Chikuhodo GSN-04, GSN-08, GSN-11, GSN-16 Brushes Reviews & Photos
Chikuhodo GSN Brushes
Chikuhodo GSN-04 Highlighting Brush ($64.00) is a medium-sized, domed brush that narrows as the base and flares upwards towards the upper third of the brush before tapering and rounding at the edge. It is made out of a mix of gray squirrel and goat hairs. The brush head is 37.5mm in length, 27mm in width and thickness at its widest point. It had a total length of 7.25 inches / 18.5 centimeters with a lightly pinched, metal ferrule. I think for most people, this is going to work better as a blush brush than a highlighting one, as it is larger than the average highlighting brush. I think it is too rounded and dense to be the best highlighting brush as well, but it does work for diffusing and blending out a highlight or for applying more of a highlighting blush where the area of coverage is larger. It is a moderately dense brush with light spring so it can be swirled and swept across the skin in all directions. The hair felt fairly soft, though at this price point, it could have been a bit softer, I think. For blush, it worked well for applying color, diffusing and blending out the applied color, and it made short work of the process.
Chikuhodo GSN-08 Eyeshadow Brush ($32.00) is a large, paddle-shaped eye brush that comes to moderately pointed tip. It’s a dense brush that tapers upwards and ends at a rounded tip, so depending on the size of your eyelid, it can actually fit almost perfectly held horizontally on the inner half of the eyelid. It’s made out of weasel hair. The brush head is 18mm in length, 12.5mm in width, and 6mm in thickness. It had a total length of just under 7.5 inches / 19 centimeters with a lightly pinched, metal ferrule. For me, this brush is fairly large for my eye area, so I don’t reach for it often, but I liked it best for applying a cream eyeshadow all-over the lid or for a wash of a powder eyeshadow, since it can cover a larger area easily. It also could be used to apply or set concealer underneath the eye, as it is dense, firm, but still soft and feels very smooth against the skin.
Chikuhodo GSN-11 Shadow/Liner Brush ($19.00) is a tiny, dome-shaped, flat, firm precision-focused brush that can be used for eyeshadow or eyeliner. It is made out of weasel hair. The brush head is 6mm in length, 5mm in width, and 3mm in thickness. It had a total length of 6.75 inches / 17.5 centimeters with a pinched, metal ferrule. I personally prefer an angled brush for eyeliner, but I liked this for applying eyeshadow on top of eyeliner, especially the lower lash line. The flat, firm shape enables you to really pat on the eyeshadow without diffusing it too much, and the small size gives you a lot more control.
Chikuhodo GSN-16 Lip Brush ($25.00) is a medium-sized, rectangular lip brush made out of weasel hairs. The brush head is 10mm in length, 5.75mm in width, and 1.5mm in thickness. It comes in a concealed, metal tube, where the tube is like a “cap” of sorts, and when removed, you can connect it to the bottom to elongate the brush handle, or you can hold the as-is lip brush if you prefer shorter handles. This is an easy brush to toss into a makeup bag or purse to keep with you for touch-ups during the day, if you need to. The total length if 6 inches / 15.5 centimeters. The bristles are soft enough not to poke or irritate more sensitive lips, but it’s a firm, flat brush that provides enough density to lay down lip color well while still having enough spring to maneuver around the edges of the lips easily.
I had no issues with shedding, dye, smell, or re-shaping with any of these, and I’ve been using the Chikuhodo GSN brushes for about a year now. Of these four, the GSN-11 is the one I’ll keep with my favorites, as it worked well for what I’d like to use it for. The other brushes were good, but they’re in shapes/sizes that don’t fit as well with my personal routine. I think you can get a higher quality blush brush, though. You can read reviews for the GSN-01 Powder, GSN-03 Cheek, GSN-07 Eyeshadow, GSN-09 Eyeshadow, and GSN-04 Highlighting Brush
$64.00.
GSN-08 Eyeshadow Brush
$32.00.
GSN-11 Shadow/Liner Brush
$19.00.
GSN-16 Lip Brush
$25.00.
See more photos!
Chikuhodo GSN-04 Highlighting Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-04 Highlighting Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-04 Highlighting Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-04 Highlighting Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-04 Highlighting Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-04 Highlighting Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-08 Eyeshadow Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-08 Eyeshadow Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-08 Eyeshadow Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-08 Eyeshadow Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-08 Eyeshadow Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-08 Eyeshadow Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-11 Liner Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-11 Liner Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-11 Liner Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-11 Liner Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-11 Liner Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-16 Lip Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-16 Lip Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-16 Lip Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-16 Lip Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-16 Lip Brush
Chikuhodo GSN-16 Lip Brush
It’s on my bucket list to own one a HE Japanese brush, but for now, I seem to do be doing ok with brushes from IT, Elf, Eco Tools, Real Simple, etc. Thank goodness there are decent brushes at every price range
So true! There are more brushes than ever before now 🙂
I have a couple of GSN brushes that are wonderful. But, I find that I use my others just as much. That liner looks nice though and the price is not bad. I have a squared Rae Morris lip brush which I quite like and Sonia form Sweet Makeup temptations raved about it. It looks just like that, 100% weasel, but no cap, :(..brush guard comes in handy. But, I still reach for my old OCC angled brush to get around my cupids bow though for some reason. I really love the looks of these brushes. They are so decadent looking. I tend to go through phases with brushes. Right now, I’m not in a brush phase. I just get what I need. Usually around the Holidays, I may treat myself to a nice addition. So, one of these may get added then. Thanks for the reviews! 🙂
It’s always in the shape for me – it’s not so much a brand, but it’s the shape/cut/size/quality. I use the GSN-09 and the brow one alllll the time, though.
I agree about the brush shape/size/and cut being important. I also have to consider what I am using it for or I would have all super too soft brushes. I too agree that the GSN-09 is a amazing brush! I love it! In a pinch it and a fluffy blender are perfectly good enough. I always tell myself to order more. But, then never do because I don’t really NEED it. I don’t have the brow one. But, I may have to give that one a whirl eventually . I like the spoolie a lot too for separating dry lashes(before curling, or lazy days,etc) as well as brows. I feel like its more gentle than traditional ones. I have had mine forever and wash it regularly. The GSN series really are well priced for the quality IMO. I also really am happy with the few Rae Morris eye brushes I own. I noticed Beautylish is now carrying that line. I would really like to see a vendor carry international brands in-store though. It is so hard to spend a lot of $ on brushes when you don’t know what your getting. I love most of my Hakuhodo brushes. But I have a couple that get very little to no use or when they do get used it’s because I make myself do something with them,lol!
What are your favorites from the Rae Morris line-up? They’re slated for a full write-up soon, but first, Wayne Goss. Obviously I’m working my way through my brush back log, LOL. I can’t tell you how many brushes I’ve tested in the last year and a half…
Oh yeah! I am so excited you are doing some more brush reviews. I am such a brush junkie too! I love to read Sonia’s blog form Sweet Makeup Temptations. That girls does some serious brush research. But, honestly, I usually have to skim because it is ALOT of info. I basically based my decisions of which Rae brushes to initially buy from her blog. I wanted all of them ! At Christmas, I gifted to myself 5 Raes and the Suqqu cheek brush. I got these 5 Rae brushes: 26:Radiance; 3:Ultimate cheekbone;23;Liquid foundation;8:Medium point shader; and 12:lash line smudger. Without a doubt, I love the eye brushes the most. I really wish I could buy all her eye brushes. I may some day. I have a lot of Wayne Goss eye brushes too(and a couple of face brushes). I like them too. I just feel like they are different in their own rights. I think the #26 Radiance brush is overrated .I find it to be too scratchy. I ordered these from Australia so returning it wasn’t an option. It does come in handy for blending foundation down the neck if I want to dirty up another brush or I figure in the summer I’ll use it to apply some bronzer maybe on my legs,lol. My skin is just to sensitive for it. I think for someone with less sensitive/dry skin, it’s a nice brush. It does do that over-shedding thing though for a couple of months though. I was really alarmed at that. But, mine stopped at about 4-5 washings.I am so excited for your reviews because I have been thinking about buying more. But, I really don’t want to buy them site unseen again. I do have a question about the Chikuhodo GSN- 08 form above. How do you think that would do with creams?
I think it would be okay, but it wouldn’t be my first choice! I think it’s kind of big, and I’d probably opt for a synthetic 🙂
Great,thanks for your opinion!
I just love the GSN 09. Such a soft eyeshadow brush.
I would love to try the Chikuhodo, I’m so curious about the quality of Japanese brushes and there superiority? .The most expensive I own are from Lancôme
They’re really great brushes!
I really like the tip on the 08
It makes it more unique!
I like the shape of the GSN 04, but the handles not so much, im planning on buying a chikuhodo blush brush next year, but i would go for the takumi t4 or z4, i already have the z8 which is great for blush but im loving it for bronzer
The Z8 is nice! 🙂
Nice length on these brushes. My Chikuhodo’s are all the short version. My fav has to be the ultra soft pencil brush, Z10. It is unlike any other pencil brush I have ever owned. It’s so perfect for diffusing small areas of dark shadow like the lower lash line and the outer crease.
It’s interesting how short the Z series is compared to the GSN, but it’s good to have options. The Z10 is amazing!
I’ve heard good things about this brand of brushes, but the weasel hair put me off a bit. Truth be told, they’re out of my price range, but I am taken by the shapes of a number of them.
The GSN series is a really good in-between range – not as expensive as SUQQU/Chikuhodo Z but still really high quality.
I rrreally should expand my make-up tool horizon, lol… I always stick to MAC and Sigma but there are clearly very good brands out there that I have no clue about.
A lot of Japanese-style brushes are so much superior to MAC but right around the same price point!
This might be a stupid question but do they kill the animals to get their hair for the brushes? Obviously I can’t imagine a bunch of caged squirrels going in for haircuts but on the other hand, it seems so mean to kill squirrels or weasels just so I have a soft brush to apply make up with.
The company line is that the hair is a by-product and the animals are killed for some other reason. For goat hair, most companies say the animals are shaved. If you’re looking for synthetic alternatives, IT Cosmetics and Real Techniques are good options.
Thanks Christine! I’ve always been curious about this.
This is something I have always wondered about too. My daughter asks me too and she always admires my brushes. I hate to not know. For some reason, I have had it in my mind that the animals were kept for their hair and treated with kindness,fed well,low stress,etc-so their hair would be healthy. Is this completely in my mind?? lol! I thought I saw this on Youtube . But now I can’t find it. I have been on a lot of wackadoo drugs with the disease I have over the past few years. So, I may have completely conjured this up. now I am really curious about this. I am going to have to look into this. but if anyone knows, please feel free to let me know! Another synthetic brush brand I really like is OCC. I love their angled brush. It’s great for liner and lips!