Brush Comparisons

...for a few of my brushes, just to see how the different sizes compare ^.^ There are a few others but I'm saving them for the next post in this comparison series. Also, I'm sticking within the same brand for now and will do cross-brand comparisons later.

Keep in mind that despite these comparisons, each brush is handmade, and therefore yours may differ a little (or a lot, as in the case of Chikuhodo G-03 below) with mine.

From left to right: Chikuhodo Artist 12-2 Pine Squirrel/Weasel, 12-5 Canadian Squirrel, and 12-6, G-03, and G-04, all Gray Squirrel. 

- 12-2 and 12-5 pack the most color among these. I use both for lay-down purposes, mostly with sheerer powder base/highlighter because they can bring out the color! I tend to favor 12-5 over 12-2.

- 12-2 has longer hair length, but somehow 12-5 has more give and covers more surface area. 

- 12-2 is more tapered from both the fronts and sides, while 12-5 has bristles that spread wider and its crown's somewhat squarer. 

- 12-6 is my 1st favorite among these, slender and having a very nice tapering fronts and sides, offering even more control than 12-2. But...

- 12-6 being gray squirrel doesn't pick up nearly as much pigment as 12-2 and 12-5, so I use it for sparkling top wash or super pigmented stuff that I want to tone down and sheer out, especially those that are intensely metallic. I'm guessing it's the squirrel hair, but I get a translucent wash of glistening wet metallic finish when I use this brush and the G-04 (and the Koyudo BP029, BP033, Red Large Shader, and Red Shader below also). Love it so much!

- G-03 is super soft, and is unfortunately an exemplary case of variation among handmade items. Everywhere I've looked, this brush was supposed to look like a bigger version of G-04, i.e. slender and tapered on all sides like Artist 12-6. But mine turns out to be fluffy all around which means no control whatsoever, not to mention it's somewhat lopsided when seen at certain angle (see tall photo above). 

- G-03 is great for lay-down with those base/highlighter that are on the pigmented side. But that's all I can use it for, sadly :(

- G-04 is my 2nd favorite among these. It's basically a smaller version of 12-6 although less tapered on the fronts, but still offering excellent control.

- G-04 is great with sweeping super pigmented shadows over the area below the crease.

Chikuhodo T-5 and T-6 Saikoho Goat

- T-5 is for highlighting T-6 is large eye shadow, but as you can see they are technically the same brush in different sizes! 

- T-6 is way too big for my eyes even as a lay-down brush. But...

- T-6 is fantastic as a small highlighting brush for details, like the under eye area, around the nostrils, etc.

- T-6 also works for contouring details, like the sides of the nose bridge, the dip between the lower lip and chin, etc. 

From left to right: Hakuhodo G5509, G5510, G5511, and G5512, all Horse.

- G5509 is literally my workhorse, and I use it to blend my other workhorse, NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk, onto my brow bones. This brush sees the most action out of all my brushes, because I use it in every single sitting. 

- G5510 is my "eraser" brush. I use to clean up the edges after filling in and shading my brows.

- G5510 also does a fantastic job of blending and smudging pencil liners.

- G5511 the detailing version of G5510.

Koyudo BP018 and BP025, both Gray Squirrel. 

- BP018 is for blush and BP025 is for highlighting, but again they're so similar I might as well compare them. 

- BP025 being smaller has a rounder shape at the fronts and tapering to a blunt point on the sides.

BP027 and BP034, both Kolinsky.

- BP027 is my go to brush for eye primer.

- BP034 is my go to brush for cream eye shadows.

- Of course, both brushes work just as well for powder shadows. If anything, I think weasel hair pack even more color than goat hair!

From left to right: BP029, BP033, Red Large Shader, and Red Shader, all Gray Squirrel.

- BP029 is most tapered from the fronts. 

- Red Large Shader is rounder at the crown.

- BP033 and Red Shader are almost identical, with BP033 being 1mm longer in hair length. Red Shader looks fluffier because it's freshly washed, that's all.

- Like Chikuhodo Artist 12-6 and G-04 above, I use these brushes for sparkly top washes or super pigmented powder shadows, especially those that are intensely metallic. Love love love!

Pr004 and Pr005, both Goat-Synthetic

- I use these interchangeably with the pair of BP027 and BP034 above, although admittedly I much favor the latter two.

- BP027 and BP034 both have less give, therefore blending eye primers and cream shadows much faster.

- Pr004 and Pr005 are softer, and perhaps too soft. They work, but I still prefer firmer brushes.

From left to right: Black Large, Medium, and Small Shader, all Prairie Dog.


- I use these interchangeably with Hakuhodo G5509, G5510, and G5511 above, to give my workhorses a break every once in a while, and while they're being washed.
- Both sets are about the same softness, although keep in mind horse and prairie dog hairs are nowhere as soft as goat hair. So for some folks, these brushes can be down right pokey and scratchy. My skin isn't sensitive so I'm fine with them and they work great for me.
- Hakuhodo G5509, G5510, and G5511 have much shorter hair and so are firmer.
- These shader brushes have longer hair and thus more giving.