The Sakura Makie Travel Set by Chikuhodo x Beautylish

The good: the design is gorgeous, and the hair is top notch. The cheek and powder brushes are a great size and the perfect density. The bad: Unfortunately the plastic handles feel very cheap and rattle around while I'm using them. They're really lightweight and feel unbalanced in the hand. As for the eye brush, the shape and size aren't nearly versatile enough for a travel brush. It's good at laying down an all over color, but it's too big for detail work, and too stiff for blending.

I've been incredibly pleased with all my other Chikuhodo brushes, including the 2015 Beautylish Sakura collab, but these just don't measure up in quality.

The only nice thing about this brush set are the cherry blossom makie handles.

My past purchases of the Chikuhodo/Beautylish collaborations have been solid additions to my Japanese made brush collections including Koyudo, Koyomo, Hakuhodo, Sonia G., and Wayne Goss — which made this purchase all the more disappointing.

The hair is not the quality I expect from Chikuhodo. The retractable design feels exceptionally cheap — like dollar store cheap. The eyeshadow brush is too stiff with too small a head to really be functional. The powder and cheek brushes are very average at best. Super disappointed with this purchase.

I have several Chikuhodo brushes, so when I saw this set, I knew I needed it. I already own the Makie lip brush and was excited to see that the Beautylish collaboration included a shadow brush instead. These are incredibly soft, and the design is breathtaking. I work at home and often touch up my makeup at my desk before going out to meet clients or run errands, so having a powder brush at my desk is a necessity. When you hold these brushes in your hand, you'll be mesmerized by their beauty. The retractable handles operate without a hitch. Both the powder and cheek brushes have a very airy feel, so you won't overapply product unnecessarily. The shadow brush applies shimmer or metallic shadow to the lid nicely as well. I'll still need an eyeliner and blending brush for travel, but these three brushes will cover most of my needs. Functional and truly spectacular to look at. I'm very pleased.

I bought this when I see that the BeautylishxChikuhodo logo isn’t printed across the painted lacquer art like their previous Mt. Fuji collection.

Minus 1 star because it did not come with a brush roll that will let me protect them while they’re inside my makeup bag for travel.

The face brush is strictly powder products travel brush because all 3 brushes are made out of squirrel hair.

I tried the powder brush to apply my Lancôme pressed powder foundation and it’s just ok. Perhaps this powder brush is better suited to apply mattifying pressed powders on the go if you are grossed out with using powder puffs.

I use the cheek brush to apply my Suqqu, Tom Ford, and Surratt blush and it works well in distributing products without kickbacks. Despite the shape, it applied my powder blush well. Though it didn’t apply my powder Pat McGrath and Becca highlighter well. Causes highlighter to pool in a spot where the brush first hit my face despite tapping excess. Doesn’t blend highlighter with fine micro particles or fine glitters.

I quite like the eye brush. It does your basic on-the-go eye looks (Not your IG-girls cut crease) and serves my hooded monolid well. I’ve been taking this eye brush in my work makeup bag wrapped in a fountain pen sleeve to protect it.

Verdict: Buy it if you love the art work and are a fude collector. Bonus if you are the type of person that’s very meticulous in minimizing product wear and tear. There’s nothing sadder for me than to find a nick or scratches on the brush lacquer art.

Huge let down I have never ever returned a single thing from beautylish. Quality, fast shipping and top tier customer service is something that they deliver every single time. When I first saw this press release I was so excited. First of all they appear larger in the stock photos, but that’s ok I should of read the details. Secondly, the design on the brush cases. Is STUNNING. however, the huge let down is in the component. The handles to the brushes is extremely FLIMSY (idk what kind of metal this is it feels like tin that u can bend easily) and the retraction mechanism is horrible it they do not stay up when retracted! My brushes did not stay up which defeats the entire purpose of a travel brush. To add to this. Even if it did stay up it still feels cheap and flimsy, for $170 with tax. That is a no. I expect only the highest quality from chikahodo, this did not meet my expectations. To not be a negative Nancy the actual brush hairs were of quality and very soft, as other chikahodo brushes are. It’s the component that was a complete failure.

I am not a fan of short handle brushes but when I saw the workmanship on the handle I had to have these. When I got them I was really surprised that they were not short handle brushes. The hair is exquisite and super soft I am very pleased with my purchase.

Okay- so I read the reviews that came before mine, and I was nervous to purchase because this is definitely a splurge for me. I was in the market for a travel brush for pressed powder during the day, I wanted it to be retractable, and I didn't want it to be huge like most retractable brushes I found when searching.

Everyone seems to agree they are gorgeous, and the person who said they were mesmerizing every time you use them was totally right. This is what you are paying for. I would have gotten the standalone cheek makie brush that is offered in a different design- but you guys. These are the most beautiful makeup items I own now. They are art. When you buy these, you buy functional art.

The critiques are valid- yes they are very lightweight and you might expect more heft for the price. Yes they do rattle when you use them, though it doesn't affect the function of applying powder. Yes they should come with slim fitted velvet pouches to protect the artistic casing. For the one I now carry with me for powder (the cheek), I put it in a small jewelry pouch I had laying around, and that pouch is in the larger pouch I use for these kinds of items in my bag. Bags in bags in bags- ridiculous but it works for me.

The brush hair is very soft and I thought they all did great when I used them.

1 star off because critiques are valid, but I bought this anyway knowing the critiques because I was completely obsessed with the art, and that part of it, as well as the function of applying powder, lives up to expectations. I'm sure I don't have access to everything rich people get, but as far as I know, this is -the- most beautiful retractable travel powder brush on the market at this time.

I was very excited when I ordered this brush set but sadly disappointed when I received it. The brushes are very soft and the design is beautiful but the handles rattle whenever I would used them. Also there is no travel pouch so I would be worried that the metal and the design would be scratched over time. Unfortunately, these went back.

This is the most elegant travel set brushes I own - functional, versatile & with the Japanese craftsmanship of the details. I love how perfectly protected the hair bristles are (sooooo soft) I have no problem with the fact that they are light & might make a little rattle sound. The system is designed for on the go, perfection!! I use them exclusively for touch ups and they are now permanently in my handbag in a velvet small pouch that I have. They are a joy to use & see - the design on the handles is so feminine & so chic. Extremely happy with my purchase!

Sakura Design is absolutely gorgeous! Does make a slight rattling sound when in use... Kinda wished they came with a velvet pouch or something as the box is not something I would keep