Material used for making brushes
Brush hair characteristics can vary widely in quality. If natural hair is used, these characteristics differ according to which part of the body they come from and how they are processed.
Described below are the most common types of hair we use for making brushes.
It is important to make the most of each hair when you use a makeup brush, therefore we recommend you choose the hair type according to how you want to apply your makeup. The most expenisive hair type may not always be best for the particular makeup application you require.
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Goat
Soft, resilient and durable, goat hair excels at creating great color, picking up the desired amount of product.
It is multi-purpose and can be used in brushes for powder, blush, highlighter and eye shadow.
Hair characteristics can differ depending on the gender and parts of the body. -
Blue squirrel
Ultra-soft, fine and thin at the hair tip, its texture is by far the smoothest. Blue squirrel hair can be used for any type of brush,
such as finishing, powder, blush, highlighter and eye shadow.
Bigger bristles made from this hair are suitable for highlighting and eye shadow as the brush offers good control.
Distributes the correct amount of powder to help achieve a natural and sheer look and when blended with goat hair, creates colors to the desired intensity. -
Kazan squirrel
Very rare and of high value, Kazan squirrel hair is similar to blue squirrel but softer.
Eye shadow and highlighter brushes (with rounded bristles) made of this hair offer easy control.
The round and flat shape of the longer bristles deliver makeup to achieve a natural and sheer finish. -
Tree squirrel
Similar to weasel, Tree squirrel hair has elasticity and work well with any type of product - liquid or cream based makeup and even powder.
Suitable for eye shadow brushes. -
Pine squirrel
Pine squirrel hair is soft and thin at the hair tip but has a less uniform body. Suitable for shorter bristles such as those in eye shadow brushes.
Ideal for smudging your eye shadow color.
If good quality pine squirrel hairs are carefully chosen and used in bristles, it can be used for blusher and highlighter brushes with longer bristles. -
Canadian squirrel
Canadian squirrel hair is soft and thin at the hair tip but has little natural spring.
Since it is shorter than blue squirrel hair, its usages are often limited to smaller brushes such as for eye shadow or highlighting.
Although very rare and expensive, it is highly prized by makeup artists and makeup enthusiasts due to its uniform body and controllability. -
Weasel
Soft yet resilient and long lasting. Weasel hair excels at producing colors, picking up the correct amount of products and can be used with all types of products - liquid or cream base makeup and even powder.
This multi?purpose hair is used in bristles for lip, eyeliner, concealer, eye shadow brushes, etc. -
Kolinsky
Very rare and of high value, Kolinsky hair is similar to weasel hair but softer and longer and of superior quality, therefore has more uniform body when used in bristles.
Since its hair tip is quite resilient, which provides good control, Kolinsky hair is also ideal for manicure brushes. -
Tamage(cat)
The name "Tamage(cat)" is used to denote the hair acquired from a cat. Hair from this animal has a roundish tip.
It has elasticity and durability, making it easy to control and will produce excellent color.
It can be used for liquid based makeup, although if used for powder it does not pick up the sufficient amount, due to its roundish tip.
Tamage is quite expensive and rather short in length so can be only used in the production of eye shadow brushes. -
Horse
Horse hair is one of the most common hairs used in the production of makeup brushes. Like goat hair it can vary a bit in quality.
It is often combined with other hairs which can accentuate its resilience and durability and also make it softer.
When used correctly a brush made of horse hair will gradually become easier to use.
Suitable for blusher and eye shadow brushes as it produces great color. Hairs from the mane and tail are used primarily for making a brow brush. -
Water badger
Water badger hair is rather thick and resilient at the root but tapers toward the tip. Ideal for eyebrow brushes.
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Synthetic fiber
Synthetic hair produces great color but does not pick up sufficient amount of powder, however it does help achieve a natural and sheer look when makeup is applied.
It is ideal for all types of product - liquid or cream based makeup, even powder. It can be primarily used for concealer, lip or cheek cream.
It is often blended with natural hair, this helps maintain the brush shape and stabilize quality. -
Raccoon dog- Tanuki
Hair from this animal has natural spring and is very pointed at the hair tip. The hair tip is so smooth and when used in a brush can be swirled easily when used.
Therefore it is commonly used as an artist brush for decorating pottery.
Highly prized as it is strong enough to be used with sticky pigments but Tanuki hair does not work well with resins such as acrylic.
Not very uniform in body, it creates moderate rough lines.
Japanese Tanuki hair especially is of superior quality and can express beautiful lines. -
Deer
Deer hair is sharp and coarse but has little spring and is primarily used for smaller brushes.
The hair tip is strong but the middle part to the hair root is fragile which can easily cause hair breakage.
Deer hair holds sumi-ink well and is frequently used as an additive to make the calligraphy brush thicker.