Before I start to introduce you to some of the new Fu-Pa brushes from Koyudo, let me tell you how important it is not only to use the right brushes, but to use appropriate skincare and foundation products for your skin, sounds obvious but sometimes we just tend to forget it or to loose focus on that.
I am totally and utterly devoted to my Laura Mercier Repair creme and my Astalift Jelly but recently I wanted to try to reduce the depth of my wrinkles using a skincare that specially targets wrinkles so I have temporarily switched to a different skincare routine replacing just the Astalift Jelly with the Murad Intensive Wrinkle reducer. Did it help with the wrinkles ? Absolutely, I can say that they became less deep but it slowly caused a butterfly effect on my skin : my skin reached a point were it wasn’t able to keep enough moisture throughout the day to tolerate foundation or even to feel comfortable enough on its own. I didn’t understand what was going on at first, I even thought this was caused by the usage of these Koyudo goat brushes so I needed to find the origin of my problem before I posted. The Murad was actually draining my skin from the vital moisture it needed, don’t ask me why because I wouldn’t be able to tell you but if I stop using it, my skin reverts back to normal again. I am a bit sad to be honest because I was loving the result on the wrinkles, I have used it for 2 months, morning and evening and I would have carried on if it wasn’t causing me to dry out completely.
I finally discovered that my problem could be solved by simply reintroducing the Astalift Jelly and stopping the Murad, it wasn’t the brushes and it wasn’t the abrasive cold weather. I feel relieved because I thought I had to abandon these lovely brushes, bottom line : you may use the best brushes in the whole world but if you don’t use the skincare that is right for you, those brushes will not deliver.
Foundation is the most important part of my makeup routine therefore it has to be perfect and 100% adapted to my skin and since it’s very dry and dehydrated, I cannot wear a heavy coverage, it would just accentuate my wrinkles and feel uncomfortable, I am aiming for a light to medium coverage with a dewy finish. All these Koyudo brushes feel good on my skin, they don’t irritate my skin at all, they can deliver from sheer to heavy coverage if desired. It is known that white goat brushes are better for oily skin and synthetic or duo-fiber better for dryer skin but I haven’t experienced issues with any of them since I stopped using the Murad.
The Koyudo Fu-pa02 has been introduced to me in July 2012 by a sweet follower and now friend Nikoleta. I was very surprised to see that this was the kind of brush I was looking for so there was no doubt that I had to try it.
When I received it, my jaw dropped, not only the quality was perfect, but it was soft, densely packed and so different from any other foundation brush I had seen before.
Historically, the first white-goat one was the Fu-pa02, then Koyudo released a Christmas 2012 set with 2 new versions of the Fu-pa brush : the 07 and the 10. Later in November 2012 Koyudo released a full collection of Fu-Pas. Today I own a little army of Fu-Pas :
Do you need as many Fu-Pas ? Certainly not. I am just brainless when it comes to makeup brushes, don’t try to do that at home !
You will find many options in these collection : different sizes, full goat, dual-sided, duo-fiber or even angled, you may feel lost in your choice and it may not be easy, I hope the pictures will help. There can be more than one good brush for you and honestly the difference in the finish is not that striking to me, the duo-fiber will deliver a more dewy finish and the white-goat ones a more matte finish but it also depends on the products you are using. I will share my thoughts on them hoping that if you are interesting in trying them, I can direct you towards the best one for you.
The original Fu-Pa02 and the Fu-Pa07
When you own the Shu Uemura 18 goat and you wish it was just 3x bigger, then you can get the Fu-Pa02. Soft but extremely dense, the handle is much thicker and shorter than the Shu Uemura. It delivers the same result as the Shu but just in a larger scale.
The Fu-Pa07 is also very dense but has a flatter surface and longer sides which allows you to cover even more surface with more flexibility at the tip of the bristles which delivers a more flawless and airbrushed result. It’s a total hit, works with any liquid or cream foundation I tried. You can use it in a combination of movements, strokes or buffing as you are working the product into the skin, I don’t need to put a lot of pressure and this may also be the reason why it doesn’t cause exfoliation on my skin. I can reach the sides of the nose as well even thought it’s quite big.
Together with the angled version of it, (the Fu-Pa12), they are probably delivering the most similar result to the Rae Morris Radiance. They are also more portable and they seem more solid to me than the Radiance.
The original Fu-pa02 and the dark pink Fu-Pa02
I wanted a backup of the Fu-pa02 and since I saw the same brush in pink I ordered it on the CDJapan website. It’s just exactly the same brush, the only difference is that obviously it’s pink and you can store it vertically on a flat surface.
All the handles are made of hinoki cypress and have all the same length : 7.7cm. The white goat hair is all the same quality whatever the brush. The total length of the brush varies depending on the shape of the hair.
You will find several type of brushes :
- Full goat hair (baby goat chest hair) either black or white
- Dual sided brushes : one side is only goat hair and the other side a blend of goat and PBT, either black or pink
- A blend of full goat hair and PBT, either black or pink
I haven’t ordered black ones since I am only interested in using them with liquid or cream products. On the CDJapan website the dual-sided with the black hair are also meant to be used with liquid foundation but the ones with only black goat hair are only meant for powder and shading purposes. I still may get one in the future 🙂 Unfortunately I haven’t tried these brushes with powder products. I will update this post in a few days with some information about that. I thought that since they were already on the CDJapan website you may want to get some pictures and start the discussion, I am getting a lot of questions about them and I believe that most of you would use them for foundation.
I think they are totally worth their price and that the quality is absolutely stunning, the only disappointment is that they get dirty… but that’s the case for any foundation brush so we will have to deal with it and wash them regularly. The white goat brushes dry very quickly but the goat/PBT material takes slightly longer to dry. If you use liquid/cream products with the PBT ones you may not need to wait for them to be completely dry anyway.
The flat versions (fu-pa07, fu-pa08) vs the angled ones (fu-pa12, fu-pa13)
There is a flat Fu-Pa07 and a smaller version of it, the Fu-Pa08. As you can imagine the smaller version will deliver more precision so you will also be able to use it for highlighting or contour and if you apply foundation also to your eyelids it will fit without covering your entire eye/brow. The smaller can be more multi-purpose but for foundation I prefer the bigger version, the Fu-Pa07 feels softer and less firm and I prefer the more airbrushed effect it delivers, it’s also more pleasant to use due to the flexibility of the bristles.
The angled versions are in fact “just angled”, they don’t have the strange shape showing on the design picture, they are simply shorter on one side and longer at the other side and I find them even better than the flat ones for liquid foundation, specially the smaller one is even more multipurpose and they are even more pleasant to use due to the additional flexibility of the longer bristles. If you compare only the two smaller ones, the angled one will cover a wider surface on the skin and will be easier and faster to work with.
- The fu-pa07-p measures 10.5cm in total, the hair length is 2.7cm, it covers approx 2x4cm at the surface.
- The fu-pa012-p measures 10.7cm in total, the hair length is 2cm (shorter side) and 3cm (longer side), it covers approx 2x4cm at the surface.
- The fu-pa08-p measures 10.2cm in total, the hair length is 2.4cm, it covers approx 1.8x3cm at the surface.
- The fu-pa07-p measures 10.6cm in total, the hair length is 2cm (shorter side) and 3cm (longer side), it covers approx 3.5x2cm at the surface.
Sideways, the appearance of the angled brushes is similar to the flat ones but they will just cover more surface with more flexibility.
The dual-sided brushes (fu-pa05, fu-pa06)
They are meant to be used with anything :
“Multi-use brushes for both liquid, powder and blush. The goat chest hair side will allow liquid foundation to gently spread out on your skin. As for powder foundation and blush, use the goat chest hair side for a full coverage look, and the PBT side for a natural glow. “
Usually I skip dual-sided brushes, they tend to loose efficiency and I never found them better than a full whatever-material brush. I don’t know why but I trust Koyudo, if they think that creating dual-sided brushes could be a good idea is because they must know how to do it. It was a brilliant and efficient idea by the way.
Due to the recent problem I had with my skin (my skin was flaking as soon as I was touching it with any foundation product), I couldn’t even use foundation, well, I could IF and ONLY if I applied it with the dual-sided brushes. The application is so soft that it doesn’t mess with your damaged skin, it just glides softly on the skin. I was applying my foundation with the goat-PBT side and then using very gently both sides for blending.
These dual sided brushes are actually insanely helpful for me, I use a lot of cream/liquid blush or contour and they do the most amazing job softly diffusing the color. You can apply and blend at the same time.
I strongly believe that people with skin problems (dry-delicate) could use them to get a flawless and pleasant foundation application, I am actually in love with them and I prefer them to the full goat ones but it’s also because my skin is still recovering from flaking-hell.
The goat/PBT brushes (fu-pa09, fu-pa10)
The first Fu-pa10 to come with the 2012 Christmas set was a great surprise. I was looking for a brush to apply cream contour or cream blush but I didn’t like to use a flat foundation brush, I wanted something fluffier and that would easily glide on the skin but a bit thicker to help with the blending, this Fu-Pa10 was a godsend.
One of the brushes I thought I would not like is the big Fu-Pa09 but I was wrong. Since it’s thick even when the bristles are covered with foundation then don’t fully stick together and you still have thickness to blend your application even in a circular motion, this reduces the streaky-effect that this kind of brushes tend to deliver. So, no streaky lines with the big one, I wouldn’t use the small one for foundation but it’s fantastic for application of a base or for contour or blush (cream since I haven’t tried powder yet).
When I use the fu-pa 10 for the application of base foundation products since the application is more dewy and not immediately absorbed into my skin, when I apply my foundation with a full goat brush afterwards it’s much easier to work, both products are sealed together and then flawlessly blended.
There is another option with longer bristles if you like this kind of pink duo-fiber brushes, the PR010 is much more flexible and feels extremely soft, it’s the same hair but less densely packed.
The Fu-Pa11-p
I took me a while to understand this brush… but suddenly it clicked.
It looks really funny, it’s very short, 9.5cm total length, it’s like a cyber-finger 😀
It doesn’t blend like a fluffy brush, it’s different, I was trying to find a way to explain that to you but all that I can think of is a small finger with blending capabilities.
When you blend your concealer with a flat brush, the risk is that it “moves” the product around without really pressing it into the skin, with this brush it blends the product “where you put it” and you can add gentle pressure with a lot of control. It’s angled and when it’s damped with product the bristles come closer together, I thought it was a disadvantage at first but when they actually allow more precision. They don’t come completely together, there is still some surface so you can use it flat or you can also bend it holding it at an angle, it makes it thin and you can reach the smaller corners of the eyes, the nose, etc.
A picture with the Hakuhodo J125R to compare the size :
The three duo-fiber brushes together for size reference :
Other brushes I use for foundation, cream blush or cream contour
The Fu-Pa02 is just the huge version of the Shu 18, Chikuhodo G-10 or Koyudo BP014. The Tom Ford 02 is the one I was using for cream contour but since I have these Fu-pas, I prefer reserving the Tom Ford for powder contour and use the Koyudo goat/PBT for cream products.
Then when it comes to very very thick cream foundations, I prefer to use a brush like the Koyudo BP013, as I said in the past thick products would only work on my skin with sparser bundled brushes with thicker hair, it’s just a shame it’s so huge but I love it and I hope that one day there is a slightly smaller version of it.
In comparison to these brushes, the white goat hair of the Fu-Pas is same softness as the Koyudo BP014, very slightly less soft than the Chikuhodo G-10 or the Shu 18 but you can’t really tell.
The Tom Ford 02 hair is softer and finer than the Fu-pas.
The Koyudo BP013 has thicker hair than the Fu-pas.
The Hakuhodo J110 is also more fine, more close to the Tom Ford than the Fu-pas.
There are many duo-fiber options in the market today, Hakuhodo makes very great ones too and they are also gentle with your skin, as I said before, there is more than one great foundation brush but as you see, most of them are made in Japan 🙂
I put this picture here for size reference :
More pictures for size reference of the smaller fu-pas :
The Fu-pa02 is the size in between the BP014 and the BP013 but if the Fu-pa02 had longer bristles and less density it would even be better 🙂
I was hoping to be able to show you the thickness of the hair with this close-up picture, looks like the Radiance had a road accident, it’s just natural ageing 🙂
The Radiance has thicker hair than the Fu-pa but not as thick as the BP013.
I haven’t covered everything but since I am getting a lot of questions I thought maybe it would be a good idea to start with a post and then if you have specific questions we can address them here in the comments so that everyone could see and read them, your comments are always extremely helpful and I am sure everyone is appreciating them a lot ! So, if you have any questions, please kindly write them down on the comments and I will take time to reply accordingly.
The brushes are now available on the CDJapan website but it may take a while to get them since they are handmade.
CDJapan have offered me 3 of the brushes I ordered as a kind gift for my continuous and crazy brush orders and obsession and also because apparently thanks to this blog I am bringing them some business. Well, what can I say, they do deserve it and I am not the only person to love them. I just wish they could send us the brushes faster but to be honest, I prefer quality so if making them faster compromises quality, I prefer to wait.
123 comments
Thank you so much for this post! I think in my next order will be some of those dual sided brushes. But that’s because I have the fu-pa10 and fu-pa13 and I find that’s pretty near perfect combination for me 🙂
It’s good to hear that CDJ is “donating” a bit, because you are also doing us a huge favour by reviewing these for us so we know what’s good! I prefer quality too over speed, and I’m happy with everything I’ve ordered from them so far!
Oh yes, that would be a perfect combination ! let me know if you love it (when you receive it 😉 ) !
Actually, there aren’t many Japanese companies that offer international shipping so I am also glad that we can get them here, at least they try, some companies don’t even want to try 🙁
I am happy you trust me Bonnie 🙂 I would like this little blog to remain “casual and honest” !
I think they’re definitely trying very hard. Especially Koyudo! They’ve probably never had so many international orders as they’re still relatively unknown. In fact, before you started reviewing them, the only Japanese brushes that I knew were somewhat “accessible” were Hakuhodo and Suqqu! Chikuhodo, etc… all of them are so exclusive.
I have my fu-pa10 and fu-pa7 and I love them. I’m thinking I need backups somehow because they get dirty so quickly and I’m terrified of cleaning them so often, even with the Bobbi Brown or Shu cleaner 🙁
I actually meant fu-pa13 haha – getting the numbers confused again! But I love them all…
Okay, I meant fu-pa07 and fu-pa13 🙂 the Xmas fu-pa and the small angled one…
I also wanted to ask, does CDJ notify you when they ship out? If I’ve received my confirmation of order, do I need to do wait for anything else or should I just assume the parcel has shipped and I’ll receive it within 1-3 weeks…
😀 I know it’s confusing, I cannot tell you how many times I had to change the names on the pictures, the labels or the titles 😀
Yes they do notify by email when the order is shipped and they send you the EMC tracking number (I have researched in my history), when they ship it takes 3 to 4 days to reach me !
Thanks for that! Just so I know whether they’ve shipped yet and when to be expecting it 🙂 It’s the Red Squirrel!
Hi Bonnie! Which Koyudo brush do you use with the KGD? I am getting all mixed up. Too many brushes lol. 🙂
I use the Christmas fu-pa, which is….. fu-pa07p. I also use the fu-pa13p too, which is the angled and smaller brush.
I’m so confused by the numbers!
Thanks! Those two are on my to acquire list. We should just buy them all. That will save us the confusion and headache lol! 😀
Guess what just popped up in my email? I wonder who makes it for them 🙂
I have no idea but I will browse the Japanese sites during the weekend, I might see similar ones 😀
Oops sorry, forgot to add the link!
http://www.kohgendocosmetics.com/NewsDetail.asp?id=174
The power of blogging and internet is just mind blowing ! I would never had thought that it would cause that many orders !
If you think the Koyudo are fragile, you should see the Radiance 🙁 every time I wash it, I hope it stays in one piece…
Ugh, i want them all, lol!
This post is so helpful – i also have “difficult” skin – oily in the T-Zone and VERY dry everywhere else. I’m in need of a good foundation brush to apply my lovely new Guerlain Parure foundation (which FINALLY has a colour light enough for me, whee!) and i think i’ve found a couple i must try here.
On another note, have you found anything else that is good for softening fine lines? I am just starting to notice some faint ones and i’d like to nip the little suckers in the bud :/. Thanks so much for the great post <3
yep they look tempting !
Would you like something to reduce the fine lines “on the go” or something for daily regular use ?
if “on the go” (=anytime of the day when you feel you need line-refreshing) I like one that is called Line Refiner from Trish McEvoy, I am on my second tube, you apply some around the eyes or where you have fine lines and it plumps, works for me, the only problem is that if you want to apply it on top of foundation, since it’s creamy it would melt the foundation but I dab it lightly with my fingertips and I do touch-ups if necessary.
I haven’t used it for a little while but just because I am scared to get “addicted” so I force myself to take breaks 😀
I definitely need a therapy 😀
Oo, i’ll definitely get the Trish product, thanks!
For everyday use – have you tried any of the Chanel line-refining products? I’m also looking at Natura-Bisse (i know, i know – i’ll have to sell a kidney) and SkinCeuticals.
There’s just so much out there and i’m lost, lol! Before i’d just slap on some Clarins or whatever was at hand, but i need to start getting serious about the prevention and care!
Great post! I want the Pro 10 but it’s not on the CDJapan website. Oh no!!!!!!!!!!!! Still no sign of my White Mushroom (ordered on Dec. 29th) or my Red Squirrel. Should I just try to be patient or figure they aren’t going to come?
Thank you Mimi 🙂 You ordered from the Koyudo website right ?
*dies* I am in brush heaven! Thank you so much for this wonderfully thorough post. I can’t imagine the time you spent on it and the pics are awesome. This was the post I was waiting for. So of course I have a million questions lol, just kidding. I wasn’t paying too much attention to the other brushes aside from the all goat haired ones but now I see I should consider at least one of the duo goat/fibre brushes since I have dry skin. I will be referring to this post over and over again before I make my next Koyudo order. 🙂
Hi Bea,
I know it’s difficult to decide so I wanted the pictures to be as clear as possible and as many as possible 🙂
have fun browsing then 😛
Hi Sonia, I’m so glad that CDJapan has acknowledged you for your patronage and work on this blog. 🙂 You deserve it!!!
I just put in my 3rd order in less than 2 weeks and trust completely that I will be delighted when I receive them as your photos and comparisons are extremely helpful and your comments descriptive, thorough, honest and spot on. We are so lucky that you love brushes and have the talent and passion to do this incredible blog. Thank you!!!!!!
I think they don’t have many international customers (well they do have more now 🙂 ) so they appreciate somebody spreading the word 🙂
and you know what ? I am so glad it’s with Koyudo brushes, I couldn’t be happier!
But the most amazing thing is your support and your insanely sweet comments 😀
Waw ! 3 orders !!! if you don’t mind giving us your feedback on them that would be fantastic, I mean even if you don’t like them, either way it’s very helpful to us all !
I hate to say this after the very thorough (and helpful) analysis you did, but I only want them because they are so freaking small and cute! hangs head, I guess I am not a makeup brush person
Sonia I so apologize for getting off track but ;p Hi Fairytales and Coffee! You are right they are flippin cute! You should get a Koyudo Macaroon!!!!! (See previous post)
I have an unrelated random question for you: can you telle where that necklace in your profile picture is from?? 😉
Hello! right back stacy! Also, yes – sometimes, all I need is cuteness to be sold…I am just that easy….hangs head sheepishly.
😀 good enough reason to me 😀
Sonia, can you please tell me the widths (brush hair) of the larger size fu-pa05 vs the fu-pa06? I just want to get a sense of how wide they are so I can decide whether to get the larger size or smaller version. Also, how does the fu-pa11 compare to the HKD J125R in terms of application? Is one better than the other? Does the fatter fu-pa11 make it a little more difficult to get into smaller areas or underneath the eye for concealer? I was intending to get the J125R but now am thinking maybe I’ll get the fu-pa11 instead. Thank you! 😀
So the size of the fu-pa05
Base of ferrule : 3cm
hair width : 4cm
Surface : 1.8cmx3.5cm
The Fu-pa06 :
Base of ferrule : 2.2cm
hair width : 2.8cm
Surface : 1.5cmx3cm
The Hakuhodo has a more fluffy feeling, it’s better if you want a brush that you would use also for cream / mousse eyeshadows, the hakuhodo will work for both concealer and e/s application.
I have absolutely no problems reaching for smaller areas with the fu-pa11, it “narrows” and you can get anywhere (well I can 🙂 ) I wouldn’t use it for micro-spot concealing though because it only narrows while you move it and press it, but if you have to target a tiny spot you won’t make it.. (I use an eyeliner for that), well you could with the angled side but not the best for that. Actually the HKD is not for that either anyway 😛
I use the fu-pa11 for concealing and shadow-ing/contouring with creams but not for cream/mousse eyeshadows, I haven’t tried it with powder products but I wouldn’t use this one for that.
Is this helping ? 🙂
Thank you! It helps a lot to know this info 😀
Just one more question please Sonia 🙂 Is the fu-pa013 about the same size (hair length/width/thickness) as the G504? I believe you said you had that brush. And is the fu-pa06 around the same size too? Ooops that’s two questions lol. My Koyudo list so far: DEKAfu-pa01, fu-pa01, fu-pa07, fu-pa13, fu-pa11. I am debating whether to get the fu-pa05(large) or fu-pa06(small). Thank you so much 🙂
Hi Bea,
I took some pics for you, I hope you will be able to see the size difference here :
1
2
3
are you planning on using the fu-pa13 with powder ? I will start tomorrow to see how it performs.. as you can see in the pics they are still wet and still dirty !! sorry !! I have to give them a second wash 😉
One more detail :
the G504 has approx the same angle as the fu-pa13 and the same length, but the width is about half of the fu-pa13!
OMG Sonia you are wonderful! You go above and beyond lovely lady. I was not expecting the pics at all. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble for you to do it, but this really makes my decision easier. I need both the fu-pa13 & fu-pa06 lol. I wasn’t thinking about using the fu-pa13 for powder. I have dry skin so I tend to stay away from them because I don’t like the finish but if you find that it performs well in those conditions then heck yes I would use it with powder. I had bought this sunscreen in powder form and my KGD Natural Lighting Powder but never used them much because I just didn’t like the way it looked after I applied, but maybe now I will be able to with the fu-pa13 (crossing fingers). I always wondered if maybe I just hadn’t found the right brush to use. Thank you, thank you so much for this. It is much appreciated. 🙂
Of course it’s not trouble at all ! 😀
I think you cannot go wrong with the fu-pa13, it’s getting slowly in my top fu-pa favorites.. I will give them a few weeks but this one is probably the one I will reach for the most.
It can make such a difference to use the right brush for the right product, and you probably agree with me since you also love brushes so much !
Thank you Sonia! You know I am a huge Koyudo lover. I am actually finding it hard to keep up with CDJ. I place an order and the next day they have put up new brushes so I place another order and on and on it goes ;). I don’t think I will ever learn to be patient!!
Just to share my experience (since I have read some comments lately re CDJ shipping). I usually order, my payment is taken through PayPal immediately and then there is a 2-3 week wait. Online with CDJ your account will show status: received. When they ship it obviously the status changes and you will see the points added to your frequent shopper points. It does take an additional week of mail time (to my location). I have “trained” myself to know it will be a solid month to get ahold of my new brushes.
Now you have me needing to try a duo fiber Fu Pa(s?)! I have always shyed away from duo blends but your opinion never fails me!!
Glad to hear you are still loving your Astalift! It has become indispensable to me as well (Thanks Dena!)
Wow!!!!!! Again!!!!!!! Thank you Sonia :)!
I was all set to get a back up FuPa 07, but now I’m thinking I should get a FuPa 12 or 13 instead, just for variation’s sake (I just worry that I won’t like the angle, is that even possible?)!
I would probably only use it for foundation (I tend to apply liquid highlighter with my fingers in targeted areas if going for localized application, not really sure why? And I’m incapable of contouring, as we know, lol), but not sure which one to get? 12 or 13?
I’m still waiting for the BP013 to place my order, hopefully later this week :).
And you are so right about foundation and skincare. And sadly, what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for the other, and there is nothing for it, one has to try, and try and try. Which brings me a tad off topic, and actually in reference to a previous conversation, but I had the opportunity to try the BT Teint Delectation this week. Sadly, it has been confirmed to me that it’s indeed being discontinued, so grab some backups fast if you don’t want to find yourself without. I also couldn’t find a good color match for me – one too light, the other too dark, and I’m not ready to buy 2 to mix. Also, to be perfectly honest, it was nice on me, but just that, nice, and not wow. And I want wow :D. But I also tried (and have now been wearing for a couple of days) the La Mer fluid foundation, and I wonder if I may not have found THE one: talk about WOW!!!! It makes me look positively radiant, but isn’t shiny or shimmery, makes my pores look smaller, is hydrating but doesn’t make me oily, and I have an absolutely perfect color match (one of my friends from work told me today that I looked fantastic, and that she really preferred how I looked when I wasn’t wearing foundation, like today, LOL). Needless to say, I will be going back to the counter to purchase a bottle (I only took a sample with me to play). My question is, why doesn’t anyone talk about this foundation? Reviews are super scarce and often old, and I just wonder that we don’t hear more about it. Has any of you ladies had an opportunity to try it? What did you think?
Needless to say, my FuPa 07 works beautifully with it ;). The texture isn’t really all that fluid (especially compared to the KGD Aqua), slightly “jellied” even, but it still worked very nicely 🙂
Oh btw Sonia, I forgot to mention, I love that Koyudo army photo! It’s so cute – I think they’ll just conquer the world through their adorable-ness 🙂
Thank you !!!
my boyfriend was impressed with that one too 😀 I am just starting to learn how to take pictures… not-that-easy 🙁
Nice word play 🙂
OMG Sonia, did you see your FuPa army picture (great analogy Bonnie!!) on cooljapan now FuPa page? Too cool 🙂
They look so ominously adorable 😛
yes, they asked me if they could mention the blog 🙂 cool 🙂
This is totally off-topic but I really trust your opinion on brushes. I know you have the Chikuhodo Z-3 (which I have been lusting after buts its sold out on the Kohlindo website and I was recently browsing the Hakuhodo website and saw the G528.
Hmmm, so I know you can’t do an easy physical comparison but seeing the dimensions of the brush head and average brush length of Hakuhodo would it be possible for you to do an educated guess of how it would compare to the Chikuhodo?
Ooh! Also I’m not sure if you knew this but some of your recent brush posts don’t pop up when you click the brushes label button, only when you browse through by date. I know cause I’ve been loving so many of your recent brush posts and been stalking them. You recommended the Koyudo Fu-Pa 02 and I’ve been loving it so much over the Sigma Flat Top. Totally did what you said.
Now…to devour this post.
Hi Alysse,
I have the Z-3 and the J528 but not the G528, since the G528 and the J528 have exactly the same hair length/ferrule, I have uploaded a picture for you here. Both Z-3 and G528 hair length is the same, but the base of ferrule of the G528 (and J528) measures 16mm vs the Z-3 only approx 13mm. In terms of firmness I believe it would be similar but the surface is much bigger in the HKD. In terms of softness the HKD G528 is a blend blue squirrel and synthetic and the Z-3 is only grey squirrel. In terms of price the Chikuhodo is cheaper. I took the J528 because I can use that one not only with powder but with cream/liquid products and I keep the Z-3 for powder products.
Between the Z-3 and the G528 I prefer the Z-3 because it’s more beautiful to look at (not that this is essential), but the size is perfect for me, it fits perfectly into the contours of my nose and the lid area and on the temples were I want to put highlight. So it depends what you want to contour or do with it 🙂
Thank you for telling me, I have corrected that 🙂 I hope it’s ok now !
thank you, Sonia, this army is so cute 🙂 Fupa10 and the little “finger” fupa is tempting me.
😀 so funny, if you ever get it, please share with me, you always have interesting ideas 😀 I am eager to know what you think of it !
BRILLIANT post Sonia & truly excellent photos. THANK you!
You are so dilligent in testing all your new brush finds. I know you love your brushes, but doesn’t the whole thing just feel like work sometimes??
I worry that you put yourself under so much pressure to keep us happy & informed that you could loose the love & enjoyment of your hobby 🙁
Thank you Buggsiebee 🙂
It does take time, I won’t lie to you, but look at the benefits :
1) I improve my english
2) I learn to take pictures (I always wanted to start)
3) I have the most amazing friends and followers 😀
I wish I could do only that but I have my job that is 160% full time right now so I have to share my time between the boyfriend/the demanding job/ my demanding health exercise / the hobby 😀 😀
Thank you for worrying, so sweet, I will slow down if I need to 😛
Promise??! We don’t want you getting brush burn out. That would be VERY, very sad :((
Do I sound bored on the posts ? If I do I can sound more crazy, that’s not a problem at all 😀
I don’t think I could get “brush burn out” they are way too soft for that 😉 😀
I am just scared of one thing : to forget to reply to someone, if that happens I hope they will just kindly remind me 🙂
are you back home already ?
NEVER ever sounding bored, a little crazy ….perhaps 😉 But who wants to be normal anyway??
I think that everyone who visits this blog can see how much careful thought you put into your answers so if you do forget/ miss a question, I think that they will register that it is just an oversight. There are sooooo may comments flying here on a daily basis. I have NO idea how you keep track.
MUAHAHAHA ! yep, my boyfriend is the normal one, I am the crazy one 😀 I wonder what would happen to me if he wasn’t here to balance the situation 😛
Please don’t burn out! Remember to take time for yourself 🙂
FYI…. I was matched to 023 in the KGD Moisture Foundation & to 0C-2 in the Aqua.
Apart from a whole bunch of their skin products, I bought the KGD Maifanshi Mineral Eye shadow palette # 301. It’s a nice palette of finely milled shadows, but it’s probably not a must have. I had been eyeing it online for quite a while before my trip tgough, so I had to get it 🙂
My favourite NY skincare purchase is most definitely the CdP Gentle Balancing Lotion which you apply with a cotton pad – preferably also from CdP 😉 – after cleansing & under your moisturiser. It’s like a toner but a moisturising one. If you have dry skin, this is a Godsend. Absolutely DO ask your man to bring this back from the US for you. I wish I had bought 6 bottles of it.
oh thanks for the info, I write that down !
I have asked too many things to my *man* already 🙁
For the moment he managed to get one ! still a few to go… 😀 I think he will faint if he sees the prices so I prefer not to ask… I will definitely get it when I am over 😀
You SHOULD have given me a list !! I was in all the stores you were probably interested in anyway so buying one more of everything would not have been a hastle at all……and the prices could have been our little secret 😉 I agree, there are some expeditures that men just don’t need to know about!
The guys on the trip had so much bagage capacity left over that i just filled up all their suitcases with my treasures. How do men manage to travel so light?!!
Awwwww……..saw your gorgeous pic of the FuPa army on CDJ website!!! AWESOME REVIEW!!! Want them ALL 🙂
http://cooljapannow.jp/rcms/_/koyudo_.html
I just saw it, they asked my permission to link the blog but I did not know they would put the picture, it looks nice there 🙂 😛 so happy !
Ooops…..spot the mistake 😉
Koyudp’s new fu-pa series items Added!! Please Check Them!!
Oh good, they fixed it 🙂 Spelling the company name wrong is a no, no!
Thank you for this detailed info!!! It has been very helpful, I’ve been looking for a perfect foundation brush forever and after reading your post just ordered Fu-PA02. I currently use Tom’s Ford one but wish it would be a little bigger, looks like Fu-Pa is just the case here.
Hi Victoria,
I hope it works as you expect it to !
Wow Sonia I am so excited for this post. You are awesome however I was waiting for this to try and decide which two fu pa brushes maybe three to get I thought once reading it I would be able to decide but Arrggghhh you write so beautifully about them I want them all (the however is not meant to imply that you are any less awesome!) I am very pleased that they are all great brushes (although part of me – the bank balance part- wishes you had 3 clear favourites). I shall read it lots and may come back to you with some questions but no hurry at all on answering.
Skin care is definitely important I hate it when I run out of certain things I notice a difference very quickly.
Would I be able to get you to send me the swatches Neo did of KGD. No worries if you don’t have time. I definitely get not having enough time and I don’t even work.
Amazing that you fit bf/job/health/blog in but make sure you take some time for you too!
Thanks for this informative post and great comparison pictures. This helped me narrow down what I think I need so I got the Fu-pa08p and the Fu-pa10p and caved and ordered the red squirrel brush as well. If it’s softer than the Fine Kalla cheek brush, then I must have it. Back to the the Fu-pa’s, I hope I made the right choice with the 08 over the 07. I’m not a fan of big brushes, so I think the 08 will suit me better, we’ll have to wait and see.
Thanks to you, I’ve also ordered the Shu 18 for the Tom Ford S&I cream contour and I’m hoping it works well and also the Fu-pa10. I’m not very good at contouring, so I need the best tools available to help me out.
Now to decide if I need the Chikuhodo Z-4 since I’ll have the Fine Kalla and the Koyudo red squirrel. I’m trying to get only the essentials, my kids’ college can’t be sacrificed for my brush addiction 🙂
I also love the detailed comparisons in your blogs.
I also am pleased the CDJapan site is rewarding your hard work and yes..
I also succumbed to the Red Squirrel.
I’d love to know your thoughts on Yachiyo brushes.
but it’s actually thanks to you all that they reward me and they are good brushes indeed so I am honestly even more pleased !
the Hakuhodo Yachiyo you mean ?
I meant Yachiyo brushes in general- how many different brands are there and how you would compare them between themselves.
I have the Nars one and two of the Hakuhodos.
The Nars one is more rough than the Hakuhodo, I can still use it but it feels a bit too rough for me (although it works really nicely), a blessing for blending (with care) and working with less pigmented products. The Nars shape is perfect, pointy and just the perfect density/firmness. Since the point starts half-way from the head, you have enough surface to pat-roll it to apply volatile products (like some Chanel JC or powders), but as I said it would be even better for me if it was slightly softer.
I have the Hakuhodo L and S pointed versions, there are not as pointy as the Nars at all, but are softer. They still pick a lot of product and will blend very well. The small one is the perfect size for contouring and highlight.
The perfect Yachiyo for me would be the shape of the Nars and the quality of the Hakuhodo. Never happy… 😉
If you get a look at this video at minute 10:52 she shows the Nars and the Hakuhodo, you see that due to its roughness the Nars should rather be used in a rolling motion or pat motion but that the Hakuhodo could be used either way, pat, roll, buff…
I don’t have any other Yachiyo, there are certainly more of them but these are the only two brands that I know.
It would be better if we can try them before purchasing them but that is not possible unfortunately and a review does not always help when it comes to personal taste and technique, or even products !
The z-4, red squirrel and the Fine Kalla are the three insane brushes, we never need all of them but they are too good to pass… at least the Z-4 is not LE so you can take your time 😉
Let me know how you like the Shu for the TF, I do enjoy it a lot for that !
For those who have weakness for Red (like me), I found this gorgeous Red ‘FuPa’ from Cosmedo. Its called the Berry Red FuLi02 on their Rakutan webshop:
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/cosmedo/fu-li02/&usg=ALkJrhgFFY0moQBNUCo5Afq4wutAdWj9KQ
Looks exactly like the Koyudo Black FuPa02.
I dont see it on the Cosmedo website though. I have received the fuchsia pink gray squirrel from Cosmedo and its as soft as the Z4! Simply gorgeous!
http://cosmedo.com/SHOP/PK-C03.html
Sonia, I’ll email you very soon with pics and my thoughts abt my first Cosmedo purchase 🙂
Ha! I was just on the Cosmedo page and i saw the red ‘Fu-pa 01/02. Birds of the same feather lol. 😀
*squeak*
You are great talent photographer Sonia,did you know that??I enjoyed every single fu-pas,they look like baby pink marshmallows.
Don`t you mind if I recommend a skincare that I`m sure you will love like I love koydo christmas red brush?%)I`m skincare lover(read:obsessive) and tryed ~85% of beautymarket in uk,japan,france and south korea.sometimes i think why I try so much and have such a long wish list on what to try next if I don`t work in this area or even don`t have a blog
1)EviDens de Beaute “la creme riche”
http://www.evidensdebeaute.com/range/daily-care/the-rich-cream/show/56
amazing and very expensive holy grail for dry skin,reach texture but not grease,make skin look rested.this also works for different skin conditions,calm dehydrated skin in winter.I don`t like their website:(
2) On Swiss market (I think you already heard/tried) – La collin matrix creme which is also very good alternative in category moisturizing+plump+firmness+smoothes wrinkles
(if you can choose only 1 between previous – than evidens)
3)last but not least-cellcosmet ellastocollagen xt /ultracell sensetive. They go under ANY cream you have,or you can use them along.these like SOS beauty,instant help for chapped delicate skin(soothe,calm,restore,desensitises irritated skin,moisturising).store in fridge. Ellastocollagen can be used as alternative to those great japanese sheet face masks(like popular SKii,they are fab) as well for immediate radiant and glowing effect.
https://www.cellcosmet-cellmen.com/shop/cellshop.php?lang=EN&country=great britain
I like astalift jelly,use it most like moisturizer under make up base,but I found it is not enought
Thank you Margaret ! I certainly have fun taking pictures and no, I did not know that at all 😛 actually I am really bad at that and it takes me forever to take them 😀
Oh did you try so many ??? If you don’t mind then I will certainly contact you in the near future !
I haven’t tried the La Colline at all.. can you believe that ? Neither all the others you mention.
Thank you AGAIN, I will check them out and try them ! <3
I’m always ready, Sonia:)
By the way, la collin always have samples, just ask for them.
I will try to find them, thanks 🙂
I’ve made a small order : the little finger fupa (I think it can be good for concealing and highlight, I’ll see if it as efficient as my HG hakuhodo G545) and an eye brush BP030 (curious about the angle, the hakuhodo G515 is too angled for me for exemple) just hope it is not very scratchy as it is pine squirrel. I wanted to add some other fupas but finally I know me, I’d certainely make another order soon. the pleasure to receive new brushes took over combining shipping costs 🙂
the BP033 and the BP029 are catching my eye too, I’m all about big fluffy eye brushes these days.
I will not tell you how many Koyudo brushes I am lemming right now because it would be ridiculous…
Right now I am staying away from pine squirrel and pony, but I have to say that the shape of that one is really intriguing ! I just have pine squirrel lay down brushes, I wonder how it would perform. I am now more tempted by angled/pointy/rounded brushes than by crease/lay down brushes, and I have spotted a few that are going to be mine soon 🙂 It’s good to know that even when we think we saw everything there are even more out there (isn’t it Melissa ???) 😀
Right now I am just waiting for some Real Techniques, Core collection and the expert face brush, I found a website (iherb.com) and I bought all for 27$. I wanted to try these and I love these girls 🙂
it seems real techniques are really good value for the money. Which eye brushes did you spotted ? I’m lemming three-four right now : the edward bess one, the evgeny blending one and the hakuhodo S122 or the S125 (the bigger one is probably better for me). I wish the S122 wouldn’t have gone so high in price 🙁 and chikuhodo the Z-5.
I’m quite confident for the BP030 as Koyudo seems to select good hair and anyway I have not so sensible eyes, well, I’ll see, it is not very expensive for a big eye brush.
Nikoleta: I have the Real Techniques expert face brush (Just HAD to try it) and it has become a daily use brush for me! I was surprised that I like it so much. I played with the eye brushes a while ago in the store and didn’t think they were for me. I of course reserve the right to change my mind ;)… I used to use the Edward Bess brush on a daily basis but forced myself to use the J214 for the same purpose and now am a convert to the Hak brush. They are not the same but for me serve the same purpose. Now that I have been using the J214 I will add back into rotation the EB maybe. I am trying to get myself to use all of the beautiful brushes I have been buying ! The S122 is in my shopping cart too. I love to read the different ways and different purposes all of these brushes are used for…. 😉
same for me, I have some eyebrushes that I use for concealer but not for eyeshadow since I have many Japanese ones..
oh by the way, he got me the UD Naked basics ! YEAHHHH
That poor man! The things he has to do for you! 😀 😀 😀
Is he home safely?
😀 not yet ! he is shopping for me right now 😛
got me my moisturizer too 🙂
he comes back tomorrow so we will see what he found !!
I know this is pushing things way to far but the Chantecaille Spring is a must…. I was not the least interested until I saw it and played! Love! Shark Pallette, Daphne Lip Chic, and gloss (I forget the name- in the car 😉 ). Oh well, there are always other ways to get things………. XO
😀 OMG gorgeous !!!
I am glad there are other ways because I really can’t push it further 😉
This spring is going to be lethal … Chanel, Chantecaille, Le Metier, RBR, … I am going to either suffer or splurge but die 😛
Yes there are limits 😉 think the gloss is sweet melon… My poor memory is shot! Too many brush numbers swirling around! Chanel has done well this Spring also! Those two lines made me very happy with their collections! You need the eye quad Raff something and definitely the Beryl liner (lavender!) that is my professional opinion!
I know !!
I use lavender shadows all the time so imagine my surprise !!! Happy !
I will send you a summary soon, I have bookmarks and names spread all over the place 😛 😀
oh thanks for sharing your lemmings, is that the EB eyebrush you are talking about ?
I love my fu-pa 07 brush. I find it delivers even more flawless results than the Rae Morris Radiance Brush. It is also better made and does not shed. The ONLY thing it lacks is the ability to push extra product into the skin to cover redness. If it were slightly flatter (I guess like the Fu-pa 02), it would be great for this. However, the 07 is probably better than the 02 at applying and blending foundation all over because of this. Amazing discovery though – I really do love it
Hi Sonia,
Since you mentioned skincare at the beginning of this post, and I didn’t know where else to ask this, what makeup removers do you use? I’m in the hunt for a new makeup remover, for both eyes and general and I’m curious as to what gems you and everyone else has to say. I’ve discovered so many amazing things just from reading these comments, so I thought I might as well pose this question!
Hi Bonnie,
No worries, I hope we can all help.
On my side I use :
Bobbi Brown Long wear makeup remover (for the eyes)
Bioderma water (for the face)
Omorovicza deep cleansing mask depending on the needs 🙂
I quite love that combination 🙂
Bonnie, since I am online right now I thought I would give you my 2 cents….
My HG makeup removers: Eyes Bioderma Crealine H2O. Face: Chantecaille Rice and Geranium Foaming Cleanser. Both are sooo gentle but cut through whatever mu I am wearing. I of course am never satisfied to stop when I reach perfection so I am just about to start a bottle of Tatcha PURE cleansing oil…
Oh this has been good to read, because I was looking at the Bioderma Crealine as well! It seems like a common favourite! Guess I will be getting that then since it’s the one item that everyone is in consensus about.
I’d love to try the Tatcha cleansing oil as well when it’s back in stock. I was using the Shu in the yellow oil on and off, as I had a small bottle that I mostly reserve for travel. The last few days I’ve been using it every day as I ran out of my usual cleanser and I think it might be breaking me out, and I rarely break out from products! 🙁 I never noticed before because I’d only use it for two or three days and I put it down to travel stress and not having my normal skincare routine.
Thank you everyone 🙂
<—– Another person on the Bioderma bandwagon. I would say it is comparable to KGD's Cleansing Water. I also use the Shu Premium A/O (green bottle) and I like that one too. I love the smell. 🙂 I tried the yellow one but it was too heavy for me. The A/O is lighter.
A friend gave me a sample of the Tatcha rice exfoliating powder (gentle) and I loved it…but it irritated my skin booo! I will have to try the other products in the line 🙂
Thank you for that, Bea! I will definitely pick up the Bioderma – how can I not, after so many positive reinforcements!?
I’ll take a look at the green bottle as well, and see if that will help. I honestly love how Shu feels after I use it, and it’s so efficient. I’m quite devastated that it might be the source of my breakouts atm (not that many, but one unsightly blotch in the middle of your forehead is so obvious)! I will also look into the Tatcha when it comes back into stock. I have about a month to figure out how I can get it in Australia!
Hi Bonnie,
I love skincare and I use Bioderma Crealine H2O like Stacy to remove my eye makeup and Tatcha Camellia Cleansing Oil for my face, the oil will remove eye makeup as well, but I personally don’t like my eye makeup smeared all over my face. I also love Tatcha’s Polishing Rice Powders. Stacy, I’m sure you’ll love Tatcha’s cleansing oil, it’s AMAZING and suitable for all skin types. The whole line is fantastic and you can’t beat their customer service, world class for sure. I’ve had pretty good skin all my life, but with Tatcha it’s the best it’s ever been and I’m in my early forties. They are out of stock of the cleansing oil, the Classic Rice Powder and the Brightening Serum, but should be back in stock in February. I can’t say enough of this line, but the oil and polishing powders are the stars of the line my HG for sure.
Hey Carlyn! It is so good to hear positive reinforcement! I so agree about Tatcha’s customer service! Excellent! I use the Rice Powder in Gentle right now since the Classic was out of stock when I placed my last order… it too is fantastic as well as the Mist… I am also using a sample of the eye cream…. Excellent line!
Hi Stacy,
I know, right? I have the Gentle and the Deep and while I love them both, I do prefer the Gentle. I’m going to get the Classic when it’s restocked. The mist is just lovely too. I have the masks as well but I’m waiting for a special occasion to use it, it’s so expensive for just a random treat. I have deluxe samples of the Renewal Cream and Eye Cream and plan on getting those when I run out. I also want the Akari crystal massager and then I’ll have everything. Crazy about these products.
I told a couple of friends and showed them pics of my fu-pa01 and one of them has already done an order for 3 brushes with CDJapan. And the other is planning on ordering one of the sets on the Koyudo website. We should get commission from them for bringing in business lol! 🙂
I know 🙂
I might so some official makeup artist training this spring/summer, if I take my brushes there I am going to cause chaos 😀 😀 😀
Sonia I have no doubt you and your brushes would cause quite a stir at any makeup course lol. 🙂
Talking about makeup training…..I was googling the two new RBR eye shadows a couple of days ago & came accross Karima’s Blog which I recognised right away as she comments here now & again. Anyway, she has made a brilliant tutorial on RBR makeup application & I copied the eye makeup using the RBR shadows. It turned out so brilliantly that I thought, if it’s ok with you, I could post the link here:-
http://www.shamelessfripperies.com/video/rouge-bunny-rouge-brand-showcase/
OK, so I didn’t end up looking quite as gorgeous as she is, but it got me quite a few compliments & at my ripe old age, that’s really something!!
I love Karima, and I love her accent, so sophisticated ! her tutorial is absolutely amazing, I enjoy watching her videos, they are very clear and always helpful.
I actually do that kind of look with plum/burgundy and beige/gold, that’s also why I am very happy that the two new shades from RBR are exactly what I love to wear together !
I am sure you looked gorgeous !!! <3
Hello! Thank you so much for the post! Could you recommend any of the Fu-Pas for mineral makeup? That is in powder form. I rarely use liquid foundations. I am just getting into brushes really. But I try to pick them carefully. The dual-sided seems extremely efficient with its combination of different effects.
Hi Anastasiya,
you are welcome 🙂
What kind of mineral foundation do you wear ? pressed powder or loose powder ?
Mostly loose powder. I use different ones for winter and summer. Some of the brands (i.e. Lucy Minerals) is quite thick, it’s loose but almost creamy.
Hi Anastasiya,
all right, unfortunately with my very dry skin I use mineral makeup mostly in summer and not very often at this moment. The mineral products I use are the Bare minerals or the Mac Mineralize skinfinish or the Laura Mercier loose powder. For the 3 products I use the BP013.
Whatever product I use I am just looking for a sheer to medium coverage. In my opinion the best type of brushes for mineral makeup are the ones that look like the Bare Minerals brushes (similar but not as scratchy of course), dense but fluffy and with thicker bristles than blush brushes.
The best one I own for that purpose is the Koyudo BP013, I absolutely love it for that but it is quite big, maybe too big for some. I wish they had a size in between the BP013 and the Bp014 (Bp014 is too small for mineral makeup).
Unfortunately I am not an expert at all with mineral foundation, I used to apply it during 1 whole year every single day but I stopped applying it because my Bare Minerals brush was too rough for my skin, today I can use mineral foundation again if I use the Koyudo for example but I have discovered better products (more comfortable for my dry skin) so I am not experimenting too often with mineral products anymore…
I do use very often the BP013 with the cream mineralize foundation from Mac, this foundation is thick and the BP013 delivers just the perfect coverage I am looking for, not too obvious and not too heavy.
I made an order yesterday for foundation brushes that could also work for mineral products, if they do I will let you know for sure, I got a few questions related to mineral foundations and I was thinking of experimenting with these products on a more regular basis.
Hi Sonia! I’m a long time follower, first time poster. I just wanted to THANK YOU for bringing these into my life!! I have been lusting after a Fu-Pa since your first post about them, and then a friend of mine got one and wouldn’t stop raving about it. I ended up with a Fu-Pa07, Fu-Pa12, Fu-Pa10 and Fu-Pa11. I was paying shipping so figured I’d get a few 🙂 !!! I LOVE THEM!!!! I don’t know how I can ever pick up another foundation brush again. Well, until I get the Rae Morris Radiance I’ve put myself on the waiting list for, thanks to you again!! You’re right, the 10 is perfect for the Tom Ford shade & Illuminate too! Thank you thank you, you have yet to steer me wrong!!!!!
Hi Sonia,
I am really inspired by your great posts. Thank you so much! I am trying to buy a fu-pa foundation brush but i got confused by all this variety: -) I am unsure what fu-pa will work the best for me. I use bourjois healthy mix foundation so i thought fu-pa7 or fu-pa12/fu-pa13 can be really good for it. What do you think? Do you think fu-pa13 a bit too small maybe?
Thanks a lot!!!!! And have a nice weekend!!!!!!
Hi Katy,
Healthy Mix is quite a liquid and easy to buff texture and the 3 brushes would work great with it. If you want a very smooth application, go for the Fu-pa12, since the bristles are longer and more flexible on one side, it will be softer around the eye area, the finish will be also a bit airbrushed, it’s probably the one I would prefer to use personally. The fu-pa07 is also adapted but it will be more firm and although it will also do the job perfectly well, I prefer how the fu-pa12 allows more options due to its shape, a soft or a firmer buffing depending on your technique. The fu-pa13 is small but not too small for the application of foundation, today I think it may be better to have a good big flawless buffer because the first rough layer of foundation can be applied either with the fingers or with a flat brush but a good flawless buffing is what really will make a difference.
Just my opinion… I hope it helps…
have a nice weekend too ! 🙂
Dear Sonia,
Thank you for your detailed response! I will follow your recommendation 🙂
I can’t wait to hear about your Japan trip. It is less than a week left 🙂 Have fun!
Hi Sonia,
do you have the Koyudo BP031 kolinsky brush? I wonder how it compares to the Shu kolinsky that you love.
For buffing foundation, is the Fu-Pa12 still your best recommendation? (For liquid and for cream). I cannot quite figure out how you use it when it's angled opposed to the Fu-Pa7, could you describe it?
oh…my…goodness…. these pink brushes are so freaking cute!! and the fact that they’re made in Japan and great quality like you said, I SO WANT TO ORDER ME SOME! I was looking at your site about Hakuhodo then found these, wow!! I love the fact they’re short handles too! As I’m asian and don’t like long handles. oh my!! Next to purchase on my list!! Thanks for the review.
Oh my!!! I am going to get either the fupa-05-p or the fupa-06-p. Thanks so much for this great detailed review!!
Hi, Sonia!
I was just wondering if you could help me decide upon which foundation brush I should get. I mostly use Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation or a Tinted Moisturizer. I have combination skin and just want something nice and gentle to give me a natural finish 🙂 Do you think the Hakuhodo J544 or the Koyudo BP013 would be appropriate, or do you think I should get something else? Any recs you have would be most welcome, or which way I should swing between these two would be great!
Thanks so much!
Hi A,
have you seen Sonia’s post on foundation brushes? She has recommendations for the different textures of foundation. She recommends the Koyudo BP013 for very thick foundations only. Take a look, there are loads of information: http://sweetmakeuptemptations.com/2013/08/20/foundation-brushes-finding-the-one/#comment-10693
Hi, Jeanettte!
Ooops, I meant the BP014, the smaller one >_<!
Yes, I have read all of Sonia's posts about foundation brushes, but I thought I'd ask because I'm having trouble deciding between the two of them, as she cites both of them as must-haves and I'm kind of torn! I like the sound of both but I really only need one.
Thanks so much for the review, Sonia! I am VERY interested in trying one of these.. I am already gettting a Fu-Pa14 which is on its way, and a C011… and now I am thinking that I need a new fu-pa! Do you think you could hint which ones you think would be best for me? So far I’m thinking a goat one based on what you said about a matte finish… I have very, very sensitive, sore combination skin, so I usually don’t use a foundation brush, but I think I’ll be happy with something if its from Koyudo. 🙂
A wish for Koyudo: I LOVE my fu-pa13, it just snuggles perfectly around my face contours. And it is perfection regarding density and softness.
And I would SO MUCH wish that Koyudo would make an even smaller angled fu-pa. The Fu-pa13 is 3,5 cm wide, and I would like a smaller one that is 2,5 cm wide for cream contour and cream blush.
I don’t know if Koyudo reads this, but if not who could I write to to tell my wish? Sonia do you know?
I think they do read it but I will make sure they get your wish message 🙂
Thanks 🙂 It is just that I see from comments that they don’t seem to read international mails
*new follower*
Thanks for such a thorough review! I’m hoping cdjapan will add the Fu Pa 02 to my current order thats being processed. After reading this here – I need to have it in my life! Lol thanks again for the review and hope to read many many more!
Hi Sonia,
I was getting all excited about picking up the Fu-Pa02 or the Rae Morris Radiance (new version) after reading your reviews. However, I haven’t had the best of luck with goat hair foundation brushes being soft enough for my sensitive skin. The only one I have that isn’t prickly for me is the Chikuhodo T3. I have the Chikuhodo GSN-05 and Becca The One, but both are too pokey for me for foundation use. In fact, out of the white goat brushes I own, only the Chikuhodo Takumi series and the Koyomo Pink Pearl are soft enough. I’ve found Chikuhodo GSN and Rae Morris Kabuki both be too stiff.
Do you think that the Fu-Pa02 or the Rae Morris Radiance would be worth trying? I know you have very sensitive skin too, so I feel hopeful that your experience could help me out.
Thanks!
Belle