I have really thick eyebrows. Much like the hair on my head, they are sentient and independently-minded, and since I love the look of clean eyebrows, the upkeep is pretty much weekly. I typically tweeze stray hairs and actually trim a little of the length. That gives me a little bit more control when I fill them in and doesn’t make me look totally naked when I don’t feel like putting in the effort.
I’ve been wanting to try out some new brow products for a while, all I know is the highest end of brows – Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Duo, which I received as a gift. While that’s a great product, it’s only powder, and when I want more control, I feel like a pencil is in order. Also, a $23 compact that can fit in the fifth pocket of a pair of jeans is not sustainable for me – I need something a leee-ttle bit more accessible.
NYX has been brought to my attention several times, and after spending a gift card at Ulta, I was finally able to try… what they had. So many NYX products were sold out, but they did have one of the products I was extra-interested in trying: NYX Micro Brow Eyebrow Pencil ($9.99)
This pencil is micro-sized and promises to give ultimate control over brows, covering “even the finest hairs” for a “natural-looking finish.”
There are eight different shades to choose from, and the one I chose is called Ash Brown. Each pencil is about half as thick as your average eye pencil, and the brow pencil tip is only millimeters wide.
The twist-up tip of this pencil is incredibly slim. Think about the tip of a ballpoint pen – that’s the level of detail that you have access to with the Micro Brow Pencil.
The texture of the brow pencil is waxy and the result is pressure-sensitive. Not much color comes off with a light swipe, but if you apply a little pressure to the brow pencil, you can make some very thin, dark lines to mimic brow hairs, or use less pressure to fill in bare patches with a light wash of color. The required pressure can be hard to get used to if you don’t have patience or are used to more concentrated formulas, but the goal is to build up the color gradually and evenly to create a natural appearance. The light touch allows you some wiggle room when you mess up, too!
On the opposite end of the brow pencil is another cap which, when removed, reveals a very high quality spoolie brush.
Spoolie brushes are great for many things relating to beauty, but your brows definitely benefit the most from these naked mascara wands. You don’t use “spoolies” to apply makeup, though, they’re best for distributing pigment and powder throughout your brows. This helps your color have nice, even coverage with the side bonus of making sure that your eyebrow hairs are neatly in place.
This little Micro Brow Pencil’s got everything you need to perfectly fill your eyebrows. Voilà!
Affordable Beauty Favorites from NYX
As for me, I’m still a novice when it comes to brows, and this pencil might actually be a little bit too advanced for me.
Before (naked face!)
Brows filled with NYX Micro Brow Pencil
I’ve got a pretty good handle on shaping and trimming, but the filling portion of eyebrow-doings is what I’m least familiar with. When I first started filling my eyebrows, I used a pressed brow powder that did a great job filling, but I craved sharper lines and a more striking effect – hence, my exploration of eyebrow pencils.
The Micro Eyebrow Pencil offers me a load of detail, but the actual application of the pencil isn’t as good at sharp lines as I had hoped it would be. Could it be user error? Totally. Plus, there’s always concealer that can help sharpen some lines when applied right under the eyebrow. You know, carving out your facial features and whatnot.
In no way does this eyebrow pencil do a bad job. It’s excellent at getting your arch to peak at just the perfect place, and gently shading that one little spot that always looks too light, but always gets overdone by brow powders. The Micro Brow Pencil is perfect if you’ve got a steady hand and brows that require a delicate touch (or a personality that demands things be within millimeters of where you imagined them). You’ve found your people.
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Yup. That arch is on fleek.
!! Thank you! That's my first ever "on fleek" compliment <3 <3 <3