Category Archives: brows

help to pluck, wax, shape & tame

anastasia brow wiz

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image via the fashion spot

last week i was in sephora, staring at the anastasia section all forlorn when a product consultant asked me if i needed help with my brows. “YES!” i think i shouted. “you-see-i’m-trying-to-grow-them-out-a-bit-but-there’s-all-these-holes-and-i-try-to-fill-them-in-but-then-they-look-too-dark…” she laughed and sat me down for a little lesson in arch support.

i had been looking at the anastasia brow powder duos which she quickly steered me away from. she put brow wiz in medium ash into my hand and walked me through how to properly fill in my brows. first, she told me that you have much more control with a skinny pencil than you do with a powder and a brush. this was music to my ears, because i have been frustrated by the unnatural look that i’m left with when using brow powder.

she taught me how to use diagonal strokes to fill in all of my brows, using the way that they naturally grow as a guide and going all the way down the tail, then brushing them out to blend a little. the results were gorgeous and the compliments have been pouring in. my previous mistakes had been 1) using a brow powder that was too dark for me and 2) not filling them in completely so i was left with this crazy uneven mess.

if you want to take spring’s bold brow trend for a spin but yours could stand to be whipped in to shape, the anastasia brow wiz pencil is going to be your new best friend. the application is smooth and easy, just stay inside the lines of your natural arch and you’ll be golden.

shop anastasia brow wiz ($21) >

boom boom brow bar ‘boostier’ powder

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i love lines that do one thing really well. focused, specialty brands never fail to impress me and a great example of one that has wowed me time after time is boom boom brow bar. they do brows exceptionally well and as an admitted brow addict, they have a big fan in me.

the latest boom boom product to come across my desk is their brow boostier poweder. the itty bitty pot of powder comes with its own brush to make filling in your brows a cinch. the formula is mineral-based, hypoallergenic, free of fragrance, oil, talc, dyes, and fillers. i use it to extend the life of my wax jobs, giving my brows the illusion of a shapely arch when they’re really an ingrown hot mess. the results are natural and the color match (bette for me) is what makes this such a perfect solution.

if your brows need a boost, pick up boom boom’s boostier powder for $20.

brow power

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brow power

*

five of the top tools helping me to keep my eyebrows looking lovely (left to right):

shape: elf brow comb brush, $1
whips things right into shape, if i do nothing else
after washing my face, i brush my brows.

pluck: tweezerman cynthia rowley slant tweezer, $25
crazy for this collaboration! the print is too good
and the tweezers are reliably precise – as always.

highlight: boom boom brow bar push-up brow, $18
one side matte, one sparkly – two ways to amp up your
arches depending on your mood or agenda.

tame: tweezerman browmousse, $10
locks down the unruly hairs.
long lasting, no flakes or stickiness, an old standby.

define: tweezerman eyehance, $20
the *best* brow pencil.
a super natural shade fills everything in flawlessly.

are you as brow obsessed as me? do share your favorite tricks and tools!

this or that: double-ended brows

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this or that: double-ended brows

my brows are moody. i find that they need different things on different days. some mornings i can get by with a quick swipe of brow gel to tame a few unrulies and some mornings they are mostly well-behaved, but a few sparse spots need filling in. of course there are the days when they need both (little brats) and instead of stocking two brow products in my beauty bag, i save precious real estate with one of these brow duos. they each boast a tinted, soft-hold gel with spoolie brush and an angled waterproof pencil for definition – a bratty brow owner’s saving grace.

top: smashbox brow tech to go, $26

bottom: pixi beauty natural brow duo, $18

revitalash spotlight highlighting pencil

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it’s a pretty gloomy day here in va, so i thought i’d share one of my favorite pick-me-up products! on days like today, when i need an extra boost, i like to highlight my brow bones to detract from shadows lurking elsewhere. a swipe of this chubby champagne stick from revitalash under my arches adds dimension to my shadow job, hides stray hairs, and really perks things up.

but i know you’re probably thinking, there’s dozens of highlighting pencils on the market, so what makes this one so special?

for starters, it’s less of a pencil and more of a crayon. i love the super thick line that it draws on – it’s the absolute perfect width for amping up your arches. secondly, the color really separates it from the pack. far too many brow highlighting pencils are too light in color, making them look harsh and unnatural on your face. this little beauty boasts a more subtle tone, almost a sandy buff or beige, so that it blends perfectly while still giving you a burst of illumination.

the revitalash spotlight highlighting pencil is available here for $24.

it cosmetics brow power universal eyebrow pencil

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my brows have been getting a lot of love lately and as much as i’d like to take credit for their homegrown goodness, i really can’t. you see, i’ve made friends with it cosmetics universal brow pencil and it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to my face. on one end, the spoolie brush calms things down, and on the other, the perfectly shaded brow pencil, amps things up by filling in the sparse bits. for a girl who has tried tinted gels, threading, and waxes galore, this pencil is a home run. i’m loving the way the color enhances my arches without darkening them and i never realized how much a well-defined brow transforms my whole expression.

to experience brow euphoria for yourself, pick up it cosmetics universal brow pencil for $24 at beauty.com.

PS – if you love this blog, please, pretty please vote daily in allure’s beauty blogger of the year awards. there are just 13 of us left and this week’s challenge is all about beauty blunders!

shades of spring

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i am obsessing over victoria justice’s gorgeous spring hair and makeup here. her lavender lids are so on trend and i love that she paired a poppy pink cheek with a bright pink lip without looking clownish. her natural, pretty arches and what i can only pray are false lashes (no one is that lucky, right?) are completely stunning and that soft, slightly messy updo is the perfect finishing touch.

want to recreate victoria’s pretty on your own? see my list of suggested products below.

arch support

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the heat has been wicked and i’ve been going sans makeup more days than not. for me, the no makeup look means moisturizer, a swipe of gloss, and brows that are filled in and perfectly set in their place. the sweat-proof, holy grail in the arch department has been smashbox’s brow tech trio. each tiny pot has two shades of brow powder to ensure a perfect match and the company’s best-selling wax that grooms, defines, and seals the deal. i use anastasia’s mini duo brush to complete the whole thing but if all of that product is too fussy for you, smashbox has packaged everything you need into one handy pencil – brow tech to go (below). now you and your brows are ready to go beat the heat!

saturday sephora finds

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i spent part of my saturday wandering the aisles of my favorite beauty wonderland discovering new-to-me products. here’s what i stumbled upon:

{dior creme de rose smoothing plumping lip balm}

not sure how this pretty pot has escaped me before! let’s just say i walked into sephora with a parched pucker and walked out with lips that were soothed and supple. whether or not this is worth it’s $25 pricetag i will leave up to you beauties, but on first impression, i was really pleased.

{benefit cosmetics speed brow}

benefit is a brand known for creating products with purpose. this pretty little problem solver is an impressive multitasker – a tinted brow gel. it’s a one stop shop for perfect brows: just a single swipe tames and sets brows while also filling in sparse spots thanks to its naturally flattering shade.

so, there you have it, two brand new additions to my beauty arsenal. do you ever shop sephora with no specific purpose? tell me what you’ve found!

eye buy

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looking for a way to keep brows looking fresh between waxings? this double-sided chunky pencil from soap and glory is a compact little brow kit that actually shapes, shifts, and lifts. the left side fills in the sparse spots while the right side works to highlight under the brow giving the illusion of a perfectly sculpted shape. the long-wearing formula is  a neutral shade, making it appropriate for beauties of all skintones and hair colors. since it’s your brows that give your face its definition, they’re worth investing in, but thanks to arch de triumph’s $10 pricetag, you won’t have to!