Review: Wayne Goss 04 Medium Pointed Eyeshadow Brush

I know I’ve been talking about the new Wayne Goss brushes an awful lot lately, and well, I’m not gonna stop quite yet. It’s only been a few days since this little guy showed up on my doorstep, so clearly it’s too soon to speak to things like durability. I’ve been using this brush exclusively for my eye looks though, so I think it’s high time I shared some of my initial thoughts on it. This review is a little bit picture-heavy, but I think you’re going to like what you see.

The brush is really slick-looking. The handle is glossy black-lacquered wood, and the black metal ferrule matches so closely in color and gloss that it all looks like one piece at first glance. One side of the handle has Wayne Goss printed on it in holographic lettering, and the brush number is printed on the opposite side.

I’ve learned a thing or two from my Hakuhodo brushes, which have similar lettering on the handles, so I went ahead and put a coat of clear nail polish over the logo/numbers to keep it from wearing off. Maybe that’s not an issue with these brushes, but better safe than sorry, right?

Front view

Top view

The brush head is slim and round, tapering to soft point about two-thirds of the way down the bristles. The ferrule is unpinched, giving the brush a round base. It’s fairly dense, but the length of the bristles gives it plenty of movement.

As always, the first thing I wanted to check out with this new brush line was the quality. The intro videos made a special point of noting that the brushes are hand-made by artisans in Japan, the source of some of the highest-quality brushes in the world. I have to say, I’m very impressed by the quality. Here are the things I check with new brushes-

• The ferrule is seamless and made of solid-feeling material – check
• The handle is well-machined with no unevenness or rough spots – check
• Any lettering or engraving is uniform – check
• The ferrule and handle are joined tightly, with no movement or gaps – check
• The brush hairs are bundled evenly – check
• The brush head is shaped well and evenly – mostly check. As you can see in the top view, there are a few hairs that don’t quite follow the brush shape, though they did lay more in line after washing.
• Minimal shedding during washing and use – check; this brush hasn’t had any shedding at all

From what I’ve seen so far, I’d put this right up against my Hakuhodo brushes as far as quality goes.

Left: Hakuhodo G5523
Right: Wayne Goss 04

Somewhat unfortunately, the exact hair types in the Goss brushes aren’t specified. I wish that information would be included in the product info, because it’s nice to know what to expect from a brush before you buy. As long as it performs well, though, I’m happy. For the 04, the hairs look and feel almost identical to my Hakuhodo G5523, which is blue squirrel.

Top: Wayne Goss 04
Bottom: Hakuhodo G5523

Top: Hakuhodo J5523
Bottom: Wayne Goss 04

I know I always like to see comparisons of new brushes, so here’s the Wayne Goss 04 against the Hakuhodo G5523 and J5523. As you can see, the 04 ferrule is just a little bit longer than the Hakuhodo, and the handle is just a tad longer too. In both cases, the Goss and the Hakuhodo are about the same weight. For those who’re wondering, here are the measurements on the 04:

• Full length – 156mm
• Bristle length – 16mm
• Width of ferrule foot – 5mm
• Width of brush head at the widest part – 7mm

Performance wise? I’m blown away by this brush. Since I got it, I’ve been using it for entire eye looks (aside from tightlining and mascara). It applies shadow easily and blends it out effortlessly. It’s also incredibly soft on my eyelids, which are extremely sensitive. Despite the softness, the way it’s cut allows it to pick up quite a bit of product and deposit it evenly without fallout. The point is maybe a little larger than I’d prefer for the lower lash line, but it works. For everything else, it’s the perfect size for my smallish, partially hooded lids.

So what wouldn’t I use this brush for? Cream and liquid products for sure. For one it’s probably too soft to pick them up and deposit them well, and I also wouldn’t want to put it through that much washing (for powder products I can just wipe it with a tissue and move on to the next color).  It also probably wouldn’t be my top pick for incredibly intense looks. While it picks up product well, the effect it gives is somewhat subtle. To be fair though, I’m very used to flat eyeshadow brushes for laying down shadow.

In Short: I had extremely high expectations for this brush, and I wasn’t disappointed. I’ve got my eye on a couple more when they come back in stock.

The Wayne Goss 04 is available for $28 from beautylish.com in the US and love-makeup.co.uk (£18.00) everywhere else.