It's A Brow Thing ...!

Bonjour!

It's true to say I have a slight complete preoccupation with eyebrows at the moment - I generally don't leave the house without my brows on and I'd certainly say they're up there with my lash obsession! At my age I'm not into the whole 'overly drawn-in thing' but I do like them to look like they're meant to be 'there' with good colour and definition - makes such a difference to one's kite ... here's my current 'brow wardrobe' ...

Clockwise from left ... HD Brows Palette in Foxy, YBF (Your Best Friend) Automatic Eyebrow Pencil in Universal Taupe, Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Ebony, Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Black/Brown, Laura Geller Brow Marker in Dark Brown and Mally Beauty Brow Fix in Taupe ...

Where to start with all this lot? They all have different colours, textures and application techniques - here they are quickly swatched on paper and then on my arm ...

HD Brows Palette - you can probably see from the palette that one pan is well used - that's the Dark Brown and I use only this colour on my brows, I use Nude as a matte brow highlighter and Warm Brown/Carbon as eyeshadow sometimes. Love this HD Brow powder, it goes on so easily with the little brush (mine has broken in half though!), gives great depth and a soft 'fullness' to the brows and is really quick and easy to apply. I can't justify a repurchase of the whole palette though as I'm only addicted to Dark Brown (I'll be gutted when it runs out!) but will have to hunt around for a similar brow powder in this colour.

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade - which I reviewed here in Ebony - I'll therefore not waffle on too much about it!  Takes a bit longer to apply until you get the hang of it but it gives a good natural brow with great pigment and is waterproof!

Mally Brow Fix - came with a QVC  kit - it only seems to come in this one colour and is not one I would have chosen for myself as it's too pale to add much definition but makes a good 'fixing' product to use over the top of something else. It has a waxy texture so tames and keeps stray brow hairs (not that I have that many to stray!) in place.  It's around £20 from QVC and isn't something I intend to repurchase as I can live without it - if you know what I mean!
YBF Automatic Brow Pencil - a product my mum gave to me a while ago - a twist up pencil with a 'spoolie' brush at the other end (which I forgot to photograph!). It has a dryer texture - almost like compressed powder but doesn't pull or tug at the skin and is a good flat brown colour. If I use on it's own I have to layer up as the shade is not as deep as I would choose, but it's great for adding extra definition or tidying up over another product. Comes in at around £18.00 for a duo from QVC and I would consider repurchasing as I like the texture.
Rimmel Professional  Brow Pencil - this is something I have used for years and will continue to repurchase. The colour is just right for me, really quick and easy to apply, either on it's own or to neaten up over the top of another product. Comes with its own little brush and is only £2.99. Easy to get hold of and a complete bargain!
Laura Geller Brow Marker - this is a good idea in theory as it's like a fine felt tip so you can 'mimic' fine hairs as you draw them in? Unfortunately the colour has a definite 'warm brown vibe' and isn't deep enough for me to carry off. Not something I'll repurchase - I don't do warm brows!

So that's my little 'brow arsenal'. Which one I use depends on how much of a rush I'm in to get out the door, what I'm doing once I'm out and how strong a brow I want! Apart from the Anastasia Dipbrow though (which is fantastic in hot weather) they will all melt or rub off to some degree on a hot day or in a warm environment (not a good look to have your eyebrow smearing across your forehead!) so I think a setting product is my next port of call at some stage!

How do you like your brows? How many brow products do you own? Which is your favourite? Sod it let's just have a coffee and chat about it shall we? :)

Jen x

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Ebony - Review

Bonjour!

I've been ever so slightly preoccupied with brows of late and so decided I  needed wanted to get my hands on the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade.  I had to choose between Dark Brown or Ebony. However ... it was sold out everywhere in Dark Brown (and as I had read that Dark Brown contained warm tones which was not what I was after) I took the plunge with Ebony ...

As you can see Ebony Dipbrow Pomade is a very dark flat brown rather than black. The flat tones are good because any warmth in my brows doesn't work!  It's a bit like using a gel eyeliner I guess as it has a 'mousse/gel' like texture and can be used for a natural looking brow or to create a more defined, sculpted effect. I use my Real Techniques angled brow brush to take a tiny amount onto the back of my hand and work from there - if I used it straight from the pot I'd have a proper Groucho Marx moment! It all seemed a bit fiddly at first and I wondered whether I'd bought too dark a colour but with a bit of practice it works best for me to use short light strokes to fill in the gaps and add density and then tidy up on the shape using the tip of the brush - a good brush is essential! My friend at work commented that my brows looked very natural and it's now surprisingly easy to achieve.

Applied first thing in the morning 'my brows' are still mostly in place after a full day at work and an evening session of body pump - on a hot day the shape does fade a little (on me) at the top of the brow - as my forehead can get a bit oily at times so in this case oil is the enemy!  The pomade does appear to be waterproof though as the swatches I place on my hand each morning take a good couple of sessions of scrubbing with soap and hot water to remove!

The pot does seem small for the price of £15/4g but you use so little each time it should last for ages. Maybe just need some kind of 'sealing' product to withstand the current heat - not that I'm complaining or anything!

What are you wearing on your brows at the moment?

Jen x