NARS • 27 - Yachiyo • Makeup Brushes

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EmiriamdD on 5/18/2013 4:27:00 PM more reviews by EmiriamdD

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I've been meaning to review this brush for a while now. It's taken a bit of time for me to learn exactly how to use it but now I know there's really nothing else like it out there. This brush is meant to be used very delicately, to pick up the barest bit of color from darker bronzers or blushes that you thought you couldn't possibly use. I'm currently using it with Wet 'n Wild Color Icon Bronzer in Bikini Contest plus NYX powder blush in Desert Rose. Without the NARS 27 I would never have chosen such dark (for me) colors. (For the record, I'm MAC NC20.) But I use the 27 to lightly pick up color and apply, then blend, blend, blend with a clean brush--either the ELF Complexion or EcoTools Bronzer. Or both, if I need more blending. But it's the NARS 27 that allows me to experiment with darker, more dramatic colors.

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monpetitchou on 4/26/2013 9:56:00 AM more reviews by monpetitchou

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I wasn't sure about this at first, it felt scratchy and it didn't really seem puffy all around. Then I washed it. And then I washed it again. And now it is the SOFTEST brush ever. It is absolutely amazing at applying blush evenly and well blended.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Ancatje on 3/9/2013 4:43:00 PM more reviews by Ancatje

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Relaxed, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I resisted buying this for so long, since at £37.50 it is so expensive. I finally gave in and HAS NO ONE NOTICED HOW DAMN SCRATCHY THIS BRUSH IS????!!
I honestly cannot give it more than 1 lippie for this reason. It genuinely hurts and irritates my skin because of how coarse the hairs are. How can this be the case with the extreme price tag? I don't understand.
The shape and size is absolutely perfect but after a few attempts it's been left unused in my brush holder. I wish we had good returns policies like in the US, then I'd return this in a second.
My cheapie £3.50 ELF brushes, at less than 10 times the cost, are 10 times soften!
I orderded this online, so I recommend if you really want to buy it, please go and have a feel in an actual shop before splurging!

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

Sylvia60 on 2/10/2013 7:40:00 AM more reviews by Sylvia60

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Silver   Eyes: Green    

This the first high-end brush I ever bought..
Yes it hurt to pay so much for a brush.

But I've found the results with this brush are so perfect, so subtle, so...blush.
I use it on a daily basis and it would take a great deal to convince there's a better option out there!

I've had NO problem with hair fallout whatsoever and adore the slim handle.
I've used it with highly pigmented blushes and more subtle one.
Fabulous results both ways.

As far as I'm concerned it's a must-have brush for makeup lovers.

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Jessica100x on 1/31/2013 5:15:00 PM more reviews by Jessica100x

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

This is the best blusher brush I have used. I have a bazzilion. This is just amazing.the tapered hairs make it glide on beautifully at the right angle and give you the perfect intensity of colour. Sometimes application of blush can be slightly unbalanced, one cheek brighter than the other, one cheek higher than the other, patchiness and so on, once this happens it's hard for your make to look immaculate and even.this does all the work for you 100 percent. Worth the price, in fact I would pay more for it. Love the way it looks as well, very unique and sophisticated.i have never had problems with the hairs falling out

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

eshewmaker on 1/8/2013 9:04:00 AM more reviews by eshewmaker

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I was a bit hesitant to buy this brush because it was so expensive, but I love the classic NARS soft blush look and I knew this was the only way to get it.

First, I agree with the reviews that complain about the shedding. For that reason I give it 4 lippies instead of 5 lippies.

When I first used it, I found it picked up a lot of product and I was never able to get that soft cloud NARS blush look. Then I deep cleaned the brush with baby shampoo and voila! Even Exhibit A goes on subtly and easily!

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pink_cosmos on 1/2/2013 10:00:00 AM more reviews by pink_cosmos

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

It really is a fantastic brush for bronzer and blush BUT is mine the only one that is shedding like mad?!?! I use baby shampoo when I wash mine and dry it flat on its side and it's moulting so much! It's annoying when I'm applying blush and there's hair on my face so when I washed it tonight, I tried to get as many "loose" hairs off and it just wouldn't stop! I was worried I would strip the brush bald if I kept going -__-

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

rachelleanita on 11/30/2012 12:17:00 PM more reviews by rachelleanita

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

This brush is great for distributing product and blending. It picks up the perfect amount of blush, and the shape and texture of the bristles make it a breeze to blend. Expensive, but lasts a lifetime if you take care of it. I have noticed that there is little continuity with shape and color of the brushes, but they all seem to work the same.

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*TOP REVIEWER* LadyKolie on 11/8/2012 2:36:00 PM more reviews by LadyKolie

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I would buy this brush again if I needed to, but the idea is that your brushes last you a long time so you may never have to.


I am a sucker for black. I wear it everyday, almost head to toe without even thinking about it. I compared the Hakudoho yachiyo and Nars yachiyo reviews many, many times before it came down to this one factor, I like black more.


As for the brush itself, this is not the softest brush I own. The Nars 6 blush brush is much, much softer, and even Mac 119 is a bit softer. However, This brush makes it (practically) fool proof to put on the most pigmented blushes. It diffuses the pigment evenly, so no patchiness of pigment occurs. The lightness of the weight of the brush itself forces to to use it lightly. You can layer for more and more pigment, or achieve a subtle glow with ease. Since, I used this brush, I haven't even picked up my Mac 119 or the Nars 6 blush brush (which I haven't even tried it yet).


I am also a sucker for Japanese style brushes. I paint and I love cosmetics, this makes me a sucker for amazing brushes. Who want to struggle making the right brush stroke, when the right brush makes it WAY easier.

::edit:: 02.26.2013

I have recently purchased Hakuhodo brushes. And though I really liked My Nars Yachiyo, I was feeling like a lot of my brushes were rough on my skin. My skin is very sensitive. I ended up purging this brush and using the money for a Hakuhodo yachiyo. The Nars yachiyo is brilliant when being used with Nars blushes, but if you find this brush scratchy on your skin you may want to try a different softer brand like Haku. I won't lie, in comparison to hand made aligned goat hair, and Dye machine cut goat hair there is a huge difference in how it feels on the skin. I still think that the Nars Yachiyo is more beautiful because of it's hand crafted handle, and the uniform color, but this doesn't make the brush "FEEL" softer on my skin. It is still a great brush and is fantastic with pigmented blushes.

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

blazinfashion on 10/7/2012 3:19:00 PM more reviews by blazinfashion

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Just bought this brush 5 minutes ago, and already am writing a review. I'm a makeup artist/drag queen & performer, and I've been doing makeup professionally for 13 years. I've never, EVER written a product review on any single makeup product, let alone felt compelled to only 5 minutes after purchasing a product. However, with all that said, I feel the need to share with you how AMAZING this brush is (ALREADY). I have, obviously yet to even exhaust all possible uses for this brush, so I am going to focus on its uses for blush application and its functionality for highlighting and/or illuminating. It applies blush BEAUTIFULLY, giving an ethereal glow to your complexion--EFFORTLESSLY. And, it's extremely versatile. Whether you choose to achieve a subtle, sheer application or a dramatic, high-pigmented cheek, the end-result still gives you a natural, well-blended glow, as if the color is actually "blushing" from within your skin. I can't wait to explore all its possible uses, as I'm sure are countless. Buy this brush! You will not be disappointed.

14 out of 18 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

camilka on 10/3/2012 6:02:00 PM more reviews by camilka

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

Unique! I ordered it online based on the reviews. When it arrived my first thought was "What the hell did I spend all this money on?". I thought it looked cheap and the brush head was all flat.
So I washed it and while drying the full shape that I had seen online came out :)

This brush makes blush look like it's supposed to - like you are blushing. Other reviewers have explanied enough details so I don't have to add to that.

I rarely buy brushes and I don't like spending too much money. But this is not spending, it's investing :) I will keep it forever <3 love!

ONLY COMPLAINT: It's better for matte blushes than for glittery. I find that when using it to apply Nars Orgasm it picks up too much glitter and highlights pores. So I'm taking one lippie off.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

jadorelechoc on 9/2/2012 11:44:00 AM more reviews by jadorelechoc

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is not the softest brush I own, but little does it matter to me. It applies any colour beautifully and evenly and distributes the product very well on the cheek. I use it for blush and for a light, diffused contouring as well.
It looks beautiful and fragile, but works like a soldier. I have gotten rid of many MAC brushes that I owned, but I would never kick this one out.
If I had to choose to keep only one face brush and toss all my others, this would be the one. Versatile and efficient, worth every penny I paid for it. This is not a spontaneous-current-lover review, I have been using this brush for more than 2.5 years now, I am very settled down and sure of my feelings ;)

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

taibug27 on 8/22/2012 3:37:00 PM more reviews by taibug27

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I didn't want to like this. It's too expensive, and it looked a little flimsy. I was all kinds of skeptical. But then I went through this bizarre phase where suddenly I felt like I'd forgotten how to apply blush, and I just kept looking like a clown. So I researched, I poured over reviews, and yada yada yada, I bought the brush.

But you'd better believe I kept the receipt. Nordstrom will take anything back, and I was prepped to take this back the minute it wasn't as magical as everyone made it sound. Two weeks later, I threw the receipt away.

Basically, this brush is so good that you'd have to go out of your way to look bad after using it. It's basically foolproof. I've been using it with my holy grail NARS blush in Gaiety, and I look fresh and alert and just glowy. Someone mentioned that there's a technique to using it - involving drawing a triangle with the tip and then smoothing with the side, but honestly I've just been going at it in my usual clumsy fashion, attacking my cheeks any old how, and the results are still great. Totally smooth, no harsh edges, just lit-from-within goodness. Honestly, you can't ask for more from a blush brush.

14 out of 15 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

lavvy76549 on 8/3/2012 11:16:00 AM more reviews by lavvy76549

Age: 44-55   Skin: Oily, Dark, Cool   Hair: Brown, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

The price I gave a three but I purchase my brush from ebay from a lady that sells them in Australia for a lot less than in the U.S. the brush has the number 27 on it so I am guess it is a real brush. I also trust the vendor as she makes her own knock off version for a cheaper price.
I absolutely love this brush I have purchased three because I lost one and I want to have the extra on hand. This brush does not prevent you from using to much blush but the trick is just to use the tip. If you do this then you will not pick up too much and them work the brush into a circular motion and it will make your blush look so natural. The best blush that I have used with this brush is the nars taj mahal (oh my goodness!) I always get compliments with this blush because it diffuses the color in a way that makes it look so natural. If you really want to try this go to eBay and look for the vendor in Australia, you will not be sorry.

3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

DivaDeLosMuertos on 7/24/2012 10:19:00 PM more reviews by DivaDeLosMuertos

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Tan, Neutral   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

This is the best Blush brush i've ever owned! Its soft, so lightweight, easy to use, dense, fluffy, and perfectly tapered and shaped in such a way nobody could go wrong with this brush. It's WAY expensive but I don't regret buying it....It works for so many things but I use it for blush. Even the reaaally pigmented blushes (Bright red, hot pink, orange) can be applied to look natural and gorgeous. I haven't looked back at any rounded/angled blush brushes since I bought this. Something about this is the unique shape makes it a little difficult to dry after washing but it's maintained its shape and fluffiness all the same! I can't go on enough about this brush, Its one of the most important of all my brushes!

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

chookana on 6/19/2012 8:28:00 AM more reviews by chookana

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Tan   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

First off, this brush looks really classy. It's a really unique looking product and although I was hesitant to buy it mainly due to the price but also because it looked unsturdy and a bit awkward to use, I'm glad I did.
The tapered tip does an amazing job at contouring the hollows of your cheeks and diffuses bronzer/blush at the same time, so it cuts the time spent perfecting your make up in half.
Also when applying whilst holding the thin handle you can really control how much product you're applying, so it makes it easy to build your colour as per your liking and you end up with nice and natural but professional look.
There is honestly a million ways you could use this and in my opinion it's a fool proof brush. You can't look wrong after using it.
That being said, I paid $70 for it (hence 4 lippies instead of 5) which is an absurd amount of money to spend on a make up brush and because of this I will remember to stock up when I go to the States lol.
If you can justify spending this much on a brush, I'd say go ahead and buy it, you'll most probably love the results. If you'd rather die than spend this much on a brush, Japonesque does a similar brush (the white bamboo version), I'm not sure how it works, I haven't come across it in Australia yet. It looks the same as the Yachiyo but I've heard that it doesn't work the same. Might be worth giving a try though, as it is a cheaper alternative.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

erin12107 on 6/17/2012 10:54:00 PM more reviews by erin12107

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I love this brush. It allows you to have a lot of control over how you apply your brush with the versatile shape of the hair. It is also so small and lightweight! I love the way this makes my blush look and how I can use pigmented blushes that were collecting dust because they were too easy for me to overdo-- not anymore. Love it, so glad I finally bit the bullet with the price, worth it!

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*TOP REVIEWER* violetmist on 4/8/2012 11:57:00 AM more reviews by violetmist

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

Like a pushup bra for your face! A revolution in blush application though this is an antiquity because it is the same brush that geisha girls used. Result: a highly defined but soft look that lifts the face, sculpts the cheek as effectively as contouring. It is a flat brush pointed like an arrow.and it is used by using the edge to first draw a triange on the cheek (point toward the nose) and filling it in with the flat side - a stunning appearance that could not be achieved with any other brush. I will never use a regular blush brush again! If you have this brush and are not satified with it you need to learn how to use it from a Nars makeup artist or perhaps look for an application video on line. I want you to love it as much as I do.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* clarissa90 on 4/2/2012 1:31:00 PM more reviews by clarissa90

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Cool   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I waited for this brush to go on sale since I couldn't justify a $50 price tag. This brush does do the job, but it doesn't work any better than a powder brush for applying a pigmented blush. I ended up losing this brush and I have to say to say that I don't miss this brush. When using pigmented blushes like Illamasqua, MUFE, or Tarte, I just use the Trish McEvoy 2B Sheer Blush Brush or the 56 Sephora Brush. I took off one lippie since the wiring does come off after a period of time. Another lippie since the shape of the britsles changes, unlike other brushes I own.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

annasandler on 3/14/2012 9:34:00 AM more reviews by annasandler

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

Amazing brush. I have never been able to use blusher before because I would end up looking like a clown but this brush seems to have made the most wonderful difference to my technique. It allows you apply very subtly which is perfect for me as I prefer the no-makeup-makeup-look.

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