Japonesque • Foundation Brush #312 • Makeup Brushes

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VintagePinup on 1/4/2009 12:25:00 AM more reviews by VintagePinup

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Overall, a pretty decent foundation brush. The hairs are synthetic talkon, which I prefer for cream or liquid products. The size is a bit smaller than most foundation brush, but I found that to be a plus. It works as a concealer brush and a foundation brush with this size. Also, because of the size, it's perfect for applying cream blush on my cheeks. I've never owned a foundation brush before, but with this one I have to be careful to stipple in certain areas properly or some minimal streaking occurs.

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*TOP REVIEWER* condesadepitimini on 10/27/2008 11:00:00 AM more reviews by condesadepitimini

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Oh, this is by far one of the best foundation brushes I have ever used.
It is far superior to MAC (=Mac is too big and does not allow precision in corners and small areas) and Smashbox.
I have used both the long handle and the short travel handle brush, but the bristles and the shape of the brush is the same.
I like shape (relatively small but perfect) the tightness of the bristles, they collect the right amount of product, they obviously do not absorb it being synthetic, and they allow a perfect blending of the foundation.
The brush gets cleaned easily and does not get stained with the product (contrarily to the MAC one).
I said "yes" for the repurchase but I am sure this brush will last me forever.
Totally recommend!

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lizyu on 10/18/2007 6:27:00 PM more reviews by lizyu

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

this brush has just the right firmness to spread and blend the foundation flawlessly. one of the most used brushes in my kit when i work!

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KRISTYLEOPARD on 8/5/2007 1:07:00 PM more reviews by KRISTYLEOPARD

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I just recently purchased this brush and I love it. My makeup has never looked better, and my regret is that I didn't start putting on my foundation with a brush years ago. This brush gives an airbrushed look and I purchased after having it recommended to me by the lady at the Estee Lauder counter (when she told me NOT to buy theirs b/c it sucked ;)

Yay for honest sales ladies!

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flyyy372 on 3/19/2007 12:31:00 PM more reviews by flyyy372

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

i bought this at ulta for like $13. i originally wanted to buy the lancome brush b/c of all the rave reviews but didn't want to spend $35 on something i didn't know if i'd like using. the brush is very soft yet stiff to apply the foundation. i dabbed some foundation in my palm and applied using the brush. you have to brush in the direction of those tiny face hairs or you'll get minimal streaks/marks. the direction i had to brush was down. i loved the finish, kinda light and airbrushed looking. i buffed lightly w/a dry sponge afterwards b/c i am paranoid of streaks but i don't think it's necessary to do that. i haven't had this brush very long so i don't know if the hairs will fall out or not but i 'll update this review if that happens. i bought the travel sized version b/c of the shorter handle. it was a perrfect fit especially if you want to apply it up close to a mirror. i love this and will never apply foundation using fingers or a wet sponge again!

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stefanielw on 2/22/2007 10:12:00 PM more reviews by stefanielw

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

This was my first foundation brush. I was finally convinced that my make-up would look much better if I invested in some good brushes. Ulta had a buy 2 get 1 free sale on the Japonesque brushes so I got the foundation brush, eye shadow blender and an eye liner brush. I LOVE them all.
The foundation brush is great. The bristles are soft enough to be comfortable but still stiff enough to spread my make-up beautifully.
I've had no problems with shedding either.
I'd love to get more of their brushes the next time a sale comes up.

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penelopemb on 1/25/2007 4:53:00 PM more reviews by penelopemb

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

I've had a Japonesque eyeliner brush for quite some time and have been impressed with its long-term performance, so after reading many magazine articles (and reviews here) about the merits of a foundation brush, I decided to go for it. I love it! I wasn't quite sure how to go about using it at first -- I've been using wedge sponges for years. And at first I was disappointed because my foundation was looking streaky and uneven. But then I discovered the secret -- a little dab of foundation on the tip of the bristles, and work in small areas. It takes a little more time than the sponge (though not much once you get the hang of it), but it is so worth it. This particular brush is quite nice. Others have said they think it's too small, but I really think the size gives better application control, especially around the nose and eyes. I clean it daily with a dab of cheap shampoo. From my past experience with Japonesque, I know this will be with me a long time. So if you're looking for a little splurge ... go for it!

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*TOP REVIEWER* RedNailz on 12/9/2006 12:21:00 PM more reviews by RedNailz

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

Thanks to MUA reviews, I bought this brush. I never used a foundation brush before and I am not even sure why I decided I needed one. With that said, I was so surprised what a difference this made in my foundation application! It goes on more evenly than when I use my fingertips and doesn't streak like a sponge or suck up all the foundation. Yes, it is small, but that's ideal if you apply only on areas that need coverage, instead of on your entire face. Plus it's easy to control the amount of foundation you're using. Really, this brush is a great buy!

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*TOP REVIEWER* rinnins on 11/21/2006 3:40:00 PM more reviews by rinnins

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I have the "travel size" version of this brush and I love it! I've had it for 2 or 3 years now and it's in great condition. I agree with others that it's a little small for entire face application. I use more as a 'large area concealer brush' for extra coverage around my nose, chin, and eyes. Excellent quality, good value, excellent product.

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Timarie on 6/5/2006 3:09:00 AM more reviews by Timarie

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

A decent foundation brush that gives even application, and good for hard to reach areas (i.e. around the nose and lips). However, the head is small. It takes too long to cover the whole face and is easy to miss some areas. The brush is sturdy. I've used mine for years and it's still in good shape, but I'm in search of a new, bigger foundation brush.

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tripolar on 5/29/2006 10:24:00 AM more reviews by tripolar

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

This was my first Japonesque. It's my favorite foundation brush. I use it pretty much daily. I use Bourjois Matt Lovely and this works nicely for it.

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*TOP REVIEWER* just_like_gold on 5/20/2006 2:54:00 PM more reviews by just_like_gold

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Some people have mentioned that this is too small for them -- not so for me. I like a lot of control. This is great for tinted moisturizer and thicker foundation. I get great coverage with this. Plus, it's SO easy to clean, and since I'm lazy I don't like complicated cleansing processes for my brushes. My younger sister has the concealer version of this brush as well as this one, and the foundation is basically a big version of the concealer. It's not overly dense, nor is it thin and weak. Truly a find at $17.99. Snaps for Ulta.

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illuminata on 5/20/2006 2:51:00 PM more reviews by illuminata

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I have the smaller size of this. I use it for both liquid foundation and to cover specific spots with mineral powder. This is like a big size version of BE's concealer brush (their only good one) and is high quality taklon. Super soft for a foundation brush, very flexible. Extremely easy to clean, too. I've used this on others and they all comment on how soft and pliable it feels on their skin.

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goaway on 4/2/2006 4:26:00 PM more reviews by goaway

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

The head of the brush itself is very tiny compared to other foundation brushes. I was shocked at how small it was when I first received it! However, it is beautifully crafted: nicely tapered, very sturdy, hasn't lost any bristles.. This brush is great for applying undereye concealer, and cream shadows. I think it is too small for the whole face. I purchased mine from ulta.com for ~$10.

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*TOP REVIEWER* mashimaru on 4/29/2005 11:47:00 PM more reviews by mashimaru

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I've had this for years. And I never use it. I just don't like it at all.


What I don't like about it:


- The bristles are well-packed but they are actually too dense and firm. It creates the effect of spreading the foundation on your skin with a trowel. And blending is impossible. I can't even use this for concealer, because of this reason. It actually hurts.


- It's not even that cheap. I think I paid $16.95 at Ulta back when I bought it - probably costs more now. Cheaper than most HE brands, but you can definitely get something much better than this at the drugstore for around $10.


The only advantage this brush has, in my opinion, is that the ferrule and the handle are very similar to MAC brushes. So if you have MAC brushes, these will fit right in. Believe it or not, that is the only good thing I can think of about this brush.


My other foundation brushes are - Chanel, Beauty Basics (from Nordstrom Rack), EoB (from CVS), and Posh. One HE and 3 DS. Every last one of them is far superior to this Japonesque brush. It's really awful.

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Babara on 11/24/2004 2:45:00 PM more reviews by Babara

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination   Hair: Silver   Eyes: Hazel    

I bought it together with the concealer brush, which I love. But for this one, I don't use it at all, kinda waste of money. I tried to use it but always went back to use my fingers to apply my foundation. Then again, most of time I use tinted moisterizer, so this brush may work well with creme foundation.

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biomechmonster on 10/5/2004 4:25:00 AM more reviews by biomechmonster

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Other    

This is my first foundation brush so I don't have anything to compare it to but rightaway I notice one huge benefit to using this over those wedge sponges--you save a LOT of foundation!!!! The sponges soak up so much. The brush gives you precise application and easy blending and seems to make the applying routine go by faster. This brush is also made with the same materials as high-end brushes so it's a very high quality brush for a good price.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Tresha on 9/23/2004 7:34:00 PM more reviews by Tresha

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Tan, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I got this foundation brush at Ulta for $10.99! My foundation bottle is not a pump, and it's expensive, so I wanted to use a foundation brush instead of my fingers or makeup sponges to avoid contamination. I'm so impressed with how much better my foundation looks when using a brush. I never knew a brush could make so much difference! The little extra effort is worth the flawless results. I'm so happy with this brush that I have no desire to buy a more expensive one.

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lilybee89 on 7/14/2004 1:29:00 PM more reviews by lilybee89

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I love this brush. It makes putting on foundation so much easier. No more dirty fingers. would definitely purchase again!

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Kikiyo on 6/7/2004 11:08:00 PM more reviews by Kikiyo

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I went back to joseibi.com and bought this, it's so cheap! I always used sponge to apply foundation but this brush is really awesome! I think I am in love with Japonesque!!!

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