THE SYNTHETICS BUILDER

When I introduced the Superstars series, I mentioned that there is still so much more we want to achieve. As we work on new projects, research new materials, acquire new skills and evolve, my passion for Fude and for the artisans only grows stronger! My special connection with you and with the artisans are the reasons I am so happy to be on this journey since the very start of the blog in 2012.

With an increased demand for Fude alongside a decreased availability of natural bristles – and natural bristles not being for everybody, obviously Fude with synthetic bristles had to enter the journey at some point in time.
Today we are finally introducing our very first Fude bundled with 100% synthetic fibers. We will continue to create brushes with natural bristles, but I’ve been wanting to add synthetic brushes to the lineup for quite a while, and many of you have asked for them too.  It took a while to find the right bristles and to decide what way to go with the handle design, but I am ready to share more about the process and how we got there.

The cost of synthetic fibers vs natural bristles

Just like all our natural brushes, this synthetic Builder brush is entirely handmade in Japan, with a handle that is also fully handmade in Japan. It features lacquers that are very special- even more so nowadays as some inks and materials have become either completely unavailable or way more difficult to obtain.
Furthermore, this bristle type, even though it’s synthetic, is of the highest grade I could locate. Just like with natural bristles, there are different types of synthetic fibers showcasing different treatments and at different price-points, not all synthetic bristles cost the same.

The manufacturing country and company, all the materials, the processes, the labour and time that each artisan spends on each brush plays a major role in the production costs of the brush. This is to say that at the end, this particular brush costs just as much to manufacture as a brush with high grade natural bristles. This can be quite difficult to accept, so I wanted to address this topic and highlight the reasons for its cost, because it’s fair and understandable to wonder why this synthetic brush comes at this cost.

We could have selected different synthetic fibers and go for a simple handle, this was one of the options we also had to take into consideration and study, but I really want our synthetic brushes to be fully handmade in Japan, and to be just as special, as unique and effective as our natural brushes. I would love for you to really want to reach for this Builder brush daily because you love its aesthetics and its performance, and regardless of the bristle type.

If you usually lean toward brushes with natural bristles, please do not underestimate this synthetic Builder- I think that it can genuinely surprise you. You all know that I love natural bristles. When I started working on this brush, I told myself that I would only be ready when I reached for it because of the way it looked and performed, regardless of the material. In my humble opinion, this brush does not feel like a step down from natural hair, and I also think it is a beautiful Fude.

Since 2018 I’ve been regularly exploring every type of synthetic bristle I could find that was available to us in Japan- testing, creating prototypes, and studying what was possible in terms of shape in order to match a particular purpose.
The Synthetics Builder has been bundled with a synthetic bristle type that best fits the purpose that this brush is meant to fulfil. Before I deep dive into the details of the brush, I will show you the handle, as it is a new design and also a very important part of this project.

– THE SYNTHETICS –

THE HANDLES

The handles for the Synthetics series have the same silhouette as our original Fundamentals and our Superstars series-they are thick and substantial.

Instead of the black‑to‑red gradient, this collection features a gradient that starts with black, then bronze, then gold next to the black ferrule. The logo and name of the brush are applied in bright red.

This gradient effect is not achieved using just one layer of paint and one coating, it takes several layers that are repeated with different colors, with drying processes in between. The drying time depends on the season and the weather and it takes several months from start to end just to make the handles.

Even after seeing the process in person several times at the manufacture, I still cannot believe that we can do this amount of work on every single brush handle, it really is a lot of effort. It’s important to mention this because many of you really care about the details and the work behind the scenes.

Should this first introduction go well, we will consider adding more synthetic brushes to this series in the longer term, with the same handle if we technically can.

This lacquer work is a little different compared to our blue or red handles, on the bronze part we can see the texture peeking through, I really find this effect so unique and beautiful. I hope you can see it in the short video below.

For this synthetic series, we wanted a logo color with more impact, this is a bold combination but this bright red is such a gorgeous contrast on these black and bronze handles.

– THE SYNTHETICS –

THE BUILDER

The bristles of this Builder are 12mm long, it’s very thick and dense at the base next to the ferrule, then its shape tapers and the sides curve smoothly. It’s dense, but the top half of the brush still has flexibility and movement in the bristles. If you look at its profile, the thick base serves as support and allows the cushiony tip to remain easy to control so we can easily either use the sides or the tip.

One of the challenges that we may encounter when bundling synthetic bristles is to make a brush that is strong, with effective product pick‑up, especially when we compare them to brushes with natural bristles.

Other challenges when working with synthetic fibers can involve product fall‑out, or issues building and controlling the intensity of the application. Also, and surprisingly, some synthetic bristles aren’t fluid in the movement or soft enough at the very tip and this can become an issue when using the brush perpendicularly.
When it comes to this Builder, with this particular shape and these synthetic bristles, the brush feels soft, but it has strength. It is also effortless to use because it places the product evenly and gradually, therefore the placement is very easy to diffuse and the intensity is easy to control. Some synthetic bristles have too much (or too little) flexibility, they may pick up too much product (or too little), then comes the collateral product fall-out that we tend to often associate with synthetic brushes. It was key to find the ideal design and bristles in order to optimize the strength of the brush while mitigating all those issues the best way possible.

I also wanted this brush to be able to tackle different formulas. A lot of my favorite formulas are some of the trickiest ones to use, having a Builder that is soft but strong and works smoothly across different formulas was essential – not only because this saves time but it encourages us to work more regularly with shadows that don’t get the love and the use they deserve.

If you have sensitive skin, this Builder is very soft. For example when using just the tip of the brush and smudging along the lashline, it won’t poke or irritate the skin. This was also essential because an effective brush requires less strokes, causing less irritation.

FUNCTION AND PURPOSE

This is a Builder brush, it’s designed to build a placement onto the mobile lid area: use the sides and wiggle the bristles onto the product to load the brush, or use the tip of the brush to apply or to smudge.

We can either work on the entire mobile lid or work by sections, for example target the center of the lid or the outer v. We can also use it when we need more control or to boost the intensity or to sculpt a placement.

Since it’s not a thin flat brush but has body and a generous dense surface, we can use it to apply the product and then to smooth out and polish. For example along the lashline, if we are layering pencil and powder or just using a pencil, we can use the top part of this Builder brush to smudge and perfect the result.

It works for powders or hybrid formulas, and it can also be used with creams but if you do, please keep in mind the surface is not that big and you may prefer a fluffier brush or a brush with more surface depending on what you want to achieve.

In terms of behaviour, these synthetic bristles are considered to be close to the functionality of natural weasel bristles.

– BRUSH COMPARISONS –

Synthetics Builder – Fundamental Builder M

Here is the Synthetics Builder next to the Builder M, for size comparison.
The Builder M is one of my top favorite brushes for product placement. The Synthetics Builder is slightly longer and much thicker at the base, offering more surface to work with.

The Builder M is a flat laydown type of brush, it’s a wonderful brush to build the placement on the lid. In comparison, the Synthetics Builder has a much thicker body and a bigger working surface so it’s really handy to use the dense and stable surface to build and then to smooth the edges of the application – this is not something you can easily do with a thin and flat laydown brush.

It depends on the type of shadow, but in general, the biggest difference between these two brushes is how they deposit product. The Builder M deposits most of the product right at the contact point. The Synthetics Builder, on the other hand, releases product more gradually, which makes it easier to shape the placement as you work. You can build intensity, smooth the edges, and control the perimeter of the application more precisely, so the transition around the placement looks more neat and intentional. It’s not a big difference but it’s something you may notice between a flatter style laydown brush for example and this Synthetics Builder.

I was looking for particular synthetic bristles and a brush shape that could offer this kind of approach because it makes the process feel much more effortless. The firmness of the bristles — without feeling rough — is a major advantage, as it allows us to apply the right amount of pressure both on the product and on the skin.

Synthetics Builder – Fundamental Builder One

You may remember the discontinued Builder One from the Original Fundamentals, it has a similar design also with a tapered profile and a curved ferrule, but the Builder One is much smaller in comparison, more precise and intense with the placement. The Synthetics Builder is much bigger, it has more movement and a shape that offers more versatility since it has so much more surface to work with.

Synthetics Builder – Superstars Builder 2

I think you probably have noticed that I love brushes with tapered profiles as they have been featured since 2017 with the Smudger One or the Builder One for example.
I love the added precision, stability and control that these shapes allow, especially at the tip of the brush.

This is the recent Superstars Builder 2, they are quite similar in shape but the width and their profiles are slightly different. The Synthetics Builder is firmer and will work with more control, more firmness and we can use more pressure with the tip – although the Superstars Builder 2 is a strong brush specially for a brush with squirrel bristles!

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND PRICING

AVAILABILITY

We all sincerely hope that you love this Synthetics Builder brush and that you are excited to finally see Fude with synthetic bristles entering our collection. As always, thank you so much for being here with us, for supporting our work and allowing us to continue this beautiful journey and start this new chapter.  
We were so happy to see your interest in this new brush so we hope that we will be able bring some new designs to join this Synthetics Builder in the longer term.

If all goes smoothly, this Synthetics Builder will be available on Beautylish starting this 30th of July, at 10 AM PT. The Beautylish team have published a page where you can sign in to the list and be notified of its availability. Thank you!!!

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out in the comment section below!