Today I am writing about the first two Japanese natural hair makeup brushes I got. It has been a while since I ordered them from the U.S. online retailer Beautylish which exclusively sells the Sonia G. range.
I wanted to give them a fair shot before talking about them. Both brushes are made with dyed saikoho goat hair.
The descriptions on Beautylish read as follows:
- Sonia G. Smooth Buffer:
“Buff your powders to a smooth, seamless finish with this fluffy powder brush from Sonia G. Similar to Face One but in a smaller size for easy handling, Smooth Buffer features the perfect shape, grip, and density for blending pressed and loose powders without disturbing makeup underneath.
The Smooth Buffer is the Face One brush with a smaller ferrule and surface diameter. It offers the same functionality as Face One, with the same softness and movement in the bristles. The density and flexibility are what make this little buffer so versatile for daily use.” - Sonia G. Face One:
“Designed by beauty blogger (SweetMakeupTemptations) and makeup brush expert Sonia G. for mineral powder foundations, Face One is a fluffy powder brush with velvety natural bristles. Face One features the perfect size, shape, grip, and density for blending powders of all types to a smooth, poreless finish without disturbing makeup underneath.”
I had first ordered the Smooth Buffer from Sonia G. after reading and watching a lot of reviews. At the time, I was looking for the ideal brush to apply a smooth layer of powder foundation (e.g. Armani compact Luminous Light or Neo Nude) over a BB cream or just a glow base, to achieve a light to medium coverage. I have a rather dry skin and am over 40, therefore I needed a brush which would not emphasize my dry patches upon application and would achieve a smooth and natural finish. Well, let me tell you I did no wrong when ordering the Smooth Buffer. It ticks all my boxes and even more. It feels so soft when working it on my skin. I use it as I described above, and also for buffing finishing and glowing powders, such as the Hourglass Ambient ones, to finish up my makeup. When I go overboard with blush sometimes, I use the Smooth Buffer to buff it more and tone it down.
When it came back in stock, I rushed to order the Face One. Again, I have no regrets at all with this one either. This brush has the same properties and functionalities than the Smooth Buffer, but as it is bigger it is easier (for my personal use) to use it on larger parts of face and to apply powders on the contour of my face and on the neck. And these are exactly the reasons why I bought the Face One too.
I would say these two brushes are complimentary. They do not disturb any base product (BB/CC creams, foundations, etc.) when using them for applying powder foundations or finishing powders whatsoever. When used for applying loose powders, these brushes avoid the powders to look too powdery. They both feel so soft and luxurious. Now I almost exclusively only use the Smooth Buffer and Face one on a daily basis, no other ones for applying powder foundations or finishing powders. They are the first natural hair brushes I own, but certainly not the last ones…
At the time of writing this post, both are out of stock on Beautylish but I recommend to check them out when they restock. If you have just shopped for the Gift Card Event, you may want to use the gift card you received toward purchasing one of these brushes. Yes, they are pricey: the Smooth Buffer retails for $70 and the Face one for $75, but the high quality of their craftsmanship and their expertise of functionality make them worth every dollar.