Though they be but little, they are fierce! My Hakuhodo Misako brush set has arrived, with natural bristles and according to my Dad this white goat hair version is the newer and softer upgrade to the previous Misako portable sets.
My parents arrived the other day from Japan and brought with them tidings of great joy in a parcel of red. These Misako brushes were slightly smaller than I expected but I knew this was a travel set and when it comes to travel brushes the more portable the better.
I love how bright and elegant these look. The bristles are so soft but you can tell firmly attached. The natural bristles are delicate but flex back just enough so they don't have too much give upon application. I like that the white goat hair bristles allow me to see how much product I'm applying and how clean my brush is. This set, according to the salesladies is a new edition of the Misako set made with goat hair. The previous ones have black bristles and aren't as soft, according to Mom. In one set you get 5 brushes, a powder brush (that I use for blush), a smaller blush brush (that I use for powder, lol), an eyeshadow shader brush which pats and smooths on color nicely, a nice and stiff angled brow brush, and a lip brush.
The brushes consist of goat and horse hair from animals that Hakuhodo have reportedly claimed have not died for the brush trade specifically. If this specific detail bothers you Hakuhodo also do synthetic brush blends as an option, but not of this set. To my knowledge MAC 217 brushes are also made of goat hair.
It also comes with a washable travel pouch and care instructions. This is my first set of Hakuhodo brushes and I am floored by the quality. Mind you, these aren't even the full size brushes. This Misako Portable Brush Set according to the site cost ¥20,952 / approx. Php8k+ so evidently it is a luxury purchase but a maximum value one that will certainly last you a very long time. For more affordable mid-range brush alternatives check out my post on the Zoeva Luxe Complete Set that I received via Luxola before here.