Friday 14 February 2014

High brow? More wild brow...

Aren't eyebrows fascinating? They frame your face and depending on the shape and color, your whole appearance changes. As a blonde, I am cursed with VERY blonde eyebrows all year around, but in the spring and summer they turn virtually invisible from the sun and all you see are golden shimmers - might sound cute, but really it's not a good look. To avoid looking like Mona Lisa I desperately need some color added to my brows and my preferred way of doing this is using a brow pencil - it's a method I've used for years, that I'm very familiar with and I get exactly the right amount of color and shape. But this year I have made a promise to myself that I'm going to try other types of products to emphasize my brows and my first exploration of this unknown brow territory has been to try the Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara (£4.99).  
One of my biggest brow challenges is to find a color that works well with my natural colouring and there are usually only three or four color options for brow products, and it's the same with this one; Dark Blond (taupe), Medium Brown (chestnut) and Dark Brown (ebony). I've been trying Dark Blonde, and although it is a bit darker than what I am most comfortable with wearing, the shade works well and it looks natural. The brow mascara is a very straight forward product that does what it says on the packaging - well almost...

It's a mascara format, i.e. you apply it using a wand which has a brush with a slightly strange looking ball shape, that has quite long combs to separate the hairs and it's stiff enough to shape the brows as you want them. I have virgin brows - they have never been plucked or shaped or threaded or anything like that and they naturally have a pretty decent shape, but I still find it quite difficult to get the shape that I want using the mascara, and I definitely need the help of a separate thicker brush to get a decent arch. The formula is quite dry, which is good in a way since you won't have to worry that you'll drown your brows in liquid, but the downside of that is that I often have to dig around a bit to get enough product on the brush to get an even coverage of the brow and this is by far the trickiest part for me. More often than not, I end up with an uneven amount of color that clumps ever so slightly in places (which you can also see in the photo below) and which I then have to try and spread out across the brow and also adjust using q-tips. On the plus side, the formula is completely smudge proof which is great once you have the brow shape that you want in place, and it's long lasting so you can be 100% confident that what you applied in the morning will still there when you take your makeup off in the evening.

 Dark Blonde

For me it takes much longer to use this brow mascara to define my eyebrows than when I use a pencil, and the result isn't always what I'm looking for. I usually have a fairly groomed and slightly arched brow, and the brush is more of a blunt instrument than a precision tool so it's best used for a more bushy, full brow look. I'm so used to working with an eyebrow pencil and it's surprisingly difficult to get used to another format and another technique. I'm not sure that brow mascaras are the way to go for me since it's difficult to get the arched look that I enjoy but it's been an interesting experience and I'm already looking forward to next adventure in the eyebrow world, trying out a powder and wax kit. But since it's Valentine's I'm not taking any chances today - out with the brow pencil and let's put those eyebrows on! How do you define your eyebrows and are there any products that you would recommend me to try?

41 comments:

  1. I had saw this and was in two minds about trying it. I think I might stick to my HD brow palette and brow shaper from lancome. I like powder cause you can build and adjust it but I am keen to try out a brow pencil.

    Rachael x
    All The Little Things x | Rachael McClenaghan

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    1. Yes I was as well, and I won't be repurchasing this and will check out HD for a nice little kit next time :o). Xx

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  2. My HG product for brows is UD Naked Basics Palette. I use the shade Naked and Faint. They are just perfect for me. I would love to find a dupe for those eyeshadows but everything is too warm.

    Blu Button Box

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    1. It's a great idea to use eye shadows, and you're right, it's definitely not easy finding a color that works - I don't understand why there isn't a wider range of shades available... :o). Xx

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  3. Great mascara!
    Happy Valentine's Day dear!

    Love,
    FASHIONHYPNOTISED

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  4. I'm with you on the blonde eyebrows :'( I love the Hourglass arch brow sculpting pencils x

    www.andbeautyorsomething.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Sounds interesting, I'll need to have a look at that too then - Soap & Glory is supposed to have a great one too :o). Xx

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  5. I have the same issue, very fair brows. I started having them tinted monthly a year or so ago and it makes a huge difference to my face just like you said. There are those days when they just don't seem dark enough for me and this sounds like a decent alternative. Thanks for the tip x
    http://bellalovesbear.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. I've tried the tinting as well, but on me the color only seems to last for about 2 weeks or so, which is a shame, because that's by far the easiest way to go :o). Xx

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  6. What an oddly shaped brush. I don't think it would be precise enough for me either. My browns are naturally very big and bushy, so I need the right tools to shape them nicely. I use a precision eyeshadow brush from Glominerals that use with eyebrow gel and powder.

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    1. Thanks for the recomendation, I'll see if I can get hold of that :o). Xx

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  7. I have shocking eyebrows due to my dark hair colouring and a cyst which sits in the middle of my eyebrow (everyone thinks it's a piercing mark!) but I do find this brow mascara is handy for days when I can't be bothered to make too much effort with them.

    I'm actually going to pop out this evening and purchase Sleek's new brow offering and see how that is.

    Victoria
    FlorenceandMary.com

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    1. Excellent, I hope you'll share what you think on your blog, I've looked at that as well and am VERY tempted :o). Xx

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  8. Great article dear! Love your blog!! Just followed your blog on bloglovin'
    Would love it if you could check out my blog and follow it on blog lovin' too! :*

    Much love from the Netherlands xx

    www.diisensemble.com

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    1. Hello Diipa, thank you so much for visiting and for following :o). Hope to see you here again soon and I follow you as well now :o). Xx

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  9. I am in the same boat you are, my eyes brows are very light too, they are even a bit lighter than my actual ash blonde color!
    I have never heard of a brow mascara, but I usually use pencil which works well for me! :)

    www.callmemaddie.com

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    1. Yep, you can always trust the good old pencil :o). Xx

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  10. That's so nice of you, thank you very much :o). Xx

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  11. I'm not really into brow products at all, for some reason I look super weird when I fill mine in so I love the maybelline brow drama <3

    Jennie xo | sailorjennie.com

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    1. I guess it's what we're used to as well, I wish the Maybelline worked better for me :o). Xx

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  12. I really want to buy a brow product, this looks amazing x

    daisy-drops

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    1. I'm very excited about trying one of the powder wax kits, I just need to find the right one :o). Xx

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  13. Great review! I've never got on with brow mascaras! But maybe I've just not tried a very good one yet! I alternate between soap and glory's pencil and just the brown eyeshadow from benefits big beautiful eye set. I really want to try the Anastasia brow set though, only hear great things about it.
    RosieLM Beauty Blog x

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  14. I have the same problem, I use Benefit's got brow, I think it works in the same way, but I will keep this in mind!
    Simona
    ON/OFF DUTY STYLE

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  15. I've never tried mascara before because mine are dark anyway - they're just gappy so I fill 'em in with a pencil! In many ways you're lucky to be so fair though, I wish I could dye my hair a million pastel colours :) <3 Claire @ Jazzpad

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    1. Ah, you're lucky to only need minimum effort :o). Xx

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  16. This is interesting, for me I think the circle part of the brush is weird lol. Great review!

    Kayla
    Sheer Beauty Blog

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    1. Thank you so much! It is - I'm not quite sure what effect that ball is supposed to have...:o/. Xx

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  17. I'm like you, I have virigin brows too. Lol I have such a hard time trying to figure out how to define them without having to break out the tweezers, wax, or thread. They are also fairly thin so that's also a bit of a challenge. So, I just said I'll go au natural! Lol
    This gel is really interesting. I'm not sure why the brush is shaped that way and how it would help. And seeing from the photo and what you've said about it, I don't think it's much help at all lol. Thanks for sharing this. :)

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  18. Interesting product. I been using the Benefit for years and love it. I guess this new product is a matter of getting used to it.

    Xo
    Sam
    http://fabulouspetite.blogspot.com

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    1. I think you're right, I might give Benefit a go :o). Xx

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  19. I really need that, my brow is a mess

    sarahrizaga.blogspot.com

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    1. If you do get it, let me know what you think of it :o). Xx

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  20. I was so eager to try this, and I felt it let me down. I found the formula looked a little clumpy on and that it didn't give great shape. :( I won't be buying it again.
    http://lipstickandlightening.blogspot.ie/

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    1. Yes I was disappointed as well - the biggest let down was that it just didn't shape at all... Xx

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  21. Im eager to try this just for setting my brows after using a pencil, I won't find it such a waste of money as its only £5 but its a shame it cant be used on its own.

    http://ambertypes.blogspot.co.uk xo

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    1. Yes I agree, maybe it works better if you only use it as a setting product and don't rely so much on the shaping or color :o). Xx

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  22. For me I define my brows with powder, but I did buy this to tame any stray hairs, but found the bulb end was way too big for me, I liked the formula, but the wand made them look much bigger than they are.

    It has definitely made me want to try other brow gels/mascara's, but with a different wand.

    Paula at Beauty Lover xx

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    1. I had the same issue - the eye brows looked massive! :o). Xx

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