Brow Business

happy memorial day everyone!!! i hope you're all doing something very fun and have enjoyed the 3-day weekend. today i'm going to be discussing one of the most important parts of getting your makeup right, and that's making sure your brows look fierce! i know that a LOT of people don't bother with their brows and that is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. for a very long time i didn't define my own brows, and i can't tell you what a HUGE positive difference it made when i learned how to do them correctly. if, like myself, you ever watch QVC, you'll see a lot of before and after pictures of the models with their brows done while they're demo-ing brow products, and i have yet to see a model that didn't look 50 times better in the after picture. not only does defining your brows frame your face and showcase your eyes, but it makes you look more polished and gives your face a noticeable life (especially important for anyone worried about looking a little bit older).

first off on the mission to get gorgeous brows is, of course, making sure they're the right shape and having them correctly groomed. if you've never plucked your brows and they're completely au naturale, i would strongly recommend going and getting them professionally shaped. it will only take a few minutes and cost under $20, and that way you will have a beautiful shape that you can easily maintain at home by plucking away the stray hairs. once you have a flattering shape, it's not hard to keep them up, it's getting the shape in the first place that can be very scary! the picture to the right shows a before and after of a well shaped brow. the lines that are going across the picture show you how to line up where your brow should be, and you can do this easily using a long eyeliner pencil or regular pencil, too. grab a white eyeliner pencil (Wet'n'Wild makes a cheapie one for under a dollar) and make a mark where your brow should be, then you can go back and tweeze away the strays that don't fall into the lines. some commonly made mistakes? plucking too far into the start of the brow, putting your arch in the wrong place, and just plucking too much overall. see this is why it's a good idea to get a professional to help you if you're starting off with brows that resemble Pai Mei from Kill Bill!


once you've gotten a beautiful brow shape, the best way to keep it up is with a pair of quality tweezers. now i must confess, for years and years i thought that it was incredibly foolish to pay more than 99 cents for a pair of cheapie Walgreen's tweezers. i mean, come on, tweezers are tweezers, right?! WRONG. i was SO wrong! and until i got my first pair of Tweezerman Animal Print Slant Tweezers, you couldn't have convinced me otherwise. but the difference is, with a pair of good tweezers, you can grab the teensiest of tiniest brow stubble and you never break the hair off mid-shaft, and they are just so precise and last forever! i highly recommend investing in a pair of Tweezerman tweezers, they have a million different kinds for every different plucker, and they even sharpen them for free anytime you'd like!

now that you have your brows shaped and the tools to keep them looking gorgeous, it's time to define them and fill them in. now don't let the thought of this scare you, i'm definitely not recommending that you paint on Joan Crawford-esque brows, i hate too dark brows and think they make a person look harsh and old, but accentuating your brows subtly can make the most beautiful difference! i flip-flop back and forth between loving pencils and powders with waxes, and i'd recommend them both, just pick the one you feel most comfortable using. and believe me, you don't have to spend a ton of money for a nice brow products, i have found fab ones for under $5 that i love just as much as the ones for $25! one of my favorite brow do-it-all kits is Benefit's Brow Zings, $28 (pictured to the left). it includes a brow powder, wax, two brushes and a pair of mini tweezers to keep in your purse! how cute is that?! it comes in 3 colors, Light, Medium, and Dark. the problem i've found with Brow Zings is that the Light version that i own seems to be on the warmer side, i know when i had my natural hair color of dark dishwater blonde i had to be very careful that my brows didn't come out too reddish looking. now that my hair is dyed dark auburn my Brow Zings is perfect, but i would definitely test this one out first if your have ashy blonde or cool brown hair. it might not work so well for you. if you're trying to save some of your hard-earned money, i would also highly recommend the Sephora Brand Eyebrow Palette, $12 (at right). it's basically a knock-off of Benefit Brow Zings, except it's missing the tiny tweezers. i had this one before Brow Zings and i have to say, i think it's just as good, and given the opportunity i might just buy this one and skip the Brow Zings because it's basically the same exact product for a whole hell of a lot less!

if pencils are more your thing, try out the Chanel Le Crayon Sourcils Precision Brow Definer, $28 (pictured at left). now i know that $28 is insanely expensive for an eyebrow pencil, but there's just something about this one that i can't exactly explain that makes it beyond fabulous! the taupe shade, which i own, would be perfect for anyone with hair ranging from platinum blonde to medium brown to red to gray. it stays on so well thanks to it's long-wearing, vitamin E enriched formula, and comes with a little mascara spoolie on one end so you can pencil in and then blend without searching through your stash for a separate eyebrow brush. the texture of the pencil is kind of on the harder side, but this is a positive thing, because i find that with some of the really soft eyebrow pencils it's easy to overdo it. with the Chanel pencil, you can really get in there and mess around without having to worry about coming out with crazily overdone brows. it also helps if you're a brow beginner since it's easy to use, and the fact that the pencil isn't super soft means that it will last a long, long time. a great cheaper alternative to the Chanel pencil is Prestige's Eyebrow Pencil, $3.45 (at right, available at drugstores). this is actually the very first brow product i tried and thankfully, i happened to pick a great one! the Taupe is a nice, natural color, the formula wears well and the brush on one end works nicely to blend the pencil into your brows for a perfect look.

a few tips i try to follow when doing my brows? use a light touch, you can always add more but it's much harder to take away excess product. but isn't that the golden rule of all makeup application? and when it comes to plucking and filling in your brows, stick with your God-given shape. a fuller, more natural brow not only always looks best but is very "in" right now! just get rid of the strays that grow under your natural browline and keep your arch looking clean. and never, no matter what, shave your eyebrows! i mean not even as a quick touch-up! yuck! step away from the mirror before things get close to that!

any favorite tips for doing eyebrows you'd like to share with me? what are you favorite brow products? let me know in the comments!

Tool Time: Part Two

hola chicas! time for part two of Tool Time, where i will focus on some more brushes that i think are crucial for getting your best makeup application. now these are brushes that are a little more specialized, probably better suited for someone who's into experimenting with her makeup and working on creating different looks. so if you're more than happy using your fingers to apply your makeup, don't feel bad, it's all about what makes you the most comfortable. here are some more of my favorites, so read on and enjoy!


4. this next brush is one that i only recently started using and fell deeply, head-over-heels in love with. MAC's 194 Concealer Brush, $18.50, is firm, flat, and slightly tapered, making it perfection for covering small spots and blending concealer underneath the eyes. all these years i've been of the school of thought that undereye concealer is best applied using the ring finger, because the heat from your finger helps warm and blend the concealer seamlessly. i still do believe that, but using the 194 brush to first apply and blend makes the task quicker, easier, and delivers a better end result. it's slim but firm shape is also great for concealing the darkness that some of us lucky girls have right under our lower lashline, a place impossible to get to with your finger. now i stroke on my concealer with the 194 and just use my ring finger to tap, tap, tap and blend away into invisible perfection. and the small point of the bristles is perfect for getting just the right amount of concealer onto a blemish without highlighting the skin around it. a cheaper alternative? try Essence of Beauty's Synthetic Conceal Brush, $3.99 at CVS stores or at their website.


5. our next brush gets the privilege of having cult status! people practically die over this brush and it's many, many uses! MAC's 187 Duo Fibre Face Brush, $42, boasts natural goat hair AND synthetic bristles, giving it it's distinctive two-toned look. often referred to as a 'skunk brush', this type of brush is made by many brands but none come close to the quality and performance of MAC's. the 187 is quite the multi-tasker, performing equally well whether it's being used with cream, liquid, or powder products. many swear by the airbrushed finish it gives when used with liquid foundation, and it's light touch is the perfect answer to highly pigmented blushes or shimmery highlighters. it also is wonderful for giving a light-as-air dusting of powder to set any look. it took me quite a while to be convinced that it was worth the money, but i'm here to tell you it definitely is. this is a brush i use almost every single day, and have washed many times, that still looks brand new. really want a skunk brush but don't have the cash for this one? try Flirt's Feather Dust-her Brush, $6, a brush that performs surprisingly well for it's low price. Flirt cosmetics are available exclusively at Kohl's, so stop in and check it out!


6. this next brush is one you've seen mentioned previously on my blog when i discussed smoky eyes. it's a wonderful brush that stands up a to a beating and ended up being well worth it's price (which i was not too happy about at the time). MAC's 209 Eyeliner Brush, $17, is just money well spent. it's slim but just stiff enough bristles give you the most perfect application of gel eyeliner that you never have to trace over! it also works really well when used damp with a powder eyeshadow to give you a softer intensity eyeliner. for brightening up any eye look i'm going for, i like to use my 209 dry with a white shimmery eye shadow to trace a line under my bottom lashline and around the inner corners of my eye. need a less expensive alternative? try E.L.F.'s Lip Defining Brush, $1 (yes, only one dollar! all of E.L.F.'s makeup is only a dollar, check them out here) which is the same shape as the 209 and could help you decide if this type of eyeliner brush is for you before you spend more money on it.

7. up next on the list is the perfect brush to bring out when you're in the mood to create a sexy, smudgy, soft looking eye. MAC's 219 Pencil Brush, $23, was made for precision shading on the eyelid, in the crease or along the lash line. the soft, smooth fibers of this brush are gathered into a pencil-shaped tip that's the ideal firmness for blending out sharp lines and keeping shadow in it's assigned place. i like to use this brush to softly line my upper lid, lower lid, and to accentuate the outer 'V' of the eye. another option that's less expensive but works just as well is Essence Of Beauty's Crease Brush Duo, $4.99. this two-pack of brushes is a thrilling find for under $5! it includes two brushes, one being a bit larger than the other, that blend shadows, find your crease and hug your outer 'V' in a way that makes even an amateur feel like a makeup artist. i have to say i own both the 219 and the EoB brushes and i don't know which ones i use more, it's a close call!

8. finally on the list, i've chosen a little tool that's become indispensable to me. you may have noticed that i love a multi-tasker for the time it saves and it's convenience, and Sephora's Professionel Platinum Lash & Eyebrow Comb #21, $10, earns that title proudly. it packs two tools in one, a fabulously made brow brush and a clump killing metal lash comb. here's where i have to climb up on my soapbox and beg you readers please, please do not buy the lash combs that are made of plastic! they don't work and will probably end up doing more harm than good. the plastic teeth are never sharp or thin enough to get into your lash base and they just plain stink. you need metal teeth to bite their way into those clumps! this will be the best ten dollars you've ever spent when you see how much better your eyelashes look after a sweep of the lash comb. plus, the brow brush side works super well for taming brows and blending in your brow pencil or powder. i use this little guy every single day and don't know what i did before i owned it! another great option that gets many rave reviews is Tweezerman's Folding Ilashcomb, $7, which you can find at drugstores or Tweezerman's website. i've never tried this one but i trust the reviews on MUA and they seem to love it!

now of course there are many, many more brushes that i could talk about but i think these are my most essential. i hope you've enjoyed hearing about them and maybe found something in your price range to check out! always remember that the better you care for your brushes the longer and better they will serve you. i wash mine atleast once a week (and my 209 brush that's used for gel eyeliner each and every time i use it) with a mild soap like Dial which i like for it's antibacterial qualities. after gently squeezing the water out of them, i lay them flat on a hand towel and allow them to air-dry. this seems to work well for me and should for you, too. and one more thing, some of these brushes are very expensive, but i've found that if you buy one at a time, here and there, you will be happy that you spent a little extra for items that will last.

what are your favorite brushes? any that you've bought and hated? let me know in the comments!