Applying makeup is not always easy. But to make your job a little easier, here are the best Japanese makeup brushes to help you get the perfect finish you need.
Unveil the artistry of Japanese craftsmanship with our guide to the best Japanese makeup brushes. Celebrated for their precision and quality, these brushes blend traditional techniques with modern innovation.
Explore our handpicked selection of the finest tools that promise to elevate your makeup application to a masterful level of perfection.
Which is the best Japanese makeup brush?
My team and I tested 20+ Japanese makeup brushes on the type of hair, quality, design and cost. We found Hakuhodo Basic Selection Makeup Brush Set of 3 to be the best.
Hakuhodo Basic Selection Makeup brushes sculpt your face really well and you can use it to perfectly apply highlighter as well. This is definitely one of the best Japanese makeup brushes for beginners. The brushes bristles are designed to be long lasting and give you the most out of your beauty products. The makeup brushes will stay soft and fluffy and will always give you the finish you like.
Best Japanese Makeup Brushes: Quick Summary
| Best Japanese Makeup Brushes | Best For | |
| Best Hakuhodo Brushes | Professional Use | Shop on Amazon |
| Hakuhodo Basic Selection Makeup Brush Set of 6 | Smooth application | Shop on Amazon |
| Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush | Overall makeup | Shop on Amazon |
| Yoshiwara Japanese Wide Makeup Brush | Foundation | Shop on Amazon |
| Kose Esprique Foundation Brush | Blush | - |
| Kumano Brush (Kumano Fude) Powder Makeup Brushes By Chikuhodo | Powder makeup | Shop on Amazon |
| Shiseido Hanatsubaki Hake Polishing Face Brush | Contouring | Shop on Amazon |
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- Related: Best Japanese Liquid Foundation
Top Japanese Makeup Brushes
Best Hakuhodo Brushes
The first on the list of this best Japanese makeup brushes is the hakuhodo brushes. It’s a ten piece set of makeup brushes.
This Japanese brand of makeup brushes is one of the best and loved by professionals and beginners as well.
The makeup brush set comes in four different colors - Glossy-Black, Champagne Gold, Silver, and White.
The makeup brush set comes in a really cool case so it’s a perfect gifting option as well. If you love applying makeup on yourself or on others, you’ll absolutely love this one.
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Related: What cosmetics to buy in Japan
Hakuhodo Basic Selection Makeup Brush Set of 3
Here’s another one of the best Japanese makeup brushes by Hakuhodo. The brushes sculpt your face really well and you can use it to perfectly apply highlighter as well.
This is definitely one of the best Japanese makeup brushes for beginners. The brushes bristles are designed to be long-lasting and give you the most out of your beauty products.
The makeup brushes will stay soft and fluffy and will always give you the finish you like.
Yoshiwara Japanese Wide Makeup Brush
The next one of this list of best Japanese makeup brushes is quite unique. This Japanese makeup brush is designed in a way that it lets you make up bold shapes so you can enhance your features.
The bristles of this makeup brush have subtle imprints on the borders which makes it super easy to use.
These handmade makeup brushes are made using the traditional Tan-itabake style.
This is an age-old traditional style of Japanese makeup brush that has been used by Japanese geishas, maikos, and kabuki performers for over 400 years.
You can apply both liquid foundation and powder foundation using this makeup brush. You can also use it to apply face masks as it helps spread the mask easily.
Chikuhodo Kumano Brush (Kumano Fude) Powder Makeup Brushes Chikuhodo
The next one on the list of best Japanese brushes is the Chikuhodo kumano brushes. You can use these brushes to apply both pressed and loose powder.
The makeup brush has a round shape so it moves smoothly on your skin. The bristles are made of goat hair and are gentle on the skin.
Just tap the brush lightly to get rid of excess powder before applying. Move the brush in soft, sweeping circles on your cheeks to apply the powder.
Shiseido Professional Perfect Foundation Makeup Brush
This Japanese makeup brush works exceptionally well with liquid makeup brushes. It’s one of the best Japanese makeup brushes and it’s designed in such a way that it makes it easy to fill the wrinkles.
The handles of the makeup brushes are designed in such a way that application is easy.
Shiseido Hanatsubaki Hake Polishing Face Brush
Shiseido Hanatsubaki Hake Polishing face brush is one of the best Japanese makeup brushes. The makeup brushes are one of the latest and innovative designs.
The makeup brush looks real sleek and fancy as well. The makeup brush is designed with 4 petals which ensure optimal skin contact.
It’s definitely one of the best Japanese makeup brushes for buffing.
The makeup brush leaves you with polished skin. The brush is super soft and feels amazing against your skin.
To use this makeup brush, swirl the brush in circular, sweeping motions. It’s one of the best Japanese makeup brushes to blend your makeup on the face and neck regions.
Mizuho Makeup Brush
The Mizuho Brush is a high-quality Japanese makeup brush that is both functional and beautifully designed.
This brush is made from soft, natural goat hair, which allows for smooth and seamless application of makeup products.
The bristles are densely packed and have just the right amount of firmness, making it easy to apply makeup with precision and control.
One of the things that sets the Mizuho Brush apart is its unique, ergonomic design.
The brush is shaped to fit comfortably in the hand, with a slightly curved handle that helps to provide a better grip and more control.
This makes it easy to apply makeup with precision, even in hard-to-reach areas.
Another great feature of the Mizuho Brush is its versatility.
This brush can be used for a wide range of makeup applications, from applying powder and blush to contouring and highlighting.
The soft, fluffy bristles make it easy to blend and diffuse makeup products, creating a natural-looking finish.
Overall, the Mizuho Brush is a high-quality and versatile makeup tool that is well worth the investment.
Its soft, natural bristles and ergonomic design make it a pleasure to use, while its versatility means that it can be used for a wide range of makeup applications.
If you're looking for a high-quality Japanese makeup brush that delivers excellent results, the Mizuho Brush is definitely worth considering.
Types of Japanese Makeup Brushes
Japanese Powder brush
This is a large, fluffy brush with a rounded shape that is designed to be used for applying loose or pressed powder to the face. The soft, densely packed bristles help to evenly distribute the powder, creating a smooth, flawless finish.
Japanese Blush brush
A blush brush is typically smaller and more tapered than a powder brush, with a slightly pointed tip. This allows for more precise application of blush to the cheeks, while still providing a soft, diffused finish.
Japanese Foundation brush
This brush has a flat, dense shape that is ideal for applying liquid or cream foundation to the face. The tightly packed bristles help to buff the foundation into the skin, creating a seamless, natural-looking finish.
Japanese Concealer brush
A concealer brush is typically small and pointed, making it perfect for applying concealer to blemishes or under the eyes. The tapered tip allows for precise application, while the dense bristles help to blend the product seamlessly into the skin.
Japanese Eyeshadow brush
There are several different types of eyeshadow brushes, but most are small to medium-sized with a slightly tapered tip. They are designed to pick up and distribute eyeshadow evenly across the eyelid, and can be used for both powder and cream formulations.
Japanese Blending brush
A blending brush is typically soft and fluffy, with longer bristles that are loosely packed. This allows for easy blending and diffusing of eyeshadow, creating a seamless gradient effect.
Japanese Angled brush
An angled brush has a slanted tip, which makes it ideal for creating precise lines or contours on the face. It can be used for applying eyeliner, filling in brows, or contouring the cheeks.
Japanese Lip brush
A lip brush is typically small and pointed, with densely packed bristles that help to distribute lipstick or lip gloss evenly across the lips. The pointed tip allows for precise application, while the brush itself helps to blend the product seamlessly into the lips.
How to Choose Japanese Makeup Brushes?
When choosing a makeup brush the first factor you should carefully pay attention to is the quality of the brush.
- Quality
There’s no use in buying an expensive brush if the quality is not up to good standards. To know if a brush is of good quality first check the bristles of the brush. Use the brush on your skin to feel the bristles. If the bristles are soft and don’t fall out then you know it’s a good quality brush. Japanese makeup brushes use animal hair that won’t be harsh on your skin and it gives you a smooth application and feels gentle on the skin.
- Handle
Also, give heed to the brush handle. You don’t want to use a brush that feels tough to apply your products. The handle can be either wood, plastic, or metal but it has to be comfortable to handle and convenient to use.
- Type of Makeup Brush
The second factor that needs to be taken into account when buying a makeup brush is the type of brush. There are several brushes for several purposes such as powder brush, eyeliner brush, lip brush, etc. Hence, choose the suitable brush according to your specific purpose.
You can choose the ideal brush for you that’s of high quality and which serves its purpose if you take these factors into consideration. There will be no hassle when applying makeup and you’ll be ready for the day like never before.
Japanese Makeup Brushes Vs Normal Makeup Brushes
The difference between Japanese makeup brushes and normal makeup brushes is that most of the Japanese makeup brushes are made of natural animal hair like horse, squirrel, weasel, or horse hair. Most western makeup brushes are made of synthetic bristles. And Japanese makeup brushes are handmade which makes it super durable as well.
Best Japanese Makeup Brushes: FAQs
Is Hakuhodo cruelty-free?
Hakuhodo brushes are made using high-quality materials that are sourced from cruelty-free suppliers. The makeup brushes are handmade in Kumano, Japan by experienced craftsmen.
What are Japanese makeup brushes made of?
Japanese makeup brushes are made of specific animal hair like squirrel, goat, pony, weasel etc. Some of them are also made with PBT synthetic hair. Each hair type works for a specific makeup application.
Are Japanese makeup brushes good?
Japanese makeup brushes are one of the best in the market. The ergonomic design of the makeup brushes from Japan are one of the reasons they’re widely used. They’re easy to hold and work with.
Japanese makeup brushes use natural hair and thin tips to serve different makeup application techniques like foundation, blush, eye shadow etc. The brushes don’t cause skin irritation or problems and feel extremely soft. They result in smooth application and give natural looks.
Japanese makeup brushes are made to fit and use for every design and create dramatic as well as natural looks. The bruises are made with natural animal hair like pony, goat, weasel etc.
How to choose a makeup brush based on skin type?
If you have an oily skin type, you should go for a goat hair brush as they can last long even after repeated washing. For dry skin types, go for soft and delicate brushes like squirrel hair brushes as they don’t cause flakiness and soothes the skin while applying makeup.
What Is The Best Brand Of Japanese Makeup Brushes?
Hakuhodo is one of the best brand of Japanese makeup brushes. The brushes are handmade and designed to be light and easy to handle. They give you good control when applying makeup. The handles of the makeup brushes are of high quality and the bristles are super soft so it’s gentle on the skin as well.
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