Masterclass: How To Use A Kabuki Brush

Know What You’re Working With…

“Kabukis are typically short-handled brushes with densely packed bristles. They often resemble traditional shaving brushes – however, Japanese kabukis also come in flat forms. The brush head can either be rounded, domed or completely flat, which only adds to their versatility.” – Kenneth Soh, Make-Up Artist

Use Them To Build Even Coverage

“If you’re after maximum coverage in minimum time, you can’t do better than a kabuki brush. Since the bristles are so tightly packed, flawless coverage is almost guaranteed. The brush head is bigger too, so it’ll cover a larger surface area, which makes it ideal for applying everything from foundation to body make-up. They’re also good for applying shimmer to the body – I love doing this for the red carpet – or to even out skin tone and cover up bruises and marks.” – Kenneth

Don’t Be Afraid To Use Them For Contouring

“Use flatter kabukis for contouring and highlighting, and rounder ones for polishing and finishing off your complexion. One thing to remember is the denser your brush, the more it may disturb any make-up that’s already on your skin. So, if you use a kabuki to layer a sheen or shimmer over your base, choose one with slightly longer, not-as-dense bristles. When using a kabuki to contour, take a ‘slicing’ approach, working from the ear towards the centre of the face, then down to the nose.” – Kenneth

Tame Unruly Hairs 

“Backstage at fashion shows, I often saw hairstylists use kabuki brushes and hairspray to tame fly-aways. It’s easy to do and works well to flatten and smooth everything into place. I own a limited-edition, densely packed kabuki brush from Shu Uemura that’s really good for this. I also use it to go over the face when it’s clean and dry to really polish the skin – I find it really invigorates the face, and promotes extra luminosity and radiance.” – Kenneth