Faber-Castell Pastel Pencils are color matched to correspond with all other Faber-Castell lines. They are made with high quality and extremely lightfast pigments. The extra thick 4.3mm lead is securely bonded in a cedar wood casing to resist breakage. As they smudge easily, remember to use a fixative to protect your work! To get the best effect when sharpening, use a Faber-Castell pencil sharpener.