakuhodo brush overall, considering shape and softness? Thinking whether I should get the Tom Ford or get a similar Hakuhodo at the moment. How is it generally for powder, not bronzer? Thanks so much! I’m pretty much just compiling my brush orders based on your reviews because they’re so detailed 🙂
The most similar brush is the J501 which is goat and synthetic, it is smaller but it’s definitely also really soft and dense.
I also have the J5541 which is only goat and it’s bigger than the J501 but it not as soft as the J501. If you can go for TF, you won’t regret it, it’s a master piece. But the J501 is also a fantastic brush for either powder or bronzer, either way, you will be happy 🙂
I would love the 12, but cannot afford it! Any Hakuhodo brush that is similar?
Hi Jennifer,
This brush is really unique and I haven’t found an exact dupe for it at all but I won’t stop searching !
In my next post I have included it in my favorites brushes and I actually talk about my mission to find a dupe, maybe somebody will read me and will suggest one… fingers crossed !
Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly! By the way – I love your blog! You make me want all the pretty brushes!
Sonia, at the end of the day, are there comparable brushes to the Tom Ford 13?
to be honest .. No, they aren’t and so far I haven’t found a similar one even in another japanese brand, this one makes crease and blending so easy that I hardly believe it could get any better.
If I find a similar one I’ll let you know, this TF is “unfortunately” worth its price… I wish Tanseido could create one, I haven’t found a similar one on their website, the ones they have appear less dense and with less precision.
Wow! This is an awesome review! I love high end brushes as well (in France, good makeup brushes are very expensive too, so I don’t even bother to look on “middle” range brands as I only have to add a few euros to get a handcrafted, not-made-in-China brush!). You sold me on these – I HAVE to buy some! I have the Shu Uemura foundation brush, do you think it’s worth getting the TF one??
Thank you! xx
Hi Rada, thanks 🙂
If you want a brush that is approx twice the size of the Shu, the TF 02 is the one to go for. If you are using it for foundation and you want another recommendation for a fantastic one, mother of these two, get the Houkodou 🙂
Still loving the TF and so far no other similar goat brushes can compare, of course Koyudo and Tanseido are great but TF is a level up in my opinion.
Thanks for the heads-up, Sonia.
I’m saving for the fupa 14, so this will be my next big buy.
Maybe for my saint’s day, 2 November.
Yeah. That seems like a good present to celebrate one’s saint’s day.
that reminds me… I have a few things to celebrate, so many ideas that I don’t even know how to start 😛
but November is still far away 🙁
Very nice post and review! i’ m desperately trying to find a bronzer brush that doesn’t pick to much color at once and most important one that feels soft against my sensitive skin!!!! i was googling on tom ford brushes and i found your blog! Thank for your post! May i ask you where can we find these brushes online? We only have tom ford perfume in my country(in Europe). Thank you!
Hi Su,
the problem is that online there aren’t many places where you can find them, Harrods don’t deliver TF internationally, but try, maybe your country can get them and is allowed to receive them. Try saksfifthavenue.com (maybe your country is find, mine not), try Selfridges.co.uk but the shipping is certainly very expensive, if you call them they do ship internationally, the order has to be placed by phone though.
I heard that TF will sell the brushes in Zurich soon, don’t know where yet but I know where to find my sources, I just need to wait they have more info, not before the autumn anyway and I don’t know if they ship abroad either 🙁
Otherwise, I have used forwarding companies in the past. Unfortunately I don’t have a trip planned to the uk at the moment, otherwise I would help.
Thank you for the information! You are being very kind offering your help! I checked Harrods and i think they do ship internationally, at least in the EU, though the shipping cost is high! What to do- i’ m a makeup junkie who needs to start saving money for it! lol! Thank you anyway!!
If you have friends or family travelling you could ask them if you know what you want in advance 🙂
Maybe it’s been posted up before, but what is the issue with the shipping of these brushes?
Is the hair from an endangered species?
Hi,
I am currently deciding if I should get the TF Bronzer and blush brush. I am wondering if it is worth it or does Hakuhodo have ones that are comparable.
Your help would be greatly appreciated 🙂
Hi Kirsten, yes there is a comparable one.
I will try to unpack my brushes tonight if they have finished with the wall breaking at home (home renewal works ongoing).
The other night I found nearly all my brushes on the floor, sigh…
If I manage to unpack them, I will tell you which one it is and how it compares.
Thanks Sonia! 🙂
I know how it feels to wait for renovations to be done. Hold tight!!
As for the brushes only the floor….wow….I would have had that slow motion movie move when people scream “Nooooooooooo!!“
I know 🙁 *sigh* when I saw them I stood still for a long while analyzing the situation before I had the courage to lift them.
Hello,
I’m in switzerland too. Sad that there are only TF lipsticks and perfums here.
I was considering to buy Mac brushes, i did some searches and saw some videos of makeup gurus on youtube, and heard about the quality of TF brushes.
When i saw the price of TF in $, it’s quite the same as if to buy Mac in chf.
So i definitely prefer to buy TF. But i wont buy TF in switzerland, the différence of price in chf and $ is too insane! For exemple a 50ml TF perfum is 250 chf, but in the US, it’s only 210 $ (=183 chf) !
May i aske you some questions:
Where dis you ordered your TF brushes?
Have you has to pay (how much) taxe when you recieved them ?
Thanks for your article, it’s very helpfull.
Hello Ylona,
I heard via Bon Genie Geneva that TF will be carried (maybe full cosmetics line) in Zurich but I don’t have more info, I may go ask them again if I go to Geneva next week.
I bought them when I was over or had some friends pick them up sometimes, but you can try Selfridges UK, I believe now they deliver TF internationally too. Try also Harrods, maybe they also do (many conditions are changing for these two so they might do that now). Also I used forwarding companies but then the taxes paid are at the source and the destination.
Yes you have to pay taxes unfortunately, quite a lot, for a 100chf parcel maybe around 25chf but I may be mistaken… then it gets doubled with the value of the order, 200chf=40, or something like that. That’s why I like when companies remove the tax at the origin, at least it compensates when you buy them here and then you pay only the Swiss tax. I think Selfridges and Harrods might do so, just try and let me know if when you register with an international address, in the basket you see the tax should be removed before payment 🙂
hope this helps.. are you in French part ?
Thanks you so much for you reply <3
Yes i'm in Geneva. Are you also un the french part ?
I'm totally in love with the TF beauty right now, even without the chance to touch the brushes or see the products in real, just by watching reviews ! It's crazy!
I'm now in looove with my Chanel syntetique rétractable kabuki. It's so so soft and cute! I want to get a 2nd one just in case they discontinue it. Are the TF softer that that? I imagine yes ;).
You kabukis are so cute !!! Especially the pink one !!!
I'd like to get some hakuodo and suqqu, but it seems to be more difficult than to get TF.
It was a oléastre to read your posts about your trip in japan !
It must be very difficult to resist to buy those cute brushes !!!!!
I'd like to get the TF blush in "Flush".
Cause i was searching a powder blush that has the same healthy coral pink color as my beloooved Chanel cream blush in Affinité.
I was considering the dior powder blush in 889 but there are négative reviews on it. Then i saw that TF's flush looks similar.
What do you think about it ?
Also i'd like to have the TF Shade and illuminate palette, cause it's said that there are no shrimmer. I hâte highlighter/illumitator products with shrimmer, it's so unatural on me. For example I'd like to love Guerlain's meteorite as many other girls but for me there are too much sparkles/shrimmers.
Is the TF s&i really without shrimmers ?
I felt also in love with the TF perfum in Jasmin Rouge. For me it's just the most similar perfum to the real jasmin. When i tried it, i just want to smell my hand every 2 min ! It has not the typical perfum feeling as the other perfum, it's like the real flowers but in better !
It's often compared with Serge Lutens' A La Nuit, but when i tried the SL, it gave me near a headarch.
Comparing them, for me the TF is more sweet, the SL more salty.
Your collection and knowledge of brushes are amazing !!!
I'm happy to have found your blog 😉
À bientôt, bisous.
I work in Geneva but live in Vaud, so that’s pretty cool, we are not that far away from each other 🙂
The Chanel brush is soft but it’s synthetic, what product do you like to apply with this brush ? I own it but honestly since I don’t use their Chanel les beiges I am still wondering what I can use with it 😛
I confirm it was difficult to resist, imagine shops full of brushes! it was heaven, just tough to have to resist to so much temptation but we can’t have it all and honestly I can’t complain, I have already so many 🙂
Flush is fab, it’s like silk on the skin, if you can get a tf blush just don’t hesitate anymore, to me it’s way above Dior or Chanel. The color of Flush is also the most gorgeous coral to me! if you love coral blushes this is the one to have.
The Shade and Illuminate has no sparkles, I find it even too subtle at times!
For the perfume, I have Neroli that I am totally crazy about, when I was in Scotland they gave me a sample of Rive d’Ambre and they told me I could layer it on top of Neroli… http://www.herworldplus.com/beauty/updates/beauty-updates-tom-ford-mixes-scents, so now I play and mix it with the samples I own for fun, although Neroli I like it pure 😀
I definitely need to try Jasmin Rouge!
I am still sick and working from home but when I recover maybe we could have a drink in Geneva and I can take with me the brushes that you would like to see up close 😉
talk soon!
Omg, that would be great !!!
Can you give me your email so we can text ?
Je me réjouis de te rencontrer :).
I hope to not fall in love with the hakuodo when compared with the TF ! Otherwise i’ll be in truble ;)!
About the Chanel Kabuki, i for now only use it to remove the exess of powder on my face and blend.
I stoped using BB cream recently (with the BB it’s better in général, but closely it shows my pores more), i just press the guerlain meteorite illuminating/matifying press powder (teint rose and teint beige) with a pouf, it’s a trick from Wayne Goss that i really like, also it gives me a vintage feeling when i do that, and with the guerlain poudrier and it’s violet smell, i just feel like in an other age for a little moment, hihi !
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-9lyg9DNfsY&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D-9lyg9DNfsY
Then i use the chanel kabuki to gently remove the exess and blend (and it’s little relaxing), cause i use the guerlain tein rose in the middle and the tein beige in the other part of my face, also a bronzer to contour sometimes.
(Btw, I’m wondering if i can get the #03 tein ambré to contour… Why people always use a bronzer to contour and not a dark face powder ?)
Wayne Goss sais that the Chanel kabuki is great to put powder and liquide foundation on.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Orhs6YJFv7Q&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DOrhs6YJFv7Q
I dont use liquide foundation, i should try with my BB cream. I’ll try this when i’ll get a 2nd kabuki or the TF foundation brush. For now i dont want to dirty it in the BB cream and have to wash it :p.
This vidéo is to minimise the pores with foundation and powder.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EmZm3vwrF8Q
I always use my fingers to put on my BB. I’m waiting to get a sample of Chanel CC cream to try. I’d like to replace my dior BB cream by that.
I’ll try the CC cream with the Chanel kabuki, it would be a good match 😉
By the way do you préfère to use a brush or the beautyblender to apply liquide foundation/BB cream ?
I’ve seen reviews about those cute hot pink beautyblenders, but as usual, we don’t have it in shops here :(.
I’ll try Neroli next time 🙂
In Globus, they dont give samples of TF’s perfum.
But they do in Manor :).
Take care, bon rétablissement !
Bisous
Sure, I will send it to you. I am always happy to meet with like-minded people 🙂 can’t wait!
of course you will fall in love with them so you are warned 😀
Lol, I see, don’t underestimate the power of feeling great while applying makeup, it’s a very special moment that we need to appreciate. I remember this video, it was fun.
Thanks for the idea about the CHanel brush by the way, I will try it!
and thanks for sharing the link about the Chanel review, I hadn’t seen this one from Wayne 😀 oh well, I am not that in love with that brush but maybe one day I will love it, I will give it another try.
It’s just that I have others that do the job so much better, and also, when they sold it to me (Signy center) they told me it was natural hair… which clearly is not and since I could not touch it I just trusted them and got disappointed.
I have just also recently took the time to use the beauty blender, I did love the result a lot but in the morning I have very little time to apply my foundation so using it on a daily basis is not appropriate for me, because it gets dirty quickly and I can never clean it properly. But yes it does deliver a dewy natural result. I prefer brushes because it’s easier and it makes me feel much better, it’s just a personal preference.
Of course we don’t have them here, I think I bought mine in the USA a long time ago, still here but it looks ugly despite cleaning it properly.
yes try Neroli and let me know 😉 so sexy.
thanks for the tip, next time I want to try a perfume I’ll try Manor!
talk soon 🙂
My phone wants desperately correct my english in to french, so oléastre = pleasure 😉
Hi Sonia, How would you compare Tom Ford brushes to Hakuhodo ones (eye & face)? Which do you prefer? Thanks!
Hi Ccl,
without a doubt I prefer Tom Ford, they are more densely packed, bundled with even more perfection and the shapes are unique, that is the main reason why, they are much better brushes than the Hakuhodo J series but the J Series are still extremely good. I also prefer longer handles but that is just a personal preference.
The blush has a dupe in the Hakuhodo J series, the most unique is the TF crease brush, the only one that I don’t use today is the eyeliner and the contour and I don’t own the flat foundation.
If I had to chose between the two, I would definitely keep the TF, the only problem is that they are really expensive…
Thank you for your reply. Do you think the tom fords are worth it? I am thinking of purchasing my first set and want something for keeps so I don’t have to keep upgrading… How do you compare the face brushes with squirrel brushes of hakuhodo? For example k002 vs the tom ford bronzer? Or b505 vs the tom ford cheek? Thanks so much for the advice!
Hi Ccl,
a little comment from me too – I cannot recommend Tom Ford brushes enough. They are the best of the best. I use them everyday. I bought some Hakuhodo at the same time, and I hardly ever reach for them. They are great, it’s just that Tom Ford are better. I also use my Kuyodo brushes everyday.
Regarding price vs value, I think people are very different with regard to that, you probably know you own priorities. I seldom enjoy something primarily because it is great value for the price. I value great quality without holding the price against it, unless it is totally out of proportion. And I enjoy my TF brushes very much every day, so for me they are worth the price. But of course I wouldn’t buy them, if I had to give up something more important to get them.
I use the crease brush #13 most, but also the eyeshadow brush #11, and the eyeliner and definer brush. I don’t have any face brushes from TF.
Hi Jeanette,
Thank you so much for your input. I guess I’m torn as I haven’t seen either brand of brush in person, just basing it on online reviews. It’s not available in my country but I’ve a friend going to the states and was thinking of asking her to purchase on my behalf. I think I will have to see the Tom Fords in person first because they are so expensive. That said, I’m willing to wait to see them (& save up) before buying, or acquire them one at a time as I don’t want duplicates in my collection which I won’t be reaching for anyway. May I ask, what makes them the best for you? What other brushes do you favour?
Hi Ccl,
What make the TF brushes the best for me are various things. When you look at them you can see that they are top notch quality. The materials, the assembly, the quality of the hair and the form of the bristles. They just ooze of class and high quality. It is such a joy just to look at them 🙂
The bristles are of high quality as said, and very soft for goat. As they are goat they are firmer than squirrel, so they blend better. The blend eyebrush no. 13, has the most perfect shape. It is pointed, so that you can make a definite crease, and tapered so that you can soften the line by pressing a bit harder and thus making the line wider and blending it. The combination of the shape and the perfect balance of softness and firmness make this brush very – very! – effective. Effective so that it does what it is supposed to and create a perfect result. It is also efficient so you can do it fast, because you don’t need to struggle so much i.e. spend much time to achieve the right result.
When I got them I thought “Oh, if I ever want a brush, where I don’t know which brand has a good one, I will not go wrong if buying a Tom Ford brush.”
You asked me which other brushes I love. I really love SUQQU. I don’t own the big powder brush, but I love the others. I use the eyeshadow Flat least, because I have other laydown brushes. These two brands are the ones I love the most. My Mac 239 is a must have. Apart from those I really like Koyudo. They are a recent discovery through Sonia’s blog. They are also very meticulously crafted with very nice bristles and forms. I also have a fantastic foundation buffing brush from Houkodou. It is the only brush I have from that brand.
I don’t have any Chikuhodo yet, so that is why I don’t mention them.
I agree that #13 is indeed really “perfect”. Crazily, but well in line with our theme of temptation here, I do find its shape incredibly… uhh… sexy? In the way that… inanimate objects such as brushes can be LOL
Hi! I thought I’d give some input too as I own the Bronzer, Cheek and the Blend Brush. I love each and everyone of them.
The handles feel luxurious: you’re not just spending money on brushes that you (your wallet!) know are expensive, but which others can just be picking them up lol. But more importantly, as Sonia says, they are densely packed and with perfection, the goat hair is soft and very efficient. I don’t wear eyeshadow a lot, but when I do, the 13 Blend/Crease is a brush I wish I had money to splurge on a backup of …. same with the Cheek brush. It’s perfectly bundled, and shaped beautifully….
Extolling all the virtues of these brushes…. need to pick up MOAR ><
But yes, I forgot to add… very expensive. I’m lucky that I have amazing friends who bought them for me for my birthday 🙂
But I do think that they are worth it. As Jeanette says, if you find yourself using it every day, and not using other brushes that you’ve purchased at a lower price point, that could make it worth it for you. The TF are also very durable, and for me personally, I feel that they while they are an expensive investment, in the end, I’m not going to be buying new brushes out of a need to replace them, but rather, because I want something new…. if that makes sense?
And also to answer another question you asked Jeanette, the other eyeshadow brushes I favour are the Shu Uemura and their Takeda equivalents (maybe even the Takeda over the Shu because I prefer short handles, and I got the latter in the shorter lengths), and a few Hakuhodo that don’t have TF equivalents. One thing I really like about the TF is that they just feel well-made and sturdy, partially because of the weight but also because there aren’t any rattling ferrules or too many stray hairs. Hope that helps!
Thank you Bonnie!
Everyone is so great at convincing me, haha! What would everyone recommend as the ‘must have’ brushes of this collection? I think I will have to get them a couple at a time so as not to shock myself (& my wallet) too much, haha!
I have a follow up question regarding makeup application with TF brushes though, do they actually make things easier for the beginner… Or faster for the expert? Thanks so much!
Well, I only have 3 brushes, but I have a TF counter nearby so I have seen the brushes in person. I think the must-haves are the cheek and the blend 13. The bronzer brush is gorgeous, but it really depends on personal use. I don’t use bronzer, so for me, it’s not a “must-have”, but rather something that sits on my dresser looking… gorgeous 🙂
Hi Bonnie,
I have been reading rave reviews on the cheek and blending brushes.. I will check them out when I next travel. The bronzer brush looks gorgeous in pictures, I imagine it would look much better in person. I think I may have a hard time resisting it once I lay my hands on it, haha. Can you use it for powder though? That’s what I was thinking of using it for.
Yes, you definitely could. It is goat hair, but very, very soft so it would work well for finishing powders. The other powder brushes that I use, depending on what type of powder and effect are Koyudo White Mushroom, Fu-Pa14, and Chikuhodo PF-2, even the Z-8.
Where/how did you purchase your Koyudo & Chikuhodo brushes? Which do you prefer, goat or squirrel? The Koyudo white mushroom is very cute, though I’ve no idea how to get access to one..
I’ve ordered both through cooljapannow and directly from the Koyudo website. As for Chikuhodo, I knew someone who was in Japan and they were able to ship to me. However, I’d go with Kohlindo if you were looking for Chikuhodo; Malin, who runs it, is also a reader here 🙂
As for preference between goat and squirrel, perhaps the squirrel? I adore the Fu-pa14 haha. However, the White Mushroom also induces a lot of love from me 🙂
Thank you Jeanette & Bonnie for your input. It certainly has given me a lot to think about. How I wish I could see, feel & compare all these wonderful brushes.. Although I gather from everyone’s comments that I can’t go wrong with tom ford.. Besides the fact that they’re expensive haha! How do you clean them & are they difficult to do so? Thanks so much,
Ccl you’re welcome!
I clean all my brushes with a mild hair shampoo. I put some shampoo in my left hand and turn on the tap with running lukewarm water. I wet the bristles holding the brush with my right hand, and then I move the bristles forwards and backwards in the shampoo. Then I rinse off the shampoo under the water. If the brush is not yet clean I repeat it. Then I ensure that I get all the soap off under running water and press the water and shampoo out of the bristles, until it is clean. I press so much water off that I can just by pressing with a couple of fingers. Then I assemble the bristles in the correct form so that the hairs don’t splay in all directions, and then I let the brushes dry on a horizontal surface (typically my bath tub).
BTW I ordered Koyudo through cooljapannow.jp.
Cool japan now is a japanese company right? They don’t specify shipping & other taxes.. How has your experience with them been? Also have you ever tried ordering from kohlindo? Thanks again!
Yes Cooljapannow.jp is Japanese. My experiences with all Japanese companies are that they are all top professional and nice to do business with.
Regarding shipping there are official shipping rates depending on destination and weight of the parcel, cf. http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/charge/list/ems_all_en.html
Apart from that most companies charge an overseas shipping fee which I think was 540 JPY from cooljapannow.
I don’t (yet) own any Chikuhodo brushes, but have an eye on a few of them. As I really have a special love for the very top quality brushes in my collection, I think I will love them. When I will order some, I will use Kohlindo.se instead of using a forwarding company between Chikuhodo and me. Kohlindo’s customer service seems to be very good and fast and with no language barrier in the process 🙂
I see. Thank you for that.. Would you know if hakuhodo, chikuhodo & koyudo are available in department stores in japan?
Hakuhodo yes, in some malls (have a look at and the Hakuhodo store info : http://en.hakuho-do.co.jp/user_data/stores_index.php
For Chikuhodo and Koyudo in the TAU shops but I am writing about it for a post that will be published very soon!
I’ll leave that for Sonia to answer 🙂 As far as I recall from her posts on visiting Japan, not all brushes are available in stores.
Thank you, it’s good to know that they’re available in department stores.. I will definitely check them out if ever I go visit.. Although that may not be a good thing, haha..I may want them all!
[…] Sweet Makeup Temptations did a thorough feature on 7 of the brushes (excellent resource and feature) […]
I need to be gifted with that extra EQ to read a translated article with intentional biased viewpoint and careless usage of wordings…
http://www.shopdealus.com/cn/tom-ford-brush-review-from-sweet-makeup-temptations/
When there are so many new articles to update the preference over TF brushes, I find this translation made in 2014 very questionable regarding writer’s intention.
The translation is found in a commercial weibo, that doesn’t give any replies when the weibo is continuously updated every single day!
I can feel easy now for article without authorization, but when the original writer’s tone and ideas are carelessly twisted, that really bother me.
Hi Sonia,
How would you compare Tom Ford fondation brushes to Rae Morris 27R?
Which do you prefer?
Thank you very much!
BTW, all your reviews are soooo interesting and so full of information that I don t buy a brush before reading your comments. Thank you soooo much! 🙂
hi Diva, first of all, thank you for your trust!
Tom Ford brushes in my opinion are designed to target the luxury market with brushes that have a high price tag and particular design. The face brushes (blush and cream) I don’t use them very often, the cream/foundation roundish one requires a regular washing (that I find sad since regular washing does not pair with longevity). The eye brushes are nice though and I use them often and love them a lot.
Rae Morris are more targeted towards the make-up artist, who needs to wash them and sanitize them on a more regular basis, they are more enduring.
I could not live without the RM 27 and the RM23, I believe these two brushes should be in everyone’s kit before any of the TF.
But then it depends what brushes / purpose you need to fulfill, if you don’t use liquid foundation, the RM23 would not be of much help for example.. 🙂
Hello Sonia,
Thank you very much for all your comments! 🙂
Sorry for the late answer, I had to travel to Canada and wasn t able to check my messages…
I understood your point about the luxurious fragility of TF brushes and about the professional endurance of RM ones.
But what intetests me really is the finish on the skin when applaying cream fondation.
I am not a brush freak and simply whant to have the best possible finish. 🙂
Since I don t know where in Paris I can see the RM brushes, do you think TF fondation brush would be a good choice for me since I put make up maybe once a week.
Thank you sooo much for your advice! 🙂
I really appreciate it. 🙂
Besides, they don t have anything from TF in Montreal except the perfumes…
Hey there!
Loved your review on these Tom Ford brushes, made me understand them a bit more ans I would really like to purchace the 12 piece set. I know Harrods sold them but they are all out of stock now, do you know anywhere else that sells the set?
I love the set because you get the lovely case to hold them all in!
C x
Hi Cara,
Fist of all: thank you! 🙂
Oh I am not sure, have you called Selfridges or the malls in the USA ? Or even Tom Ford directly ? I have asked them a question once and they replied, maybe they can help you. I don’t know where they could be selling them … so sorry!
I know about the case, it’s really nice but time makes all things right so I hope you’ll get it! I also wanted it so hard but I couldn’t find it… in your case it’s even more sad, because if you want the 12 brushes you really should contact Tom Ford and tell them so!
Hey! I already own the Tom Ford Cheek brush and love it!! I am looking for a luxury foundation brush. At this moment I swap between the Real Techniques Buffing Brush and the Sephora Pro Airbrush 55. What would you say is your holy grail foundation brush? I own the Wayne Goss 13 but I prefer to use it to buff my contour and blush together. The Tom Ford cream foundation brush looks nice but I’m worried I will find it too small. Should I purchase a second cheek brush to use for foundation? I have also been looking into the Marc Jacobs Face II brush. I purchased the Face I but am probably returning since I think it may be too bulky to use. Would appreciate your advice! thanks!
Hi Emily, I have an issue, I am still looking for my hg foundation brush, I found the softest one and when I have issues with my skin, only Rae Morris 23 will do and it is my fav because of that. However, I am still looking for a brush that totally fits my needs, I use the Marc Jacobs II (which I agree is so bulky) and the Real Techniques Sculpting brush when I want more coverage, the Wayne Goss foundation 01 (the big one in the new set) is also one that I love but right now, at this precise moment, I am trying and searching for the very holy grail, most of the time I have to combine two to get to the result I want. Tom Ford is indeed small for foundation. Many options I find too dense for an airbrushed finish that doesn’t require a second step afterwards.
I probably will come back with a post about foundation brushes because this is the most important topic and the most difficult to cover.
My TF Bronzer Brush says “JAPAN A17S” does that mean it’s synthetic vs natural goat hair?
Thanks!
Hi Leah, yes that means it is synthetic, all synthetic batches have those 4 digits next to JAPAN 🙂
I want to cry every time I read a review of yours and see LY brushes in comparison pictures… I never find anyone selling any from their stashes… I wish there was a site specifically for finding old brushes! As crazy as it is, I still want to try out the old cover fx 160 brushes (Even though ppl tell me to get the shu 18 instead) and all these old nars, becca, Laura Mercier, chanel etc.