Hakuhodo G5513 Eyeshadow & J162 Angled Eyebrow Brushes Reviews, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 18:35:39 +0000

Hakuhodo G5513 Eyeshadow Brush

Hakuhodo G5513 Eyeshadow Brush ($16.00) is a small, flatter eyeshadow brush with domed edge. It is made using horse hair. The brush head is 6mm in length, 7mm in width, and 2mm in thickness. It has a pinched, silver metal ferrule with a total brush length of 5.75 inches or 14.5 centimeters. This type of brush shape and size is good for smaller, more precise work on the lid or underneath the eye. If you have less lid space, it can be useful for applying eyeshadow to the inner area of the lid, inner corner, and so on. It’s also nice for patting on eyeshadow underneath the lash line. In a pinch, it could be used to apply eyeliner, but it’s a bit longer and not as firm/stiff, so it wouldn’t be my go-to for that purpose.

As I mentioned in my review of Tom Ford Eyeliner & Definer ($50), this brush is somewhat similar, but the G5513 is longer, and as a result, not as stiff or as firm. MAC 228 ($20) is very similar, both in shape and size; it felt slightly springier. Make Up For Ever #208 Small Precision Shader Brush ($22) is shorter and more bendable.

Hakuhodo J162 Angled Eyebrow Brush ($18.00) is a small, very slightly angled brush designed to be used for brows using horse hair. The brush head is 6mm in length, 5mm in width, and 2mm in thickness. It has a pinched, silver metal ferrule with a total brush length of just over 5.5 inches or almost 14.5 centimeters. The brush is also available in the B-series ($20, weasel hair) and S-series ($36, weasel hair).

This was actually one of my least favorite brushes that I picked up, because I didn’t feel it had the firmness/stiffness required of a good brow brush; it is a bit floppy and too springy. The edge also tended to splay and widen, so I couldn’t get thin, precise strokes at all (like for the tail of my brow). It also meant that the color was dispersed easily and needed to be built up more often. For applying cream/gel eyeliner, I found similar issues–you just can’t get the crisp, defined line you’d expect out of an angled brush like this. I found it best for blurring and softening brow powder I applied with another brush. The brush itself feels soft and didn’t shed, though, so I wouldn’t say it’s a poor quality brush, only that it didn’t seem to function well as an angled brow brush (or eyeliner brush) in my experience.

MAC 266 ($20) has a much, much more severe angle and is a thinner, stiffer brush (this is my go-to for brows) but the overall size is similar. OCC Angle (009) Brush ($18) is a bit larger, slightly wider and more angled, not as firm as the MAC 266 but not as springy as the J162. Urban Decay Liner Brush ($24) is wider and thicker.

G5513 Eyeshadow Brush

PPermanent. $16.00.

J162 Angled Eyebrow Brush

PPermanent. $18.00.

See more photos & swatches!