Showing posts with label Brows. Show all posts

5/12/2018

The Real Slim Shady...Visee BR305 Soft & Slim Eyebrow Pencil

By no means am I betraying my tried and trusted B & C Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow pencil (I wish it came in more shades), but it's fun having a little tryst with a new brow product.

Available in six shades, I first bought GY 001 some time ago, and put it away like a squirrel does its nuts in the Winter...and now I can't find it, anywhere.

Anyway, Spring is a time when I like playing with colored brow products. Currently, I'm loving MAC's Eye Shadows in Blackberry and Haux to create a muted, plummy or rosy brown brow. Enter Visee's Soft & Slim Eyebrow Pencil in BR 305. Described as a Dark Brown, BR 305 has a minute plummy tone to it, pairing perfectly with both of the aforementioned products.

Visee's Soft & Slim Eyebrow Pencil comes in an ultra-slim, featherweight plastic holder, with a spoolie on the other-end. The pencil tip is 1.7mm, which allows for quick and precise "hairlike" strokes; thus, filling in those sparse areas, and shaping the brows, while giving them a soft, natural look.

I particularly like that the spoolie bristles are very firm; they do a great job at grooming and combing the product through the brow hairs.

Not too waxy, nor powdery, the Soft & Slim Pencil's formula has a creamy-dry consistency that glides on the brows.

I'm not into the habit of rubbing my face into things, so I can't account for the smudgability of the product. That being said, after a 14+ hour day, my brows are still in tact.

Visee's Soft & Slim Eyebrow Pencil is a great alternative when I'm going for a softer brow, and with a 864 yen price tag, I'll definitely be repurchasing.

9/13/2016

Should It Stay Or Should It Go? Shu Uemura For Kye Collection

With every season, I like to keep all my current cosmetic collection purchases in one large dish/basket. I do this, as a reminder, to use all the newer products in their allotted time frame.

Shu Uemura always does a stellar just with their packaging,

Finally, I'm wrapping up the arduous task of reorganizing my makeup (three drawers to go), and integrating the newer beauty items into the fold. Yet, to my dismay, I realized I didn't have as much space for new editions as I thought I did; thus, the idea of the "Should It Stay Or Should It Go?" series was conceived. First entry in the series is: Shu Uemura's collaboration with the South Korean, high-end street Fashion designer, Kathleen Kye.

I truly appreciate the brand's attention to detail.

The Kye for Shu Uemura Collection was a big ol' mix bag for me; loving all the brow products, but not so much anything else. And, although some of you love my more snarkier posts, I'm going to start with my loves, the brow goods.

Gift with purchase.

I died when I saw all the dark rose and dark violet colored brow products; colored brows are a fun, and edgy way to alter your look.

Brow: Palette Eye Brow Powder in Cappuccino/Dark Rose.

The limited edition Brow: Palette Eye Brow Powder in Cappuccino/Dark Rose was the product to anchor me to the collection. Both shades are beautiful and look pretty on the brows.

Brow: Sword Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Rose and Dark Violet.

The katana inspired shape of the Brow: Sword Eyebrow Pencil allows for easy, defined precision when filling in or shaping the brows. Additionally, the formula's soft, and smooth, texture gives a natural (minus the color) appearance that last all day. I wish dark rose and dark violet weren't limited edition, because they are attractive shades. One more thing, I forgot to take pictures of it, but the brow: sword pencils have a spoolie on the other end. The spoolie is much too soft and yielding for my liking; so, it never gets used.

And, the last of the brow products in the collection is the Eyebrow Manicure. The brush's long and short bristles comb through all lengths of hair easily, depositing a subtle tint, without making the brows look clumpy or feel stiff. The eyebrow manicure is a great finishing touch for fuller, stay-in-place brows.

From left to right: Cappuccino/Dark Rose Brow: Palette Eye Brow Powder, Dark Violet and Dark Rose Brow: Sword Eyebrow Pencil, Dark Violet and Dark Rose Eyebrow Manicure.

Color description from left to right:

Cappuccino/Dark Rose: a taupish-mauve-grey and a rosy hue/dark burgundy-rose.

Dark Violet: a dark, violet-blue.

Dark Rose: a dark, burgundy-rose.

Dark Violet: a deep, violet-blue.

Dark Rose: a dark, burgundy-rose.

Now, onto the not-so-much liked products.

From left to right: Fresh Cushion Blush in Hibiscus Pink and Hibiscus Orange.

The Fresh Cushion blushes were a massive disappointment. When I applied the product with the provided puff, I got a decent amount of pigment; but, after blending it out on my NC30 skin, it disappeared. Shame, because the color description for these blushes was "vibrant." Also, I really liked the glossy/dewy finish.

Initially, I was going to pass on the Sheer Color Balm Lip Color (once swatched, all the colors looked the same), but I finally gave into the cute packaging. Anyhow, I should have listened to my gut, because I found this pH adjusting lip color blah and overpriced.

Also included in the collection (and swatches below) were the Drawing Pencils, in ME Navy 61 and ME Pink 12 (permanent), and repackaged in the limited edition Kye for Shu print. I already own both, and found no need to repurchase them for the sake of packaging.

From left to right: ME Navy 61 and ME Pink 12 Drawing Pencils, Hibiscus Pink and Hibiscus Orange Fresh Cushion Blush, Melt in Orange Sheer Color Balm Lip Color.

ME Navy 61: a metallic navy with blue glitter.

ME Pink 12: a metallic hot pink with pink glitter.

Hibiscus Pink: a milky, cool pink.

Hibiscus Orange: a milky orange.

Melt in Orange: a neon orange.

Overall, loved all the brow products. I've only worn them twice this season, because it's way too hot and humid in Tokyo, and I sweat like a man-beast. Also, I find these shades more fitting for fall, winter and spring. Therefore, they'll be in retirement until it get cooler (end of October).

As for both, the Fresh Cushion blushes and the Sheer Color Balm Lip Color, they will be going up for sale, and finding a proper home to love them.

6/25/2014

The Sweat Off My Brows...B & C Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow in Grey Brown

This Season, B & C Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow puts all my other brow products to bed, since it's my "go to" brow product for Summer. But, as I was about to open this Summertime fav, I realized that I've never featured it.

This dual-sided brow product offers a pencil on one end, and a liquid formula on the other. Now, the thing that has my OCD working overtime is the fact that the pencil side doesn't have a cap. I have no clue why they wouldn't provide a cap for the pencil side, regardless, it's irksome.

The pencil side has a powdery formula that lines and shades the brows beautifully; and depending on application, you can create an effortless natural or defined brow.

The liquid side is pigmented without looking stark, and works as wonderfully as the pencil. The thin brush tip allows you to emulate hairs, fill-in tiny bald patches, and draw a more precise brow tip.

The B & C Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow comes in two shades: Natural Brown and Grey Brown. I prefer cooler toned brows, so I purchase the shade in Grey Brown. The Pencil side is an ashy-grayish-brown, and the liquid is a soft, grayish-black brown with a tinge of green.

The humidity levels in Tokyo from June to September are insane, and the Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow is truly smudge-proof, long lasting (the only time I experienced minor fading was on inhumanly hot and humid days), water, sweat and sebum resistant. I'm obsessed with B & C Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow in Grey Brown, and doing your brows has never been so much fun!

B & C Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow retails for ¥1,290.

Do you switch your brow products for Summer?

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.

12/18/2013

Something To Raise An Eyebrow At...Addiction Pressed Duo Eyebrow

Sorry for the lack of posts, but someone near and very dear to me has been going through Chemotherapy, and I've been taking care of her.

My sacred Shu Uemura Hard formula Brow Pencil is almost at its end; therefore, I'm giving it a little rest, and switching to Addiction's Pressed Duo Eyebrow ( ¥2,625).

Because Addiction is exclusive to Japan, the Pressed Duo Eyebrow shade range is very exclusive (but, appropriate for the brand's demographic populous); it is offered in two shades: Marron and Cinnamon.

On myself, I prefer a more neutral/slightly cooler tone brow, so I chose Cinnamon. The two shades of Cinnamon are a medium taupe-brown and a medium ash-brown.

I have a confession to make...I'm a stress plucker! In the past (and often present) I've tweezed my brows into oblivion. The fact that I carry tweezers with me at all times doesn't help, but I'm working on it. Slowly, but surely my brows are regaining their shape.
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Here's a quick demo of the 01 Cinnamon duo in action. The flash makes the product look warmer than it actual is.

The fun thing about eyebrow powders are the various possibilities they offer. For example, you can use the lighter shade along the inner half of the brow, then use both shades mixed together throughout the middle half. And finally, still using both colors, but, add more of the lighter shade at the end of the brow.

Addiction's Pressed Duo Eyebrow (I keep wanting to call it Pressed Eyebrow Duo) can create a beautiful soft-focused, natural-looking brow as well as a more defined, dramatic brow; it's a real workhorse that lasts the entire day, and I love it!

What do you use on your brows?

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.