The Mizubake brush from Hakuhodo is an odd little thing. I don't have anything even remotely similar in my collection, which was reason enough to get it. I'm all about unusual brushes. The hair is white goat (about 1" long), the handle is short and wrapped in cane, similar to Hakuhodo's Yachio brushes. The handle is quite short, which might be the only issue with the Mizubake. I tend to prefer heftier ones that are more weighted. But since the Mizubake is part of the Japanese traditional brush series, I assume that's how it's supposed to be.
Hakuhodo's website lists the Mizubake as a face brush for liquid and cream blush formulas and it's absolutely perfect for that. The fluffy flat head picks quite a bit of color, places and blends it beautifully while feeling like the softest puffy cloud. The brush is far too soft and floppy for powder formulas but, as predicted, it's ideal for liquids. I've used other natural hair brushes for cream blushes (as well as assorted synthetic ones), but this might be my favorite because of the way it feels against my skin. I would suggest caution when using highly pigmented blushes, but the Mizubake is great at blending, so it's still effective.
Hakuhodo Mizubake Brush ($34) is available from hakuhodousa.com.
All photos are mine.
