Starting from Hakuhodo G512: Why I Wanted to Make This Kolinsky Angled Blush Brush

I personally really like Hakuhodo G512.

It is a very classic and clever small angled brush. The shape is beautiful, the movement is flexible, and it works wonderfully for highlighter, small-area blush, or delicate finishing around the face. Because of its airy and soft nature, it gives a very light, transparent, and natural finish.

But in my own use, there are also some moments when I feel that G512 can be a little too airy.

For example, when I want the blush placement to be more defined, or when I want the color to follow the cheekbone with a bit more structure, the lightness of G512 can sometimes become a limitation. It can diffuse color very softly, but sometimes I wish the brush had more support and could hold the placement a little more firmly.

Especially with blushes that are more pigmented, or when I want better control over the edge of the color, I often feel that I want a brush with more grip, more structure, and more stability.

That is where the idea for this Kolinsky angled blush brush began.

I did not want to create a replacement for G512. G512 has its own beauty and its own perfect occasions.
What I wanted to make was another direction:

A brush that keeps the face-hugging shape and flexibility of an angled brush, but adds more thickness, more support, and more control.

Why Kolinsky?

This brush is made with Kolinsky hair, with a hair length of approximately 26–32mm and a thickness of about 17mm.

Kolinsky feels very different from squirrel or blue squirrel hair. It is not the kind of hair that melts away completely the moment it touches the skin. Instead, it has a very clear elasticity and spring. When the brush moves across the face, you can feel the direction of the movement more clearly.

I think this type of hair is very suitable for creating a blush brush with more “bones.”

Because applying blush is not only about sweeping color onto the face. Very often, what we need is clean placement, soft edges, and controlled diffusion. For many Asian facial structures, the space between the apple of the cheek, cheekbone, mid-face, and outer contour is not always very large. If the brush is too loose or too airy, the color can easily travel to places where we do not want it to go.

The advantage of Kolinsky is that it lets you feel what the brush is doing.

It does not simply let the color float everywhere.
It helps you place the color first, then slowly push and blend it out.

The Key Point: Angled Shape + Thickness + Support

For this brush, I especially care about the thickness.

The brush head is about 17mm thick, so it is not a thin angled highlighting brush. It has a fuller body and a more stable hair bundle. The purpose is to make sure the brush does not feel hollow or unstable on the face.

The shorter side helps you decide where the blush begins.
The longer side follows the curve of the cheek and blends the color outward.
The thickness in the center gives the brush support, so the brush head does not collapse or spread too widely when it moves.

This is the biggest difference between this brush and G512.

G512 feels more like it lightly sweeps across the skin, creating a soft, airy, transparent finish.
This Kolinsky angled brush feels more like it first attaches to the facial structure, then pushes the color out in a stable and controlled way.

So, if G512 is an airy small angled brush, this Kolinsky brush is more like a structured main blush brush.

What Kind of Finish Is It Good For?

I think this brush is especially suitable when you want a cleaner and more intentional blush placement.

For example, when you want to place blush on the outer part of the cheek without letting it spread too far;
or when you want the blush to follow the cheekbone and give the face a little more structure;
or when you want one brush to handle blush, soft contouring, and blending the edges between blush and highlighter.

This is where the brush works very well.

It picks up powder, but it does not feel overly loose.
It blends, but it does not lose direction too easily.
It hugs the face, but it does not become so soft that there is no feedback.

That is the part I personally like very much. It is not a brush that is “soft to the point of disappearing.” It is a brush that feels like it is doing its job carefully.

It Is Not a Replacement for G512, But Another Option Beside It

I still really like G512.

It is light, delicate, soft, and beautifully made. It is a very elegant small angled brush.

But if, like me, you sometimes feel that G512 is a little too airy, and you want an angled brush with more thickness, more support, and better control over blush placement, then this Kolinsky angled blush brush is my answer.

It is more suitable for people who like brushes with feedback.
It is more suitable for those who want clean placement.
It is also more suitable for those who want blush to do more than simply add softness — they want it to help shape the face.

Simply put, I wanted this brush to feel obedient.

Where you want the color to go, it helps you place it there.
How far you want the edge to blend, it helps you slowly push it there.

That is the feeling I wanted when designing this Kolinsky angled brush.