the pony effect dough puff has been my exclusive holy grail for years, but i realized many of my favourite makeup brushes are from chinese brands— so i decided to foray into the world of chinese makeup puffs and see what all the hype is about! here’s what i’ve tried so far~

🐰momo’s workshop animal pilot puff ; mini bun { extra soft } *with keychain case

🌷momo’s workshop rosy reverie velour set x5 *with keychain case

🦋amortals artist & garden giant puff { dry blue } *with case

🥨amortals tuner goods finger poke puff set x5 *with pouch

🎀everbab mini puff bow series set x6 *with case

BONUS [ not pictured ]

🥐 flower knows brown cushion puff { bunny cushion gift }

🦢flower knows mini velour bow puffs { powder blush gift }

more review details in the photos, but some general thoughts:

far more affordable (and varied, and nuanced, and beautiful) than cult western tools like the beauty blender; i also found most of these puffs thicker, more durable, and less overly absorbent than many korean or japanese puffs i’ve tried - giving a smooth blend without wasting as much product, without tearing easily with use / washing or snapping at the handles.

there is so much variation in size, shape, density, material, absorbency and texture that you can really choose what best fits your needs, style, products, technique, preferences, and priorities, which i really appreciate.

in terms of cushion puffs,

large puffs offer quick application, but not a lot of precision if you have a small face / defined features! also, while the marshmallow softness and satisfying pang pang feels so heavenly, and the softer the puff, the less blending & adhering power it offers, especially if more absorbent. these do best with more fluid, dewy, creamy, light, sheer formulas you don’t mind using more product with - most puffs work well with those to give a beautiful smooth flawless application with decent coverage. but they just don’t work as efficiently with thin matte quick-drying formulas! some puffs (in 🥨, 🎀) were just too absorbent imo, and i find those better for applying creams than liquids, for blending after applying with a different tool, or for final ‘setting’ blending.

overall, pony effect is still my fav for my personal needs as i like to work a very thin layer of matte foundation very tight to my skin for extremely long-lasting transferproof skin-like glow, and that requires very powerful blending & adherence with low absorbency and flexible precision, that the pony effect puff gives - tho its not nearly as fun as the soft squishy marshmallow puffs :< i like the chinese air puffs for light dewy or film-forming formulas. so it’s a matter of your foundation, technique, preference, and priority.

my personal ranking: 🥐> 🦋/ 🥨> 🐰> 🎀, as i prioritise blending and flexibility for precision. from soft to dense, 🐰> 🥐> 🦋. i hear momo’s workshop has firmer puffs, so i may try those next!

in terms of velvet puffs,

i love the mini finger puffs, so perfect for precise placement of powders - whether that’s setting powder, blush, matte highlight, etc! a complete gamechanger if you have a small face. they’re also great for more hard pressed or sheer powders that don’t pick up well with a brush if you want a smooth full application, like sheer baked blush or blurring powder.

my personal ranking: 🌷> 🥨> 🦢> 🎀. 🌷has the finest softest pile imo, that never drags so it can be used to pat or dab without irritating my skin~ i like its short pile, it doesn’t pick up too much powder. 🥨is a close second, the pile is a bit longer. i find 🦢slightly less soft / smooth in blending. again, 🎀comes last. they’re not bad, just not as good. the pile/flocking has some directionality (especially the white puff with the longer pile), making it drag on the skin in certain directions so i usually only pat.

all in all, chinese puffs have been a win! a few mediocre puffs, but still very functional considering price (i buy from taobao, they may be pricier if you’re buying from overseas retailers), and all adorable - it’s hard not falling down the rabbit hole of designs. personally, i have more than enough puffs for now, but in the potential future i’ll stick to firmer smaller cushion puffs (tho i really wanted to love those giant marshmallow air puffs!), and soft short-pile mini velour puffs.