The Brow Products Stash

Hey guys! So today I wanted to go over all the eyebrow products that I own! I don't have a ridiculous amount of products, but it is a significant amount where you can get a mini review (or update if I have reviewed them) on what I think about all the eyebrow products I own and whether or not I would recommend them! Have to say though, once you start drawing on your eyebrows...you cannot go back. It makes SUCH a huge difference in your face, gives it a more polished and framed effect!

Let's first start off with affordables of the bunch I have in my collection. The Elf Studio Eyebrow Kit in Medium (Review - $3) is great for beginners! As you can see, I have already hit pan on the brow gel side (which is the side I predominantly use)! The brow powder is definitely subpar compared to the Anastasia Brow Powder Duo (which I will talk about later in this post), but gets the job done so long as you set it with a brow gel. Now looking back, it is a bit more warm then I would like for a brow powder...which means that it will work will for the majority of brunettes (because my blue-black hair has no warmth in it to match the brow powder). However, the brow gel is fantastic and matches with my eyebrows. This can easily be blended out with a spoolie to create a natural brow or a dramatic brow.

Next up is the Jordana FabuBrow Eyebrow Pencil in Taupe. Priced at $2.99, I was looking for another drugstore eyebrow pencil that could be good to stash into my makeup bag. Unfortunately, this product is a dud for me, it does not have great stay power at all...probably lasts four hours without eyebrow gel to seal (and only six hours with the eyebrow gel). I find that the product doesn't cling to my brows really well, and I can easily accidentally blend too much product away.

However, I do have a drugstore brow pencil that I can recommend, the Maybelline MasterShape by Eyestudio in Dark Brown (about $6-$9). My friend Jenny gave this to me when she was cleaning out her collection and ever since then, I have been loving this product! This eyebrow product is great for those of you who have sparse eyebrows, it is really easy for it to draw on the skin because the product isn't too waxy. This eyebrow pencil lasts the majority of the day for me, which is a huge plus!

The Anastasia Beverly Hills brow products have a cult following and for a good reason. I have tried out four of their products and there is no dud in what I have tried! My current favorite eyebrow product from the line is the DipBrow Pomade in Dark Brown (Review - $18). Even though this takes me a really long time to apply, I love the end result-- a long lasting brow product that will not budge! The Brow Powder Duo in Dark Brown (Review - $23) is another fantastic product from the line! This is probably best suited for those of you who already have nice brows and just have some sparse areas to fill in. This product is very easy to use and looks very natural on the brows! The Clear Brow Gel (Review - $22) has been a staple in my collection, I have gone through two tubes of these! I use this brow gel on almost a daily basis to set my eyebrows and make sure that they stay put all day! While I have not gotten the chance to repurchase the Brow Wiz in Brunette/Dark Brown (Review - $21), I do think that this is a fantastic brow pencil. Biggest downside to it is that it runs out extremely quickly for me, within two months I have to purchase a new one and I unfortunately do not have to money to keep replenishing this.

Final verdict: Love Anastasia brow products, they are well worth the investment! But for a drugstore alternative, give the Elf Studio Brow Kit or Maybelline MasterShape by Eyestudio a go! My personal favorite from Anastasia is her DipBrow Pomade and my favorite from the drugstore is Elf Studio Brow Kit.

What brow products do you use? Let me know in the comment section below?

On a side note, I am officially addicted to football. This world cup is sucking me in like nobodies business...makes it really difficult for me to write blog posts! I have watched almost all the games now.... I might be a convert xD

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Recap of Makeup MAYhem: My Experience and Favorite May Posts/Videos

Hello guys! So today I wanted to do a recap of the Madness of Makeup MAYhem. For those of you who are new to my blog and are visiting, the whole 31 days of May I was either frantically blogging or editing. As a result, depending on the day you stopped by I either had a blog post or video up! It was an insane month, where I spent the majority of the time glued to my computer or glued to my camera. Tough times yo. I had an amazing experience with my first month off of school being productive in my favorite way possible, blogging and bvlogging! I'm going to share with you a couple things I've learned about myself and my favorite posts and videos that I did in May.

1) I bow down to the people who can take amazing photography of makeup. I am decent in landscapes and portraits, but with objects (in specific, makeup) I have a long way to go before I am happy. Purchasing a Nikon D5100 is a brilliant move, but I can't seem to get the hang of taking object photography. That being said, I have made it a goal for June to improve my photography skills in that aspect! 

2) Blogging at home sucks, and I am not the efficient at home. Basically, spend more time in little coffee shops and boba tea houses to write my blog pictures! Maybe I can get pretty pictures taken there as well!

3) Video editing is nasty. And by nasty, I do mean it. I've taken up to four hours editing a video...and I have a feel like with how some of my videos will be in the future, it'll be a miracle if I can edit under three hours. That being said though, I do like how my videos are turning out!

4) I have no idea how some bloggers and bvloggers can turn out videos or posts every day. Mad respect for those who shoot, edit, and publish with consistently amazing content. There were days where I barely made it, where my blog posts or videos were about an hour away from being considered the next day on my timezone. Mad props to you guys ^_^  

So those were a few things I've learned throughout May (beauty blogging and vlogging wise of course)! Now I have a two posts and two videos to share that were my favorites that I posted in May!

Hits and Misses: Elf Cosmetics Brushes

Thinking about buying Elf Cosmetics Brushes? Check out this lengthy post where I detail what I recommend, what I don't recommend, and some alternatives for you guys! I have a good portion of their brushes from their Essential and Studio line, so it's pretty comprehensive of about 70% of those two lines (if not more!)

Makeup MAYhem Day 31 - Review of Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade

Probably the most detailed review I have to date, the Anastasia DipBrow Pomade is a game changer in my makeup routine. When I say game changer, I mean it. Staying power wise, this beats the rest of my brow products hands down, and I find no need to use a brow gel to set it. Unsure of whether or not you want to fork over $18? Check out the review!

Makeup MAYhem Day 18 - Review of Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation

Finally got around to doing a review of the cult favorite, Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation. I've given this foundation about six months of testing before I reviewed it, making sure that I wouldn't be swayed by what I've heard from other beauty gurus and bloggers. If you are thinking about making the splurge, check out the review!

Makeup MAYhem Day 30 - Summer Foundation Routine

Summer is the time where most people tend to go for virtually no makeup or a very lightweight coverage one. Well, I never said that I fit with the mold did I? This summer foundation routine is provides medium coverage, and can easily be built to full if I added an extra layer of foundation on certain problematic areas of mine. Think that your oily skin and rising temperatures will cause your face to melt off? Think again. I can safely guarantee you that your makeup will look flawless from dawn to dusk with this routine (trust me, I've tested it out myself)!

How was your month of May? Let me know in the comment section below!

Be sure to check out my giveaway here (open internationally)!

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Makeup MAYhem Day 31 - Review of Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade in Dark Brown

Claims: A smudge-free, waterproof pomade formula that performs as an all in one brow product. This creamy, multitasking product glides on skin and hair smoothly to create clean, defined brows. The standout formula works as a brow primer and provides color, sculpture, and shading. It is ideal for oily skin and in humid climates.

Price: $18

Size: .14 oz

Shades: Blonde, Auburn, Dark Brown, Chocolate, Ebony

Where Can It Be Purchased: Anastasia Beverly Hills, Sephora, Ulta

Hey guys! So today I will be doing a review of the Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade in Dark Brown. This product has been well raved on youtube and the blogging world, and as a result I knew I had to give this a try eventually! I had such a difficult time getting a hold of this product    it was consistently sold out at my Sephora and Ulta for the longest time. Just recently, I was able to get a hold of it during my latest Sephora Haul. After wearing this product consistently for two weeks and doing a first impression video, I am now ready to do a review on the product.

Packaging:

I have always been a fan of Anastasia packaging, but this product is slightly disappointing. The top is a chic black plastic cap, and the bottom portion is made of a sturdy acrylic material. The pomade is also lightweight and as such, won't weigh down your makeup bag. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that about of the packaging is empty. As seen by the picture above, all of the .14 oz of brow product is held in the area where the cap is screwed on. While I do not necessarily mind this, I would've rather had the space being used to its capacity, and making the product a little bit slimmer for my makeup bag. That is not to say that its not a small packaging, as I am eye balling the dimensions I can safely say that it is no more than 3 inches in height and length. Personal preference wise, I would've wished that it was a bit smaller but besides that, I do like the packaging. 

Swatch of Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade in Dark Brown

Shade Selection and Pigmentation: 
With five shades in the range, it offers some variety, but not a whole lot. In comparison to other Anastasia Brow Products, such as the Brow Wiz (review) where there is currently nine shades in the selection, the Dip Brow Pomade has five shades. If you live around near a Sephora and Ulta, definitely swatch the colors to make sure that it will match your eyebrows. I personally feel like if the demand for more colors is high enough, they will expand the selection! This time last year Brow Wiz had six shades, now there is currently have nine shades to choose from!

I had to decide between Chocolate and Dark Brown and after swatching them in store, I picked Dark Brown because it had a cool undertone whereas Chocolate had a warm undertone. Pigmentation is the last thing you need to be worried about. In the swatch below, the left swatch was just me lightly touching the pomade and dragging it across my hand (live swatch here during my first impression) while the right swatch is blended out. A little product goes a long way, as seen by my first impression video. During my first application of the product onto my eyebrows, I accidentally used too much product. If that occurs, your product can still be blended out, it will take some time (and patience) to do so.

Application:
I have tried three brushes in applying this product each having varying levels of success. First and foremost, the most affordable option is the Elf Studio Small Angled Brush ($3) is a very effective brush to apply the pomade. I find that if I do not pick up excess product when using this and it distributes the pomade very nicely in my brows. Only downside of this brush is does not have a spoolie to blend out the product. The next affordable option is the Real Techniques Brow Brush from the Starter Set Collection. Using this brush is my least favorite application method. It picks up too much product, as seen here in my Sweet as Candy Tutorial, making it a bit wasteful. Again, this brush does not have a spoolie to help blend out the product. Lastly, I have used the Anastasia Beverly Hills #12  Brush here in my daytime smokey eyes tutorial. This is the most expensive brush I have used this product with, and its also a very effective. It picks doesn't pick up excess product, distributes the product nicely, and has a spoolie to help blend out the product. If you are looking for an affordable brush to use this product with, I recommend the Elf Studio Small Angled Brush and picking up mascara spoolies from places such as Sally's Beauty Supply or a brush like Elf Essential Eyelash and Brow Wand. If I could go back in time, that's what I would've done instead of picking up the #12 Brush from Anastasia, its a great brush and all... but I would rather spend $18 on a multitude of other things. Regardless of what brush you decide to use, it is essential to have a spoolie when using this product, it will be difficult to use a brow brush alone on to blend out the pomade.

The key thing about this product is using a light hand when you dab the brush into the pomade. For me, I start off with light one dab on the pomade, and start off by distributing the product in the middle of my brows, working my way to the tip before working my way back to the front. Remember, you can always add more product back in, but if you add too much from the start you will spend more time on blending your eyebrows. Luckily, the product doesn't set immediately and you have some time to clean up any mess ups! The Dip Brow Pomade is also very blendable, which is a huge plus for a product that is so pigmented. Biggest downside of the application process, it takes me slightly longer to use this product than any of my other brow products. For those days where I am rushing, this product is not something I will be reaching for.

How Does It Look On Me?

I fine with the Dip Brow Pomade I can create both a dramatic eyebrow as well as a natural eyebrow. The key to how dramatic the eyebrows are is how much of the pomade you are using and how much you blend. Below, I have two pictures demonstrating two different days where I wore the eyebrow product!

From Talk Through Tutorial Feat. Daytime Smokey Eyes

From Talk Through Sweet As Candy Tutorial

Staying Power:
This product has lasted on my eyebrows for at least 10 hours without the use of a brow gel to help it. By the end of 10 hours, it still looks like when I initially applied the product! This has lasted through the Florida humidity and my oily skin! While this claims to be waterproof, I find that the more accurate term is water resistant. I did test this product out in the swimming pool, and this product faded about 50% of what my initial application was. Not too bad (considering I spent an hour in the pool swimming about 20 laps), but something to keep in mind if you are going to be entering the waters.

Final Verdict:
I can safely say that this product is worth the hype! It lasts all day and I am very pleased with the results! I do recommend you give this product an extended period to learn how to use it, for me it took a small learning curve to figure it out! I won't necessarily recommend this product for beginners, I feel like this product is probably best suited for those who are already used to using some sort of eyebrow product, whether it be a brow powder or brow pencil. If you are constantly in a rush, I would not recommend this product for you. However, if you have can spare a couple of more minutes in your makeup routine, I would definitely suggest you to check this out! While this is an $18 dollars, I do feel like this will last me a long time and the results are spectacular!

What is your current favorite eyebrow product? Let me know in the comment section below! Since it is the last day of Makeup MAYhem, I decided to upload another video today! Check it out here! Hope you guys enjoyed me posting everyday in May, not sure how my posting will be for June yet... but will definitely keep you updated!

Be sure to check out my giveaway here (open internationally)!

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Review:Elf Studio Eyebrow Kit in Medium

Left to Right: Brow Gel, Brow Powder

Claims: Create brows that are fuller, thicker, and more defined! The pigmented wax defines and shapes brows and the color complementing setting powder keeps them looking arched and perfected. The doubled sided taklon brush has one side to help arch your brows while the other side aids in filling them in. This duo provides lasting color definition for a naturally beautiful look.Price: $3
Shades: 4 (Light, Medium, Dark, and Ash)
Size: .12 oz
Where Can I Buy: Elf, Target (available only in Medium)

Hey guys! So today I will be doing a review on the Elf Studio Eyebrow Kit in Medium. I've been wearing this a lot lately, testing the lasting powder of this product and seeing whether or not I like it and I have concluded that this is a very nice product!

The lasting power of this product is great! I have wore this product alone for 12 hours and it looks the same as when I did my eyebrows! I have used this product along with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel and it did last me for a good 14 Hours. I've tested it out in both humid and rainy days, so it withstands the test of time for me! The packaging is also small and compact, which makes it travel friendly!

Examples of me wearing the Elf Studio Eyebrow Kit in Medium from my various FOTD posts!:

 

FOTD 7/8/13

FOTD 6/20/13

Sister's Makeup 7/2/13

Initially when I started using the Brow Powder, I thought it would be too light on my eyebrows. However, I then quickly realized that wasn't the case. The eyebrow powder fills in my sparse eyebrows with ease, especially if I am aided by a spoolie brush to blend the product out. The brow gel is way too dark to be used completely throughout my eyebrow, but it works perfectly to use to fill my arch. I use the brush applicator that it comes with for both the brow powder and the brow gel; the fluffier brush side is used to fill the majority of my brows with the brow powder while the angled brush is used to fill my arch with the brow gel. 

From Left to Right Pictures: One Swatch of Brow Gel, Opaque Swatch of Brow Gel, One Swatch of Brow Powder, Opaque Swatch of Brow Powder 

As seen by the swatches, not only are the brow gel and brow powder in the kit pigmented, but they are also easily buildable in color. With eyebrow products, you can't really expect extreme pigmentation like you would see in eyeshadows, or else it would be extremely difficult to work with. I find that both the eyebrow powder and eyebrow gel have the right amount of pigment in them, any more and one can easily go overboard on the eyebrows. I don't find that the kit in Medium has a red undertone, which is something I know a lot of people are concerned about when they are searching for eyebrow products!

I would certainly recommend it for those who have Asian brows or have dark brown hair to grab this kit in Medium. There are also other shades worth checking out on the Elf website if you are in need of a lighter shade. I don't have any cons for this products but I would recommend you to use a makeup remover or a cleanser to remove the brow gel, just because you can irritate your skin on accident if you used just soap and water!

What eyebrow products do you guys use? Any eyebrow products you recommend? Let me know in the comment section below!

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Review: Anastasia Beverly Hill's Brow Wiz and Brow Gel

From left to right: Anastasia Clear Brow Gel and Brow Wiz (Brunette)

Anastasia Beverly Hill's Brow Wiz
Price: $21
Shades: Caramel, Ash Blonde, Medium Ash, Brunette, Ebony, Soft Brown
Size: .085 g
Where to Buy: Anastasia, Sephora

Anastasia Beverly Hill's Clear Brow Gel
Price: $22 (full size), $10 (mini size with tweezers)
Size: .28 g
Where to Buy: Anastasia, Sephora

I have to admit, I probably have been holding out on filling in my eyebrows for the longest time. I was hesitant towards it, I've had relatives that have tattooed their eyebrows and it looked absolutely horrific-- it scared me into thinking that I would do the same. Just recently I decided to give my eyebrows a try. I went with Anastasia, a brand I knew had a reputation for having really good eyebrow pencils. I then purchased the Brow Wiz in Brunette and the Clear Brow Gel to set.

Swatch of the Brow Wiz in Brunette (Left is one swipe, Right is an opaque swatch)

The Anastasia Brow Wiz in Brunette deposited color nicely onto my eyebrows. I have occasionally added more color then necessary, but the spoolie at the end of the Brow Wiz blended the color evenly. Due to my thick eyebrows, I went for a color that was darker to frame my eyes while filling in my sparse gap I had. The packaging of this brow pencil was very handy. I love the convenience of not having to sharpening brow pencils. However, I find that the top cap of the brow pencil has gotten loose. For the $21 that I spent on it, I expected it to be sealed tight, especially on a product that I will carry around in my makeup bag and use everyday.

The Anastasia Clear Brow Gel is sets my unruly eyebrows in place. While I do get my eyebrows threaded once a month, my eyebrows have a tendency to stay put. Using this brow gel, my eyebrows were able to stay in place for a 10 hour work day, something that is very impressive in Florida heat! The brow gel did not degrade one it. I find that the Brow Gel has a tendency to sometimes have a little too much product, but that's something that is easily fixed if one rubs of the excess gel on the side of the container.

These two products work very well as a pair. I unfortunately do not recommend using the Brow Wiz by itself, as it does not stand true to its long-lasting claim. The product for me lasted for about four hours without any brow gel. For the $21 that I spent on it, I would've liked it to last a lot longer without anything to stay in place. However, used in conjunction with the brow gel, my eyebrows stayed exactly the same for over a 10 hour workday  (haven't tested any longer than that though unfortunately). I highly recommend these two products together, I am always very satisfied using it and it seems to me that this is a product that I will probably use for a long time!

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