Rouge Bunny Rouge – Face makeup brushes

I was finally able to get my hands on the Rouge Bunny Rouge 012 Contour brush, every time I wanted to order it, it happened to be sold out… is that because it’s really that good ?

So here it is now and since I have the other two RBR face brushes, I take this opportunity to briefly review the three Rouge Bunny Rouge face brushes together.

If you don’t know it already, RBR make wonderful eyeshadows and blushes, expensive, but you’ll love them.  Their makeup brushes are not bad at all but if you had the possibility to try Japanese brands like Hakuhodo, Koyudo, Chikuhodo, Suqqu, you’ll find that it’s quite difficult to find better elsewhere.

Face powder 001 – Goat hair

Base of the ferrule : 2,5cm, hair length : 5cm

I have to admit that when I ordered it a long time ago, it was mainly because I thought I could use it for bronzer application. I don’t reach for it anymore, today I have better brushes for that purpose.

This brush is meant for bronzer, powder, or finishing, it’s not the softest brush, I find it softer than a Mac, but not as soft as a  Hakuhodo. I just have to mention that my Mac face brushes often feel a bit scratchy, I don’t know if that’s normal, I know for sure they are authentic but I find the quality of the ones I purchased quite disappointing, that’s also why I started looking for softer brushes in other brands.

This brush is not a must-have, there are better big brushes out there. The Chanel 3 has exactly the same type of hair, it’s just flatter and larger, I have the same problem with this Chanel, although they are not bad brushes, I don’t find them that soft.  Today I reach for the Hakuhodo K022 instead, goat hair and costs 34 usd, smaller but I like it so much better. If you really want to splurge on a large powder brush, the Hakuhodo K002 is the one you should pick if you are looking for a brush the same size, it’s also 2,5cm at the base of the ferrule and 5cm hair length, costs 82usd, but just so worth it.

I believe that you can get the RMK powder brush for the same price than the RBR face powder, don’t even think, get the RMK instead !  If you can go higher, get the Hakuhodo K002. If you need a cheaper alternative, then the Hakuhodo K022 is the best option of the 5.

Blush Powder 002 – Squirrel hair

Base of the ferrule : 2.3cm, length of the hair : 3.7cm

Nice size and shape, I can use it for both blush and contour, very soft and lovely to use. I reach for it when I don’t want to think, works nicely with any powder product, any pigmentation. It’s not my top favorite blush brush but it’s one that I use very often.  When I received my Chikuhodo Z-8 it blew all the others out of the way… still, this RBR brush is really good.

If you have access to the Chikuhodo Cheek brush, I think you should try it, this is one of the best brushes I ever had but it’s just so difficult to get your hands on… so sad !

The Tom Ford and the Hakuhodo are both goat, they are both denser and firmer than the RBR.

My recommendation is that if you can afford a Tom Ford, get a Tom Ford, but RBR and Hakuhodo are both extremely good and soft.

Contour Powder 012 – Squirrel hair

Base of the ferrule : 2.2cm, hair length : 3.2 cm

I love this brush for several reasons, first it’s the smaller of the three RBR reviewed and today I’d rather use smaller blush or contour brushes.

The other reason why I love it so much, is because I got some powder blushes that are more difficult to pick up and blend, like Addiction blushes or the new Guerlain duos just to mention a few, to work with these products I need a firmer brush but still has to be very soft and comfortable to use. This brush is a gem for those reasons.

In the picture, I put some similar brushes for comparison although they are not exactly the same size and shape. The TF is a very good contouring brush but I use it with cream contouring products, the contouring powder products I have are very pigmented and this brush would pack on too much powder product. The Chanel is also a very good and well made brush, good for both contouring and blush. The Hakuhodo K001 is the smallest, it’s made of blue squirrel and horse and costs 36usd, very soft and flexible but still good for blending, a very good option for precise blush, contour and highlight application.

Bottom line

I love the RBR 002 and the 012, I do use them very often and I do recommend them, but your choice should be based on the budget you have, the size, density and the type of hair and also the result you want to achieve.  I will quote some Hakuhodo recommendations below but I have to admit that I don’t really go into so much precision when I select a brush… 🙂 …do you ?

Goat haired brushes give you a glossy finished look, while squirrel haired brushes give you a matt finishing look.

Goat hair :For those with oily skin. You can expect covering effects on pores naturally as fine powder can be applied evenly over the pores. In addition, you can get lustrous shiny skin by sweeping gently with the whole surface.

Blue squirrel hair :For those with dry, or sensitive skin. Blue squirrel hair is not resilient; therefore a finished look will be more matt-looking as powder is lightly applied to your skin. The hair is very delicate so it is the basic rule to use the brush surface by laying the brush down. Blue squirrel hair is suitable for loose powder application, however as the hair is very delicate, blue squirrel hair brushes are not suitable for powders containing oil.