Utowa 7P Pointed Eye Shadow Brush

My seven year old niece and I were going over my makeup brushes in what she calls "the playroom"
(that's my dressing room, where all the makeup lives). She was marveling at the different shapes and sizes, getting the feel of different bristles and handles. Eventually she declared that the Japanese brushes were her favorites. I had a proud auntie moment.

Years after it was discontinued, Suqqu Eye Shadow S still haunts my dreams. I should have bought it when it was still available (and also a backup). It also makes me collect small pointy eye shadow brushes. In my defense, these are among the most useful makeup tool you can have, and I use them constantly, which is why I was so eager to add Utowa 7P Pointed Eye Shadow Brush to my arsenal.

Utowa is a Japanese brand that offers a small and well-edited line of makeup tools, from cotton squares to an eyelash curler. The brushes come in classic shapes and sizes (no traditional Japanese forms), and I admit that the only one that captured my attention was the 7P Pointed Eye Shadow Brush, simply because I already own so many brushes. But as mentioned above, some shapes are completely irresistible to me. Especially one that I can use to define and contour the eye, go under the lower lashes, diffuse color along the upper lashes, and even go into the crease. The 7P does all that with a bounce in its step.

Unlike equivalent Suqqu, Chikuhodo Z series, and some Hakuhodo brushes, Utowa 7P is made of pony hair, not squirrel. This is a major difference, which immediately answer the question about its ability to completely replace the unicorn, Suqqu S. It's not quite as dreamily fluffy, for better and for worse. Pony hair is more resilient, suitable for creams and liquids just as mush as for powder products (it's not very absorbent), and picks up more product than softer bristles. It has a good snap and is a great performer. I already knew from my experience with Hakuhodo pony eye shadow brushes that while they're not as gentle as the squirrel ones, they're not scratchy either, so the nice feel of Utowa 7P didn't surprise me. It's a good brush with an excellent shape that was incorporated into my makeup routine and has been earning its keep since I got it. It does the job, and I love the size and shape very much. But I'm still holding out for Suqqu to relaunch the Precious.

Bottom Line: One day my prince will come.

Utowa 7P Pointed Eye Shadow Brush ($32, Made in Japan) is available from violetgrey.com.