Makeup For Life - Beauty Blog, Makeup Tutorials, Product Reviews, Celebrity Makeup, Beauty Advice » eyebrows

Christi Harris Precision Brow Planing System Review

Phyllis — Thu, 13 May 2010 05:20:25 +0000

Last month, ShopNBC launched its very first Beauty Discovery Week and showcased 40 new beauty products. I was sent a few of them to try out and my favorite? Christi Harris Precision Brow Planing System.

Developed by Texas beauty expert Christi Harris, the Precision Brow Planing System has everything you need to keep those unruly brows in check. It comes in a cute little box which houses a large, round mirror one on one side and a variety of products and tools on the other.

Color Blend Trio, Adda Brow and Diffusing Powder Duo

The Brow Color Blend Trio contains a shimmery taupe, greyish taupe and dark espresso brown – all with cool undertones. They go on smoothly with good color payoff and staying power. I seldom reach for the lightest color but the other two are perfect for my dark Asian eyebrows.

The Adda Brow is a medium brown brow wax that is so versatile! It goes on very creamy without feeling sticky. I also love how it is pigmented enough to be used alone and it does a great job filling in sparse areas (like the area right by my nose) without looking stiff. Plus you can use it over the brow powders to set them in place. Definitely one of the best out there!

The Diffusing Powder Duo is a light peach paired with a light champagne. Both are finely milled and add just a pop of color with a satin finish. Perfect for highlighting my browbone without being over the top.

Onto the tools!

Contour Brush, Designer/Definer Brush and Diffuser/Refiner Brush

The Contour Brush is a soft, angled brush. I like to use it to apply the Diffusing Powder under the brow bone or to drag the Brow Color down to the nose to create the illusion of a taller nose.

The Designer/Definer Dual Ended Brush comes with an smaller angled brush that works great with the brow powders and a firmer brush on the other end for the brow wax.

The Diffuser/Refiner Dual Ended Brush is a fan brush and a spoolie. While I don’t reach for the fan brush much, I *love* how the spoolie is angled (I’ve always had to bend mine)! It makes blending so easy!

Precision Brow Planer

Finally, we have the Precision Brow Planer. For years, I have been using razors to shape my eyebrows, so when I saw this in the set, you could only imagine how happy I was! The long handle makes it very easy to maneuver and while the blade is a lot bigger than the Asian razors that I use, it works very well in removing and shaping hairs without tugging the skin. Loves!

Overall Rating:

The Christi Harris Precision Brow Planing System is now available at shopbc.com for $32.74.

Tweezerman BrowMousse Review

Phyllis — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:22:01 +0000

Thanks to a trick I picked up from guru Victor C at the MAC Pro Sculpting The Face Master Class and Tweezerman’s BrowMousse, I no longer have to worry about my eyebrows disappearing in the 90+°F Chicago summers!

The BrowMousse is a clear gel designed to help tame those unruly eyebrows and keep your brow makeup in place. Unlike some lower end brow gels, this is super lightweight, non-sticky and never stiffens or looks gummy when it is dry. It also comes with a slightly smaller spoolie applicator that is gentle on the skin and deposits the gel evenly with great precision. All I have to do is brush this through my brows, wait a few seconds for it to dry then fill in my brows with powder and it gives excellent hold so the powder stays on all day. Oh and did I mention that it only retails $10 and is available at all drugstores nationwide? Loves!

How To: Get Perfect Eyebrows Like Megan Fox

Phyllis — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 05:40:34 +0000

We all know the eyebrows play a key role in framing the face and out of all the Hollywood celebrities, super hot actress Megan Fox has got to score the best eyebrows in my book.

Now I know not everyone can afford the best brow specialist in Hollywood but trust me, you can easily achieve the look with practice and the right tools. Learn how after the jump!

If you look closely, Megan’s eyebrows are thick, which means the first thing you should do is lay off the tweezer and let your eyebrows grow out a bit. For those who have skimpy eyebrows, I highly recommend using a product like Anastasia’s Brow Enhancing Serum ($35). It is designed to condition the eyebrows to help them grow and it only took me 2 applications to see a difference.

Megan also fills in her eyebrows with a color that matches with her hair color so make sure your eyebrows are only a shade or two different from your hair color. To darken your eyebrows to match a new hair color, all you need is an eyebrow powder or pencil in a darker shade. For help on lightening your eyebrows to match a lighter hair color, read these tips.

Lastly, Megan’s eyebrows are very defined and perfectly arched. To do this, you can use some help with some eyebrow stencils like Anastasia Classic Stencils ($20).

To use the stencils, follow the steps below:

Step 1. Pick a stencil that matches your shape and place it on top of your eyebrow.

Step 2. Fill in the arch and end with an eyebrow powder or pencil. I personally prefer using powder for a more natural look and pencil for areas that require more precision like the end.

Step 3. Now that you have drawn on the perfect shape, pluck all stray hairs that fall outside of the shape you have created.

Step 4. Run the spoolie over your eyebrows to blend everything together and seal in the look with a dab of clear wax like MAC Brow Finisher.

Step 5. Highlight the brow bone with a shimmery color that complements your skin tone to finish the look.

All done!

Like Megan’s looks? Check out her makeup tutorial and beauty tips!

How To: Lighten Your Eyebrows To Match Your Hair Color

Phyllis — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:45:00 +0000

So you have recently dyed your hair and your eyebrows are now a totally different color! *gasp* Before you start freaking out, take a look at British it model Agyness Deyn and singer Gwen Stefani. With their light blonde hair and significantly darker eyebrows, they are living proof that you don’t have to match your eyebrows to your hair color completely to look cool. The key is to make sure your eyebrows are a shade or two darker than your hair color. An exact match would look too matchy-matchy and fake.

How To Lighten Your Eyebrows

* Bleaching
This can done with facial bleaching creams, eyebrow dye tints and some people even apply the same hair color they use on their hair with a mascara wand. Whatever you use, make sure you pick the right product and be very precise with the timing and the application (you are going to be applying this close to your eyes and you don’t want any mishaps!) If you are a beginner, please go visit a salon and get them done by a professional instead.

* Eyebrow Powder/Powder Eyeshadow
Powders give a more natural effect so if your eyebrows are not really that dark to begin with, try changing the color with an angled brush dipped in an eyeshadow or eyebrow powder that matches with the color you want. I do this all the time with Jane Magical Mushroom eyeshadow whenever I dye my hair brown.

* Eyebrow Gels/Tints
Eyebrow gels and tints are more suitable for those with darker hair. I love T’estimo Eyebrow Mascara (~$10) for a more dramatic effect and MAC Brow Set in Beguile ($13.50) for a natural look.

Extra Tip: Try getting your eyebrows threaded or giving them a tweeze before you lighten them. It is a lot harder to change the color if your eyebrows are dark AND bushy.

Nordstrom Introduces the Exclusive Anastasia Brow Studio

Phyllis — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:02:00 +0000

Famous eyebrow expert Anastasia is now bringing her Beverly Hills-style salon to Nordstrom with the luxurious new Anastasia Brow Studio. In the studio you may enjoy expert brow arching, reshaping, sculpting and facial waxing.

When you purchase a brow shaping service at the Anastasia Brow Studio located in select Nordstrom stores from May 20th to 22th, you will also receive a free makeup bag and a full-size highlighting pencil with a total value of $30.

Click here to view the participating Nordstrom locations and to book an appointment now.