Byredo's new Kabuki Brush. Is it worth it?
Article by Diana Aldea
Photos by Nathalie Martin
Did you know that our sense of smell is 10,000 times more sensitive than our other senses? Not entirely surprising, considering that scent has the ability to change our moods and stimulate our senses. I’ve been addicted to fragrances for as long as I can remember. It started with an innocent affair with Bath & Body Works body sprays in my early teens, and it has since escalated to buying a fragrance a month, the latest being Byredo’s Blanche.
The first time I smelled Blanche - it blew me away - it was the perfect combination of fresh and luxurious. Sure, the price point for Byredo fragrances is a little high (it starts at $150 for a 50ml of their eau de parfum), but you really do get what you pay for. When I heard that Byredo was releasing kabuki perfumes in three of their most popular scents (one being Blanche), I was super excited. To give you a bit of background, kabuki perfumes are exactly what they sound like – kabuki brushes which are filled with perfumed talc, and are designed to be lightly dusted where you desire. They market it as the “new art of perfuming”. Sounds pretty sensual and fancy, right? Like all things Byredo, the price point can be a little jarring for the uninitiated ($85 for a kabuki brush with 7 grams of perfumed talc). Loving Byredo as much as I do, I bit the bullet and fully expected to love it. Sadly, I didn’t.
First, it took a long time for me to get the brush working. I followed the instructions closely, yet, the perfumed talc would not emerge. When it did, it was very sparingly, which is probably because there’s only 7 grams in the brush. Second, the talc was very, very light. I’m sure this appeals to some people who love super subtle fragrances, but I found that there was little to no longevity. I layered it over my eau de parfum and found that the scent lasted for the same amount of time. Lastly, the price point is really high for what you’re getting. I understand that you’re also paying for the brush and if you’re a collector, or have a lot of money to spend, this might be for you. Sorry Byredo, you can’t have my cash this time.
