Brand Overview: Mizuho Brush

Thursday, August 29, 2019

I first started adding Mizuho brushes to my CDJapan cart two, maybe three years back. I liked them enough to buy a brush at a time but there were hits and misses in the range which kept me from wanting to make a big haul. Over the years I've ended up a handful of brushes, enough to do a bit of an overview.

Mizuho Brush artisans have been practicing their craft since the 70s in Kumano, the glorious motherland for fude lovers. Unlike other brush makers that have a focus on tradition (think Koyudo and Chikuhodo, their lacquered seasonal handles), Mizuho feels really artist orientated to me. Each detail of the brushes seems to exist for not the casual user, but with makeup artists in mind.

I have one brush from the CMP range and the rest are from the MB line.

The MB lineup features very lightweight handles in a matte finish. The handles are medium in length, long enough for folks that grip closer to the end of the brush than they do the ferrule to hold this brush without it feeling off balance. I love hefty brushes, but for someone who is standing and working on other people's bodies and faces, this is a better weight to avoid hand and arm fatigue. The ferrule is sleek without any crimp lines.

Highlighting Brush MB114 ($40 at CDJapan)

This brush is really unique. I truly haven't come across anything remotely like it. There are two things interesting about this brush; the shape and the materials. This asymmetrical brush head is angled, but with a convex slope. It has some serious curves. This mix of hairs is unlike anything else I have, a blend of pine squirrel and pony- it's a bit rougher than I would like but it's particularly good with baked highlighters. This brush lays down highlighter perfectly at the apex of your cheekbone. The way the hairs move as you move back and forth is downright mesmerizing, it's like it's sashaying back and forth.

Liner Brush MB133 ($14 at CDJapan)

Argh, this brush. I adore its shape, the density and the fineness of the synthetic fibers mixed with weasel. It draws beautifully precise lines and the curve of the edge discourages skipping. Truly great design. But it's the only fude from Kumano that has ever had the ferrule pop off the handle (ok now I see how vital those ferrule crimps are). On the second wash too, so early in its life! I superglued it back on.

Lash Brush MB151 ($10 at CDJapan)

No complaints here. Or praises.

Concealer Brush MB161 ($19 at CDJapan)

I like this concealer brush a lot. Mizuho picks great synthetic fibers that are really well suited to the purpose of each brush type. The fibers in this brush come to a very fine flattened edge, with a slight curve that makes it a good choice for cutting creases, delicately skimming under the eye, and for tapping on top of blemishes. It's actually replaced the Japonesque concealer brush (of which I have two!) as my absolute favorite.

Foundation Brush MB113 ($36 at CDJapan)

This brush surprised me when it arrived, I was picturing something with a flatter top. Like the Highlighting Brush, it has a very curved top. Similar shape to a MAC168 brush which most people use for cheek applications, only smaller and much more dense. I like that the small size means that it fits around my nostrils and easily between my eyebrows, but it does take a while to apply a full face of liquid or cream foundation with this brush. I think there's better tools for that, so I tend to use this for buffing out concealer on days I'm only trying to conceal discoloration. It's softer than Koyudo FuPa white goat but not as soft as Hakuhodo's white goat.

Blending Brush MB125 ($26 at CDJapan)

Essentially this is like a smaller, slimmer Chikuhodo GSN-09. It's a squirrel brush without very much resistance, suitable for dabbing/buffing eyeshadow in, because a patting motion will make the hairs splay and flex. I like this when I want to use a super pigmented shadow in the crease, but I want to soften the color and sheer it out so it's not so harsh.

Blender Brush CMP527 ($21 at CDJapan)

My only brush from the CMP line, this blender is a bit different from all my other tapered blenders. The tapered tip is not rounded or bulbous, instead the outline of the shape is angular and the sides come to a straight edge. I really like how this brush can deposit color in the crease and blend without the eye shadow traveling too far upwards or outwards. It is however, a tad bit rougher than I would like. It's a mixture of grey squirrel and pony, and I just find pony hair to be really abrasive on the eyelid.

My take away from Mizuho is that they put a lot of thought into the design and purpose of each brush. I especially love the highlighter brush and the concealer brush. Compared to my other brushes that serve the same function, these are easier to use. These brushes may have been shaped for artists, but they'll bring joy to any makeup enthusiast with how beautifully they can lay down product.

Have you heard of Mizuho Brush? As I understand it, the parent company also produces Shaquda Brushes - they have such lovely looking brushes that have a solid, single wooden handle that flows right into the ferrule.

Products featured were purchased by me. For additional information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.