My Heart Says No....BUT My Brows Say YES...

Not too long ago, I expressed the importance of having defined brows on my face no matter where I went: work, gym, pick up bagels at 7am on a Sunday morning..didn't matter. The only thing I trusted to do this job was the winning duo of MAC eye shadow in Espresso applied with a trusty slanted #266 brush.

Well the good folks from Anastasia Beverly Hills are challenging my dedication to my beloved MAC duo. 

Introducing the Beauty Express for Brows and Eyes for Brunettes.

You get brow wax, brow powder, slanted brush and an eye shadow duo. It even comes with stencils to help guide novices to achieve brow perfection

The first step is applying the brow wax with the slanted brush then I mix the taupe shade (left) with the neutral dark brown (right) and apply is small strokes. This is still a learning process and it's taking a bit longer than my original routine - two brows, 5minutes; one brow is now 6 minutes. The brush is a bit stiff and really thin. I had my #266 for years and because it's an older brush I am wondering if this brush was thicker than the current, newer brushes - they are much thinner. I am still trying to get the right color combination between the two brow shadows, whereas I just had one shade, Espresso to work with.

I did  try using a stencil, high arch, out of curiosity and I found that it made the application process more difficult. I like the champagne shimmer and matte sand shadows. This is meant to be used below the arch of the brows, the inner corner of the eyes or even the lids. I apply this on top of my TFSI Lemon Drop and it highlights the brow bone and eyes beautifully. 

Also, I'm wondering if it's too dark

The wax does hold the shadow better and this lasts longer it lasted through an 85 degree yoga studio as well as a sweaty spin class session. The brow shadow has a very soft texture and it very pigmented. You don't need to pick up a whole lot of it. I start from the highest point of my arch and work my way down the end of my brow. I pick up a bit more color and apply to the beginning of my brows in short upward brush strokes. I use a brow brush to blend any harsh shadow lines.

It took me a while to perfect my MAC brow routine so I'm sure with continued use and practice, I will get the hang of this kit. I think I can handle this without the stencils just fine!

I have come across Anastasia brow kits at Sephora and I was very curious since I am very familiar with the woman that has shaped some of the most famous brows in the business. Honestly, I don't think that I would have purchased this since I am so loyal to my current routine. After trying this kit, I must admit that I am now a little more curious about the complete Anastasia line.

Here's a video tutorial from Anastasia herself
http://vimeo.com/26384854

This was sent to me for review from the Anastasia Beverly Hills PR group.You can find this at Nordstrom or Sephora and it retails for $39.50

Anastasia Soare has been shaping celebrity brows since 1997 in Beverly Hills and Brentwood, California. You can find this kit and other Anastasia products at Nordstrom, Sephora or online. The Beauty Express kit for Brows and Eyes retails for $39.50