Major Lemming Alert: Japonesque Kabuki Brush

Obviously not your run-of-the-mill kabuki brush, hmmm? I was browsing the Japonesque website when I stumbled across this. It really captured my attention and I've been lemming for it ever since. It's described as hand-wrapped bamboo brush with goat's hair. Western use is primarily for blush or contouring. I've been looking for a superior contour brush with a big head (I don't care very much for those small headed contour brushes that deposit color in sharp angles). I want soft, barely there but noticeable contouring, and this product looks like it's the one I've been looking for. Why Japonesque, you ask? This brand of brushes has long been considered one of the best in the beauty industry. The brushes are made of the best squirrel, sable, badger and goat hair for the most flawless makeup applications.

I own several eyeshadow crease blending brushes (similar to MAC's 224) from Japonesque and they are just exquisite; the soft squirrel hair deposits the most subtle washes of color for the crease and gently blends everything into a perfect look.

I also own a travel-sized blush brush from Japonesque made of squirrel hair and it is the softest blush brush I've ever tried. It's a little flat which is perfect for me because you just tap a little bit of blush on one side, then gently apply it on your cheeks and the pigment will adhere to your skin without looking garish or overdone - the softest squirrel hairs ensure that. What is amazing about these Japonesque brushes is that the travel-sized brush has the same superior quality and excellent craftsmanship as the full-size, professional counterpart. Japonesque does not compromise quality for portability. That said, my travel-size blush brush has the same great quality as the full-size version.

View the entire range of Japonesque brushes on their website. You can find them at all ULTA and Nordstrom stores and some online shops as well.