brows – Adventures in Polishland

Tag: brows

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo in Taupe Review

Posted on January 25, 2017January 22, 2017 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a review of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo in the shade Taupe. I’ve been in the market for a new eyebrow product for several months now, and decided to splurge on this powder during the Sephora Beauty Insider Sale in December. I’ve never tried a product from Anastasia before, but when I discovered that the brand has many vegan options (see the full list HERE), I knew it was time to see why the brand is so well-loved.

I decided to purchase the Brow Powder Duo instead of the hyped Brow Wiz for a few reasons. First, my eyebrows are naturally wide and sparse, so I need a lot of product to fill them in, and powder looks a lot more natural than pencil. Similarly, brow powder is a lot more affordable for me, because a powder will last a lot longer than a pencil. While it was tempting to try the Brow Wiz, I knew the Brow Powder Duo would suit my eyebrow type a lot more.

Here is a look at the Brow Powder Duo packaging. I love the sleek black palette with rose gold accents. It also snaps closed and is very secure, so I know it will travel well.

The Brow Powder Duo comes with two shades, a light and a dark, so that you can get a perfect color match and also add dimension to the brows. I only use the dark shade in this duo, as it matches my eyebrows perfectly. I apply the powder using the EcoTools Angled Eyeliner Brush, and it does an amazing job. I also set my eyebrows using the ELF Cosmetics Clear Brow Mascara, as my eyebrows tend to get wild throughout the day. This product is advertised to be smudge proof and long-wearing, and overall I do agree with that. I do experience a very small amount of smudging while finishing up my makeup application, but my brows otherwise stay in place all day. I love how I can get a really natural looking brow with this powder, but I can also create sharp lines using my angled brush.

All in all, I am really happy that I purchased the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo in Taupe. This is the best brow powder that I’ve tried by far, and I think it is worth the $23.00 price tag even though I am only using one of the shades. I use this product every day that I wear makeup, and I’ve barely made a dent in the powder. I know the Brow Powder Duo will last me a very long time. Thus, if you are looking for a brow powder, I highly recommend trying out this one from Anastasia. You can purchase it on Sephora’s website HERE, and make sure to shop through Ebates to earn cash back. This product comes in 11 different shades, so there should be an option for you no matter your hair color!

Have you tried any Anastasia brow products? Let me know in the comments!

This post includes affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Top 10 Beauty Products of 2016!

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I am excited to share my top ten favorite beauty products of 2016. The products I’m featuring were not necessarily new for 2016, but they are things I discovered and really loved this past year. I decided to group together nail polish, makeup, and skincare for this year’s post, as I focused more on using the products I already own than trying new things. I also transitioned to a vegan lifestyle in June, so I wanted to only feature the vegan products I’ve loved this year. Without further ado, let me share my 2016 favorites with all of you!

10. Tarte LipSurgence in Energy [BUY]

My favorite lip product of the year is this lip gloss from Tarte. The LipSurgence in Energy is really cool because it goes on clear and adjusts to your perfect lip shade. I love how I get a beautiful pink with this lip gloss, and it feels really comfortable on the lips, too. This is a bit expensive, but I highly recommend it because I wear it all the time.

9. LVX in Azzurrum [BUY]

I’ve really loved wearing dark nail polishes this year, especially in the fall months. I reached for an old favorite of LVX in Azzurrum on several occasions, as it is a stunning navy blue. It goes surprisingly well with my fair skin tone, and it matches nearly every outfit. I feel like it even looks nice when I wear a lot of black in the fall.

8. Zoya in Taylor [BUY]

At the other end of the nail polish color spectrum, I fell in love with Zoya in Taylor. This is a warm beige polish, and it is a go to neutral for me. I wore a lot of nail polish this fall, and Taylor was a staple in between all the dark shades.

7. ELF Clear Brow and Lash Mascara [BUY]

One of my daily staples is brow gel, and I’m so glad I found a super affordable option from ELF. For just $2.00, I can get six months worth of brow gel since this product is dual-ended. Plus, it works really well and keeps my brows in place without making them look really stiff. You need to try this if you haven’t yet!

6. ELF Baked Highlighter in Moonlight Pearls [BUY]

Another ELF favorite is the Baked Highlighter in the shade Moonlight Pearls. I was so surprised with how beautiful this highlight is since it only costs $3.00! I wear it regularly, especially on days where I want a natural look. This adds the perfect amount of light to an otherwise one-dimensional makeup look.

5. Hurraw! Lip Balm in Coffee Bean [BUY]

This lip balm has really been a savior these past few months for me. When the winter weather comes along, my lips and skin really dry out quickly. I put this lip balm on at night before I go to bed, and when I wake up my lips feel brand new. Plus, the coffee bean flavor smells absolutely amazing!

4. Zoya in Mallory [BUY]

My last nail polish favorite for 2016 is Zoya in Mallory. I am always obsessed with bright blue polishes, and Mallory is no exception. Of course, this polish has an amazing formula as well, and that encourages me to reach for it from my collection.

3. Yes to Cucumber Soothing Hypoallergenic Face Wipes [BUY]

I also rediscovered the Yes to Cucumber Face Wipes, and I’ve been using them exclusively for the past few months. If you are looking for really gentle wipes that remove all of your makeup, I highly recommend trying out this brand. While it is a bit more on the pricer side at the drugstore, Target often has the Yes to brand on sale on the Cartwheel app.

2. Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Taupe [BUY]

I was on the hunt for a new brow powder, and I splurged on the Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Taupe. I’m so glad I picked up this product! It fills in my brows beautifully, and it looks very natural as well. You also get a lot more for your money with brow powders because they last much longer than pencils.

1. Kat Von D Lock-it Foundation in Light 44 [BUY]

Last but not least, my absolute favorite beauty product of 2016 is the Kat Von D Lock-it Foundation! I purchased this foundation a few months ago, and I’ve quickly become obsessed with it. At first I was a bit underwhelmed, but the more I use it the more I love it. This is a liquid foundation with great coverage, and I personally love its mate finish. I’ve been reaching for it nearly every day I wear makeup!

That wraps up my top ten beauty products of 2016! I’m happy to see a mix of high end and drugstore products, as I feel like that really represents my beauty collection. Please share your 2016 beauty favorites with me in the comments! I would love to know what you are loving so I can try out even more new-to-me products. Happy New Year, everyone!

Some of the products in this post were originally provided for my unbiased review. This post includes affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Maybelline Brow Precise in Blonde | Drugstore Fail?!

Posted on July 16, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I have a review of a new drugstore brow product from Maybelline called the Brow Precise. I was on the hunt for a new brow product, and decided to grab this one at my local Rite Aid about a month ago. I couldn’t wait to test out this product – it looked fancy with a spoolie brush on one end and the brow pencil on the other. Sometimes, looks are deceiving! Let me go ahead and share my thoughts on the Brow Precise with you.

I purchased the Brow Precise in the lightest shade, which is 250 Blonde. This product only comes in four shades, and I have to say I’m disappointed that this is the lightest shade. I have light brown hair, but even this blonde was too dark for me. I made it work by applying this shade with a light hand and using the spoolie to blend out the color, but I definitely need a shade lighter. If you have very light hair, this product will not work for you!

The Brow Precise is also a very soft pencil, which makes it apply easily, but that also means the pencil is prone to breaking, and that it runs out very quickly. I wore this off and on for about a month, and I’m nearly out of product already. I need to sharpen it at least twice each time I use it as well. That being said, I think this is just the wrong product for me. I have very sparse eyebrows that need a lot of filling in, so I used a lot of product with each use. I also found that this product does not look the most natural for me – it was pretty obvious I penciled in my brows (not cute!). Alas, as much as I loved that spoolie being on the end, that doesn’t justify a repurchase in my book.

All in all, the Maybelline Brow Precise was a bit of a fail for me. I wore it on days where I wanted to be out the door in a matter of minutes, and where I didn’t care too much about having perfect brows. I think this product will work really well for those of you that only need small touch-ups with your brows, and not a big overhaul like I do. You can find the Maybelline Brow Precise at your local drugstore for about $7.99. I will be sticking with my beloved Milani Brow Kit for now!

What is your favorite brow product?! Let me know in the comments!

Lashem Colour Strokes Brow Tint & Lift Review + Coupon Code

Posted on December 2, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I have a review of the new Colour Strokes Brow Tint & Lift from Lashem. I love trying out new brow products, and because I really enjoyed the last brow mascara I tried, I couldn’t wait to see how this one would measure up. Let me go ahead and tell you all about Lashem’s Colour Strokes!

Lashem sent me the Colour Strokes Brow Tint to review along with two samples of the brand’s skincare products. I did give each product a try, but did not do full reviews on them. I found Picture Perfect, an instant wrinkle reducer, to be extremely drying on my skin so I didn’t want to keep applying it for further testing. Similarly, the 3 in 1 Eye Brights was very shimmery and not a product I would use. Thus, I didn’t have good first impressions with these products, but that doesn’t mean you won’t love them!

The Colour Strokes Brow Tint & Lift has gorgeous packaging. However, I was disappointed with how large the applicator is. It is difficult to work on the brows with such a large brush. I would have preferred a smaller wand, such as those that come with bottom lash mascaras.

Here are my brows before applying the product. As you can see, my natural brows are very uneven, with my left brow (on the right here) being much sparser that my right. I typically fill them in with brow powder, which I find to be very natural.

Here are my brows after using the Colour Strokes Brow Tint & Lift. I do like how the product looks on my right brow. It does a good job filling in my brow while keeping in it line. My left brow, however, is a mess. It is obvious that I’m wearing a brow gel because of how sparse that brow is. Thus, I would really only recommend this product if your brows are already quite full. Otherwise, it will be obvious you’re painting the skin!

I know mascaras and brow products aren’t usually swatched, but I wanted to do so to talk about this product’s shade, which was a huge problem for me. I have the Colour Strokes in the shade Brunette. The product is only offered in three shades – Blonde, Brunette, and Raven – so I figured Brunette would be my best bet. Unfortunately, it is not my shade at all. It is too light and also contains a lot of gold shimmer. I don’t know about you, but I do NOT want glittery eyebrows! Because the Colour Strokes is not matte, I find it unwearable.

All in all, I’m quite disappointed with the Lashem Colour Strokes Brow Tint & Lift. The formula does not work well with my eyebrows, and the coloring is completely wrong for me. If you have golden brown hair and don’t mind shimmery eyebrows, you might enjoy this product. However, it does retail for $20.00 on Lashem’s website HERE. Use code BROW30BB at checkout to get 30% off your order.

Have you tried Lashem’s products? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.