Why would a makeup brush maker make hairbrushes? The link is a way of making things that looks closely at the characteristics of each bristle material and combines them to suit the purpose. Makeup brushes touch the skin and hairbrushes comb through hair, but in both cases the "bristle" is what shapes how the tool feels to use, and that attention to bristle is shared. Ueda Bisyodo (ウエダ美粧堂), a maker in Yao, Osaka, brings this approach to its BISYODO natural-bristle hairbrush.
Why a Makeup Brush Company Is Making Hairbrushes
The company regards the scalp as part of the face. As a brand aiming for a better makeup finish, it wanted to suggest daily scalp care to customers as well, and that thought was the starting point for the hairbrush.
Ueda Bisyodo's roots lie in importing, processing, and selling raw animal hair. Over many years of working with a wide range of raw hair and judging its quality and characteristics, the company built up knowledge and experience, and it decided to apply them to tools other than makeup brushes.
The goal, as with the "BISYODO Long series," is for a company that knows bristle materials to choose the materials it considers best with its own eyes and to make a product that pursues top quality. From the combination of boar and black pig bristles to the material of the handle that meets the hand, the BISYODO natural-bristle hairbrush reflects the discerning eye of a bristle-material specialist and the care of a maker of beauty tools.
Two Sizes to Choose From, for Outings or for Parent and Child
- Hairbrush HB-01: 200 mm in total length
- Hairbrush Mini HB-02: 160 mm in total length
Both combine boar bristle and black pig bristle, and both use African rosewood for the handle.
The standard size is suggested for care at home, and the mini size, which is easy to carry, for outings and travel. Beyond choosing by where it will be used, the two sizes can also be divided between parent and child according to hand size and ease of handling.
Suited to getting ready each morning or brushing before heading out, the two sizes also fit a lifestyle in which a family enjoys the comfort of the same tool.
- Hairbrush (large): ¥13,200
- Hairbrush (small): ¥7,700
The Golden Ratio: A Blend Based on Repeated Testing
The BISYODO natural-bristle hairbrush mixes black pig bristle into boar bristle.
Boar bristle combs through hair smoothly, while black pig bristle has firmness and flexibility. Combining the two aims to deliver both ease of brushing and flexibility.
The blend of 55% boar bristle and 45% black pig bristle is a golden ratio arrived at after repeated tests on the scalps of women, the intended users.
Beyond using natural bristle, the company also considers how to combine the strengths of each type of bristle. That reflects the commitment of a maker that has long worked with bristle materials.
From Yao, Osaka: Bringing Bristle Expertise to Everyday Tools
Ueda Bisyodo is based in Yao, Osaka Prefecture, a manufacturing town.
Alongside developing its in-house brand BISYODO, the company handles OEM manufacturing of makeup brushes and bristle processing. Assessing materials, matching them to their use, and finishing them as products that reach the people who use them is the foundation of its business.
The company aims to bring the knowledge of bristle materials it has built up through makeup brushes to hairbrushes as well, and it plans to keep making tools that support everyday grooming by drawing out the qualities of each material.
