For those who have previously read my recent London trip post, you know I got this Shu Uemura 18R. Why ? First because when I see a red brush I freeze with greed and envy… then because Deb made me do it… She knows how much I am crazy about beautiful brushes and she told me some time ago that I needed this one.
I wanted to check out the Shu brushes 12 and 18r in Selfridges. I went to the Shu counter and first I asked for the 12 … they showed it to me and told me it costed 100 Gbp. gasp. Then I asked for the 18R, when I touched it, you could see from miles away that I was clearly disappointed. It looked terrible and scratchy. But I trust Deb, I had to check it out more in detail. “Can I please see a new one?” ok – so now it’s better. When they told me the price, it sounded kind of “cheap” compared to the 12. It was around 40 Gbp…
The hair length is 5cm, the base of the ferrule 1.7cm, total length of the brush 19cm.
It’s made of goat hair and of course red dyed (be aware if you cannot tolerate dye). It’s clearly a beautiful brush, a shape that I was looking for. I have only two similar brushes, the Chanel 1 and the Hakuhodo K022.
The Chanel is denser, the Shu is softer than the Chanel but not as soft as the Hakuhodo. The bristles of the Shu have much more spring than the Chanel.
It did shed a bit but it seems to have stopped.
Hakuhodo K022 – Shu 18R – Chanel 1
It’s not a necessary brush but when you have so many great brushes and you still want more… the next step is to go different, in this case : Red !
Here you are not looking for a unicorn or for the softest brush, you are just looking for a nice to have, nice to use, gorgeous different brush.
Recently I found the perfect technique to test a brush and confirm that it’s soft enough for my delicate skin : I attended a makeup class and the makeup artist was using nice brushes but compared to what I have today, her brushes felt extremely scratchy on my cheeks, when she was applying the blush she literally hurt me and I was very close to stop her, now I know that if I do exactly the same movement she did, a pressed energized rubbing approx 10x on my cheekbone, if that abrasive application doesn’t hurt, I’ll be fine ! This Shu 18R passes the test.
I get a lot of usage of this brush, although I still prefer a bigger brush for bronzer and a smaller one for blush, I can use this Shu for everything. It’s meant for blush, bronzer and applying or dusting off excess powder, I mainly use it for Guerlain Meteorites and for blushes, the ones that look like mix blush/bronzers, the Sisley Orchidee or similar type of products.
When I am sitting on my bed, I can look towards my dressing table and see it, proudly standing there amongst her hairy friends, I love that, and it’s simply the sexiest of all 😉
Don’t trust the abused brush standing on the counter … but instead check out a brand new one, they sometimes don’t even look alike !
46 comments
Ahhhhh another gorgeous brush! She does look good with her friends 🙂
brush overpopulation alert 🙂
I know I don’t need the 18R brush, & I know I don’t need the divine red botan Shuuemura brush nor this Kuyodo
http://takaracanada.com/images/koyudo-rose.jpg
but OMG they are sooooooooooooo beautiful .
Oh….and this is due to us :)))
……..look at the ranking on the right.
http://cooljapannow.jp/shop.html/17
yep… and here comes the little mushroom not too far behind 😀 😀
1-4 due to us! You are most welcome cdjapan! 🙂 I did get an email from them saying my brushes (including my mushroom) may take longer based on how long it would take them to be made. ugggg! You all know I have no patience! Although these brushes are worth the wait I guess!!!!
Stacy
You might find me weird but I love to wait for something I really want… I think the wait is even more exciting, like in a relationship 😛
I am the weird one… I have no patience to get the items to my home but then I won’t open the box until the moment is completely right. Like when I have time to really enjoy opening and playing! 🙂 I have never been any different! Like a child who can’t grow up in that respect. 🙂
At least you’ve had some kind of feedback from cdjapan Stacy.
As yet, I’ve heard zip!
I too HATE waiting, especially when I can see the items have arrived in Germany and are just sitting for days on end in customs even though they have been shipped express!
Grrr……frustrates me no end!
Well I had feed back only because I harass them and sent 2 consecutive emails! 🙂 They were so funny and polite asking me “please to be patient and wait some more”. Now the customs thing might drive me to violence! Just kidding just kidding!!! Don’t want to upset customs!
I wanted to tell you and Sonia, my Mother took our old family videos from when we lived abroad and had them put on a cd. She sent me a copy and I have been making my family watch me as a child running around the hills of Switzerland and Germany etc.!
So funny to remember…..
Stacy
Stacy, I wasn’t aware that you had a German/Swiss childhood? Where were you born?
I can assure you that I do have pretty violent thoughts when it comes to the lame but expensive German customs!!! I’m like HELLO….this is EXPRESS guys, but there is no-where to express these emotions. There is no number or person to contact. You just WAIT.
I envy Sonia and Nikoleta their patience!! NONE here 🙂 Well Ms. Buggsiebee I am US born but spent some years living in Saudia Arabia when I was a child. While there we traveled extensively.
btw How old are you boys?
Wow, Saudia Arabia is REALLY different. Do you have any memories, or were you too young? I think it’s fantastic when kids get a chance to travel & experience different cultures.
Got myself two of the new Shiseido Lacquer Rouges today. As a lippie lover you must check these out!!
Buggsiebee,
I was 12 when we left so I do remember…. Very interesting times!
Tell us about the Shiseido…I haven’t seen them in person. Do you love them?
As Sonia I love waiting for something I want, but not too long 🙂
phewww Koyudo just shipped my order !
I thought you ordered with cdjapan?
Did Koyudo also have the cutie mushroom?
I hit both Koyudo and CDJapan… because I did not see the baby mushroom on Koyudo 🙂
I also ordered the pink handles Fupas that I only saw in CDJapan.
So excited !!!!
Hi Stacy:)
I haven’t worn the Shiseido often enough to make a qualified judgement but I do like them so far & prefer the applicator to that of the YSL Glossy stains. The stain is also more creamy & not as liquid as the YSL. They leave a nice stain but they are a bit drying – as all lip stains are I think? It doesn’t really bother me though because once the stain is there I can top it with a balm if I feel the need and the stain doesn’t budge. I’m a chicken though, I got two of the user-friendly shades where i could be certain I wasn’t going to have beetroot stained lips for the rest of the day. I have the RD 305 & RD 203.
I do like the YSL Glossy stains too but I think I prefer Shiseidos texture. I have some of the Guerlain Rouge G L’Extrait on my wishlist too:))
Although I like the YSL I am still not used to the texture… I will check these Shiseido as soon as I see them 🙂 Still not here ….
Buggsiebee,
Wow lots of boys in your house! Those are great ages! Mine are 16 and 13 and I think this may be one of my favorite times with them!
The beauty of it for you is no one will be sneaking in your makeup stash! All cosmetic budget for you! My daughter has no interest in anything but mascara at this point. I should count myself lucky I guess….
I will definitely check out the Shiseido! (I can’t wait to look at the colors you chose 🙂 )
I do have one YSL glossy stain and I like it but don’t love putting it on and I find I only will use it if I need a long period of time with no touch up available. Plus all of the colors are pretty loud (in my opinion).
Sonia: I am so excited that your Koyudo order is on it’s way!!
Hi Stacy:)
I can’t remember whether you mentioned it before. Do you have 2 girls or a mixed pair?
I wore pretty much no makeup except mascara & sometimes a gloss till I was about 30/35. I was SO shocked at all the makeup that was applied for my wedding back then but it was great for the photos:)
This is why I don’t feel too guilty about splurging on makeup now. I’m on a huge learning curve & if I have to wear make up ( and yes, I do think the time has come ) then I want the best products out there – whether cheap or expensive – & I want it to look as natural as possible.
I have the YSL Glossy Stains in # 7 & 12.
When i’m at work I generally don’t even find time to go to the bathroom, never mind touch up my lippie so I do enjoy a lip stain. That way I can just pop some balm/ gloss on top while on the run, without a mirror, & still look like I’ve made a bit of an effort:)
Sorry, forgot to tell you my boys ages. They are 18, 15 and 10. I can assure you that there is WAY too much male energy in my home:)
How old are your children?
Hello Buggsiebee!
I have a boy and my youngest is a girl 🙂
I got my latest order from BeautyBay ( a tiny bit quicker this time! yeah!). Now my next conquest will be a Suqqu order and maybe Addiction too…… Can’t stop now, too many goodies to try!
Stacy
Yipp, that’s the truth alright. Once you get started it’s super hard to stop. There’s always a new exciting collection or a new brand to try.
I would have loved a boy-girl combi but it was not to be. Three healthy boys was what I got and I’m grateful for that too – although some days less than others:)
I find Koyudo a lot faster than cdjapan which makes sense if Koyudo produces the brushes BUT then I don’t understand why they don’t have all the brushes ( like the mushroom & pink Fu-pas ) available.
Neither do I 🙁
Normally, I’ll get my koyudo order tomorrow but I’ll have to pay taxes (25% of the total value) 🙁 I wanted some other brushes but I’m not sure I’ll make another order now.
and chronopost take 21 euros supp. so 15% more. total 40% of taxes 🙁
OMG poor you Niikoleta!! You are worse off than we are. That’s DISGUSTING!!
It’s really so unfair because we have already paid the Japanese sales tax and now we have to pay in our own country too. If the goods were avaiable to buy in our countries and we still chose to buy them from a foreign country because they were cheaper there, for example, then I could understand that we would still have to pay tax in our home countiry but to pay sales tax on goods which are neither produced nor sold here is in my opinion TOTALLY unfair & a super rip-off.
I hope you LOVE your brushes so that the money spend was at least worthwhile.
oh no, how unfair is that !!??
I have a similar problem here, there is always a “fixed” fees (around 20usd and then the VAT on top of that…)
And the worst part is when they use an “exchange rate” from nowhere near reality, then you have to pay even more ! I order below the “untaxed” amount but then they convert with an insane exchange rate that only they know about …. probably the one of 5 years ago…
Nikoleta! Awful!!!! I seriously feel for all of you! That practice would make me crazy!!
Stacy
oh well, at least I’ve ordered brushes I’ve really wanted. It seems Japan is always taxed here especially when shipping is via ems. As Sonia, where is the blue pill :)?
Tell me more about the pill guys:))
I think I should stock up.
ahhhh *sigh* the blue pill… blissful ignorance of illusion of a world without taxes or the red pill and the painful reality of the insane tax surcharge… let me think… right now… I need a few blue ones otherwise I will stop ordering for good !!! *sigh*
I often have that feeling of NEVER wanting to order anything online again. By the time I’ve waited forever for the parcel and have paid the huge fee to finally release it from customs clutches , I just feel frustrated & irritated by the whole procedure. The entire purchase just loses it’s magic.
I’ve recieved my brushes today. I’m quite disapponted by the stippling one (too floppy for applying foundation I think), not so dazzled by the kabuki (same, it is too soft, not as compact as I espected) but the H016 seems quite well (firm, densely packed, good for buffing) but for the same price I’ll go for the fu-pa02. I’ll try to make photos this weekend to send to Sonia for the common post and will play a little more with them.
Nikoleta, I am looking forward to receiving your pics and your thoughts 🙂 we will have a nice bunch of brushes to review between all of us 🙂
which one is the Kabuki you are talking about ? is that the white mushroom ???
Hi Nikoleta!
Which brushes did you order? Gosh, what a disappointment if you don’t really love the brushes after paying so much to get them. Perhaps you need to give them a wash & play with them a bit first?
Nikoleta, that is so disappointing about the stippling and kabuki! How many Koyudo’s do you have?
Stacy
The kabuki is the H004 and the stippling is the C020. I won’t judge them too fast, I’ll try the stippling tomorrow and the kabuki with bronzer but they are not exactly what I was expecting. On the other side the kabuki is grey squirrel and goat and is really soft, it will gain some density, I think, when used several times and the stippling would be good with a cream bronzer (something like the chanel soleil tan). also, they are really well shaped and didn’t shed at all. so, all in all, it is a good purchase. I have 5 koyudo now as I have two fu-pa02. I think their best ones are the fu-pa series.
Happy birthday Nikoleta 😀 I wish you many great makeup discoveries and all the best in your life !
The stippling looks a bit too soft, but have you try to use application of pigmented powder blushes with it ? and with very liquid blushes (Kett, Daniel Sandler, Guerlain spring liquid blush, … ) just trying to give you some ideas…
I had two surprises with 2 stippling brushes, the first was a long time ago with the Real Techniques, I could not blend the Mac mineralized cream foundation very well, I tried with many brushes, and that RT stippling was spot on for that ! Also the just received Rae Morris 23 here (the one at the bottom) http://sweetmakeuptemptations.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/23.jpg is so soft but to apply more creamy but less thick foundations is just absolutely amazing !
Sometimes purchasing different brushes allows me to use other makeup items that were sleeping in my dressing waiting for the perfect brush….
HAPPY birthday Nikoleta:D
Wishing you sunny weather & lovely relaxing day!
The kabuki looks lovely. It’s a pity that it’s not what you were expecting in the way of firmness. Soft is great but sadly not always the most effective:(
Thank you very much, girls! you are so sweet ! I’ve just tried the stippling and the kabuki and I’m quite pleased in fact, I’ve made several photos for Sonia too that I’ll send tomorrow. The stippling is nice for very liquid products and you should stipple with very light hand and then blend in strokes but the result is nice. It’s not the best brush of that kind but I can use it for sure. I think it is meant to be used with shimmer powder (as the new hakuhodo), it works with foundations too but you have to work a lot more. The good surprise was with the kabuki, it applied a very pigmented bronzer nicely and it is so soft that it was a pleasure to work the product.
Happy Birthday Nikoletta!! I wish you a wonderful day with many more to come!
Xo Stacy
YAY:))
I’m so happy that the kabuki has turned out to be useful because it certainly is a lovely looking brush! And hey, a good bronzer brush is a must have with Winter coming up again way too fast!!