Shu Uemura • Natural 18 Goat Foundation Brush • Makeup Brushes

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*TOP REVIEWER* lehzheng on 9/19/2012 2:03:00 PM more reviews by lehzheng

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is the only shu brush I have (so far), but I can still say that the quality is better than MAC. Not only is the weight of the brush solid in my hand, it is also more dense than mac's version of foundation brushes. As some reviewers pointed out, it's like a giant version of the infamous mac 239. It offers great coverage for your foundation, never applies in streaks, and is very soft. The only thing that bothers me a teensy bit is that it is hard to clean! I have to wash it several times with bare minerals brush shampoo to get that lucite white back on track! I wouldnt buy this again because I think one is more than enough for my collection!

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NikkiM225 on 2/2/2012 10:31:00 PM more reviews by NikkiM225

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Dark, Cool   Hair: Black, Relaxed, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

OMG this brush rocks! It's super soft bristles give you the smoothest application ever. No streaky foundation. Just flawless looking skin. I hesitated to buy this brush because of its price, but it is definitely worth it. I would buy this again, but I know I won't have to. Shu Uemura brushes last forever!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* artemistzitzikilakis on 1/21/2012 7:57:00 PM more reviews by artemistzitzikilakis

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

The BEST. And I have tried them all. It is not flat, so no streaking. It is rather small, which I like, and compact (hairs), unlike the Trish McEvoy new perfection foundation brush. As most, that one is too large and sheers out foundation too much This is just perfect, and you will see no hair loss, etc. It is $42, in a quality price range, and worth every penny because I use it every day.

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*TOP REVIEWER* KBaylie on 10/20/2011 4:14:00 AM more reviews by KBaylie

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I do NOT like this brush. I'm not sure what it is, but everyone seems to love this brush. Foundation goes on streaky no matter which way I apply it, and I never get a natural finish. And ever since I washed it, the bristles are all splayed out and the brush head looks horrible. It looks like the brush has been used and abused and I've only used it less then five times! Worst brush ever.

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pinkjennipoo on 9/8/2011 2:58:00 PM more reviews by pinkjennipoo

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is the one. Like finding your other half, or eating the last piece of pie in the fridge. You will fall in LOVE with this brush. Like others have said, it's not the foundation, it's the brush! I have tried MAC's 188 brush, and honestly, it just doesn't compare. Shu Ueumura is #1 in make up brushes, IMO!

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hazyhaze on 6/14/2011 10:15:00 PM more reviews by hazyhaze

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

a great multi-tasker! I use it mainly for foundation, either cream or liquid, and it gives a smooth, even coverage all the time. It can even build layers so it's great for full coverage as well. I also use it to apply my tinted moisturizers. for such a little brush, it does not take me very long at all to apply my foundation, and I can even spot-apply on the sides of my nose or under my eyes. I use it for concealers too. Soft dense hairs do not shed. And I wash it after every use! Definitely a keeper. I'd try to get a backup if I could!

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cathekim on 6/13/2011 1:23:00 AM more reviews by cathekim

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

This is a very expensive brush, but it's totally worth it. It is the ONLY foundation brush I've ever tried (and I tried many) that does not streak the foundation across your face. I use it with a cream foundation, and it works great. It's very small, smaller then most foundation brushes. So far, I've washed it once, and it's retained it's shape well. There is a slight smell to it, but not too bad - it's expected with goat hair, I guess. It has shed a bit, but I'll have to see if that continues. I loooooove this brush, it's super soft. Found my HG foundation brush!

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shnarch on 4/3/2011 7:59:00 PM more reviews by shnarch

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Brown    

The only brush that I use EVERY day! I've been pretty lucky as this brush has only shed 3 or 4 hairs since i've used it over 50 + times, and I'm pretty rough with it.

I bought this gem from the Shu counter at Holt Renfrew in Toronto. I was reluctant to get it but the sales associate insisted and I'm really glad she did. This really does give my mac cream foundation a perfect airbrushed look. It sometimes smells a little funky when wet, but the smell is diminishing. I also notice it is good for contouring and blush. I collect Shu, Chanel, Nars and Mac brushes, and I find the 18 goat to be my favourite. I may even return all my recent purchases to get 2 more of these..

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*TOP REVIEWER* Adara on 1/27/2011 12:26:00 PM more reviews by Adara

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

This brush has taught me a lot, first of all never to buy Shu brushes off eBay no matter how authentic the seller claims it to be. I got one of these off eBay first, and was incredibly taken back by awful it was, both in quality and application. It also felt kinda rough, nothing like I'm used to with Shu. Eventually I went with my gut and decided the brush had to be fake. I bought one from Shu's website and--seriously, it's sometimes hard to tell from bootleg as far as appearance, but using it makes all the difference. This is quite literally the best brush I've ever used. I dot Chantecaille's Just Skin all over, use the brush to blend it out and my makeup is smooth and even. It's a great tool simply because it brings out the best in your makeup. Then again however, I've only ever used this with liquids. I think this should work well with emollient cream foundations as well--I'm considering buying another one of these for cream blushes.

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*TOP REVIEWER* proximitythe53rd on 3/29/2010 2:00:00 PM more reviews by proximitythe53rd

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This brush was a great buy. I use it all the time now. It is smaller than I thought it would be when I bought it (online). It is a short brush, with a smaller, densely packed head. But it is also very soft, and it works wonderfully well to apply any sort of foundation - liquid, cream or powder. It's great in that it makes a really even application, and you can use it to really blend and layer your foundation, and light buffing for a very natural finish.
It's also great that this brush fits into travel sets, so it's easy to take with you when you go on a trip. Most foundation brushes are larger than this, but I don't end up feeling like I wish it was bigger. The smaller head allows for good control. You can also choose how heavily or lightly to apply your foundation.
When I'm not using this brush for foundation, it also works perfectly as a contour brush. It's good for cheek contours, but it's small enough to contour along the side of your nose, or apply highlights.
The 18 Goat Foundation brush is one of the most versatile and now often used brushes in my collection (and I'm a brush addict).
I love the high quality, and the nice softness of this brush, while still being firm enough to build layers or blend well. It's easy to use and you get a lot of control.
A new favorite! This is one of the first brushes I would suggest to another person, and I think the price is reasonable for such a well-made hard-working brush. I have had mine lose a couple of hairs, but shedding is not a problem, and it seems to have virtually stopped losing hairs after a few uses with liquid or cream foundation.

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tiffankl on 3/20/2010 5:46:00 AM more reviews by tiffankl

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Wow I am so sad to be writing my first negative review of a shu product, because I am a total shu junkie. I especially love their brushes--I own a few of them and they are amazing tools that I have been using for years.However, I was sorely disappointed by the #18 goat foundation brush. One of my friends raved about it, and then I went on MUA to check reviews. Clearly, almost everyone loves the brush too. I read about the awesome finish, how soft the bristles are, and how this brush beats any other foundation brush hands down.


I am not sure if I just got a bad egg, but this brush worked terribly on me. I tried applying my foundation so many different ways (by the way, I use shu's Face Architect in liquid which is fantastic), but none seemed to work at all. In fact, I did an experiment where I did one half of my face with the shu brush and the other half with the foundation brush from CVS. Guess which one won hands down? The shu brush does not blend the foundation into the skin at all. It leaves an EXTREMELY streaky finish, and it is very hard to blend it out, even if I don't even use that much foundation!


Also, after I washed the brush, the bristles would stick out and some of them would curl in. That doesn't happen to any of my other brushes, so I am very confused as to why this happens to the shu! Plus I know shu brushes are made of great quality, but this brush just really really disappointed me. I'm definitely planning on returning this. If it even did an okay job, I would still keep it just because I hate returning things period. But this brush is so horrible that I can't even convince myself to keep it.


Anyway, take my review with a grain of salt because everyone else seems to love the brush, so I am having trouble understanding why I hate it so much! Definitely a bummer though, because I was looking forward to loving this brush, but that clearly did not happen.

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*TOP REVIEWER* bellydancer on 3/8/2010 5:53:00 PM more reviews by bellydancer

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

This brush has made me a convert to applying foundation with brushes. Before, I just didn't see much difference between fingers and a brush-- and I preferred fingers as most of the brushes left streaks that then had to be sponged out.

This brush is FANTASTIC. You swirl on or dab on the liquid foundation and buff it into your skin. It is soft beyond belief. Don't let its small size fool you-- it leaves a thin veil of perfectly blended foundation. If you want to add more coverage, another dot of foundation and buff again. The SA demonstrated it with the Face Architect foundation, but I have had just as good an experience with drugstore foundations. It is totally the brush-- not the foundation.

The only thing about this brush that's bad is that you really do need to clean it at least once a week-- and I find myself doing it more often. The bristles are too pretty to let them get permanently stained.

This is THE BEST foundation brush EVAH.

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bippyloo on 3/5/2010 6:21:00 AM more reviews by bippyloo

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is hands down the best foundation brush out there. I've used other versions, including Bobbi Brown's and Giorgio Armani's, and none of them even comes close to the results that this one gives. In fact, I had pretty much sworn off foundation brushes as unnecessary until my sister (a makeup artist) used this one on me for my wedding shower. I was really impressed with the reslults that day, and when I got the pictures back, I immediately noticed my skin...it looked smooth and flawless, like the photos had literally been airbrushed (they were taken by my digital camera!) and this is coming from someone with problem skin. I went that same day to get this brush.
I realize that at around $40, the price isn't exactly cheap, but I was actually surprised it wasn't more. Some makeup brush prices are outrageous and they don't give half the results. Shu Uemura is an over-all awesome line and their products are long-lasting and deliver and this brush is no exception. Plus, its head is small enough to get under the eyes.
Buy it, you won't be disappointed!

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lazeny on 2/17/2010 10:26:00 AM more reviews by lazeny

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Black    

I love this foundation brush! I will never use anything else.This gives me a very polished and airbrushed look and it works spectacularly well with liquid and cream foundations. The brush is small enough to fit around my eye socket and the sides of my nose, but the size is also big enough not to make my arms ache trying to blend foundation over my whole face and neck.

My brush rarely sheds and in the months that I've use it I've only got about 2 or 3 strands of the bristles sticking to my face.

I normally use this damp to achieve a sheer coverage. I spritz the brush w/ Evian and dip it into my liquid foundation, or I apply small dots of foundation over my face and stipple using this slightly damp.

I also like that the bristles are white. It's easy for me to know if the brush needs cleaning. I don't clean this everyday btw, I only clean this like after 3 to 4x use. I just swirl the bristles inside a cup filled w/ a combination of MAC brush cleaner and water then once it's cleaned I rinse it with running water, careful not to wet the silver part of the brush. I just reshape it, let it air dry and it's good as new.

The brush is expensive. This is more expensive than MAC but in my opinion the quality, balance and durability of the brush is much better.

I will definitely repurchase this again. Just to be sure I keep stock and don't run out of it like what happened in our local stores where the Brush 18R has been out of stock for months!

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*TOP REVIEWER* nettimacs on 12/29/2009 8:22:00 AM more reviews by nettimacs

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Tan, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

It is just pure perfection!!!! i love alpying foundation, or blushes- cream and powder as well.. it is just amazing. The brush does an excellent job, as most SU products, definately a must have in the make up kit!!!!!

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LuLuBells on 12/28/2009 2:09:00 PM more reviews by LuLuBells

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Other    

This brush is SO soft and works amazingly well. I just wish the handle was a bit longer!! I use it for foundation along with also using it for blushes for more concentrated color application. Works great, but is a little pricey! Kind of reminds me of a MAC 239 on some major steroids!!

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mari42000 on 11/26/2009 2:07:00 PM more reviews by mari42000

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Black    

I love this brush!!! I have used all types of foundation burshes from MAC to Chanel and I must say that this brush beats them all. Its very soft and doesn't leave streaks on your face. I like to use this brush in small strokes(almost like stippling) all over my face and I feel like I don't use as much foundation when I use this brush. This is now my go to foundation brush.

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khadijanile on 10/26/2009 8:21:00 AM more reviews by khadijanile

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Dark   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

wow wow wow, they say all good things come in small packages! my first hesitation was the head size. im a mac 187 believer, haha, and so i loved you could do alot in little time. shu uemura has changed the world of foundation for me. i have never really received compliments on my skin! how flawless and healthy i look. not what foundation i am using. i dont use the shu uemura guidelines on using the brush...i tend to sweep the foundation with the side of the brush and then buff it in with the head of the brush to get a truly incredible and flawless finish.

i have only used this brush for liquids as i am IN LOVE with the Mac 138 brush for cream foundations.

this is def the foundation worlds best kept secret!!! every woman/man needs a shu uemura 18 in their life! pls try it. im going to buy a second one, just because the thought of not having a spare freaks me out hahaha

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rsaade on 9/20/2009 2:41:00 AM more reviews by rsaade

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I agree with the previous reviewer, I thought Chanel and Armani had good makeup brushes but when I tried this one it took me to a different dimention in foundation application. Excellent even application. YOu only need a minimal amount of foundation to acheive results. any foundation will work. I have used it with liquid and cream foundation and it does a superb job.

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jmh1wdh2 on 8/9/2009 3:31:00 PM more reviews by jmh1wdh2

Age: 44-55   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I have tried Mac's 190, Chanel's and Armani's foundation brushes. The Shu 18 blows them all away. I have since bought the Kolinsky 12s and love that, too. I will definitely be adding to my Shu brush collection.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No