Anastasia’s The Kit For Perfect Brows and Eyes

If you’re clueless about brows and just can’t get to a pro for a shaping, celeb brow guru Anastasia Soare can help with The Kit For Perfect Brows and Eyes ($75). While I can’t fully get on board with the stencil method (I believe everyone’s brows are unique), I do think it’s the best alternative to a professional shaping. Why? Because at home, we tend to pluck in magnifying mirrors, or pull out stray strands rather than trim, or generally have no clue what we’re doing when it comes to brow maintenance. And that’s where Anastasia steps in. She makes it easy to give yourself arches that flatter you, even if you lack the necessary know-how.

This kit is a bit of an investment, but it goes beyond basic brow products. Tucked inside, you’ll find necessities and treats for your arches, including:

• A set of stencils so you can determine your ideal brow shape and thickness
• Brow Powder Duo
• Anastasia tweezers
• Clear brow gel to set your brows in place
• Matte Camille highlighter to spotlight your arches
• Mini dual-ended brush (angle-cut brush for applying powder on one end, spoolie brush for brushing brows on the other)
• And a DVD and instructions to pull it all together.

In addition to the brow products, the kit includes a Cooling Eye Brightener (to bring life back to tired, baggy eyes), and a mini tube of Lash Lifting Mascara.

Guybrows

Ladies, this is the for the man/men in your lives! I know very few men who give their eyebrows a second thought. But a little grooming is necessary to keep guys looking their best. The goal here is not a Jersey Shore-esque arch, but rather, a natural, masculine brow that flatters his features and opens his eyes. Here are some tips on how to (gently) guide your guy’s brow grooming — or better yet, get his permission and do it for him.

1. Erase the unibrow: If you do one thing for your guy, clean up his unibrow. This can make a drastic difference in his appearance. You can pluck (although he probably won’t sit still for that), wax (might be too painful), or shave away the unibrow. Just follow the basic principles for brow shaping: his brow should start directly above the outer edge of his normal. Don’t let them creep any further toward the bridge of his nose, and don’t take too much off.

Click through for more tips on how to whip your guy’s brows into shape.

My New Favorite Product: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color

Over the past year, I’ve been getting highlights (baby blonde) and lowlights (coppery auburn) woven into my hair to take it down a few shades. To complete the look, I started getting my brows tinted every month when I had them shaped. But last weekend, I went back to my blonde ways and really lightened up…meaning I can’t get my brows tinted anymore unless I want to risk looking like an angry cartoon character. I still wanted that clean, defined brow, but didn’t want to overload it with color. A Sephora sales rep recommended Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color in Light ($21) because of its natural-looking taupe shade.

Lightening Up With MAC Brow Set in Girl Boy

There’s a dilemma for fair-skinned, fair-haired girls like me who love a strong brow. I want crisp, clean definition, but sometimes, filling in my brows creates a stark contrast against my hair color and skin tone. I decided to experiment after I saw this video of Alex Chavez, a trained pro at the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow salon, showing how she matches her brows to her blonde hair. (Fast forward to about 4:53 to see how she does it.)

Alex’s answer? Tinted brow gel. I really don’t like tinted brow gel; I am set in my ways with clear gel, and love the glossiness and hold it provides. But I decided to try the tinted version of my favorite, MAC Brow Set; the shade I picked up was Girl Boy ($15), the lightest they offer, which MAC describes as “fawn blonde.” (For darker-haired girls, there is also Beguile, a “full-bodied taupe,” and Show-Off, a deep brown.)

So…how did the trial runs go? Get clicking to find out.

Love List

Here are some things I’m loving this (late) Friday. Clockwise from top left: Essie nailpolish in Merino Cool; Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ash Blonde; my J.Crew Ice Cube Bracelet paired with my Michael Kors watch; lightning bolt nails I saw on Pinterest; getting lovely home decor inspiration from Pinterest; and Class Actress‘s debut album, Rapprocher.

Rx for Sparse Brows

Image of Rachel Weisz via beautyeditor.ca

Brows are having a major moment. When shaped correctly according to your facial features and bone structure, they can provide a gorgeous frame for your eyes, and create the illusion of symmetry on the rest of your face.

So, what’s a gal to do if she’s got sparse, thin, or overplucked brows? Fake it till you make it. Since I started caring about my brows 3 years ago, I’ve tried so many products as I’ve patiently waited for them to grow in, lower the arch, and take on a more flattering shape (sidenote: triangular brows are not flattering). With these brow-enhancing products, you’ll sport a set of golden arches. There’s something for everyone after the jump.

Primping With Anastasia ULTA-Mate Brow Kit

I swear by Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Duality, a dual-ended matte and shimmer highlighter that you slick on under your brows. This pencil retails for $23. In Ulta recently, I saw Anastasia’s Ulta-Mate Brow Kit ($29), an Ulta exclusive. I decided that since the Brow Duality itself costs $23, I’d spend the extra $6 and get this kit. It’s such a great deal (the package says the retail value is $64): in addition to the Brow Duality, you also get the Brow Wiz pencil, a mini Anastasia tweezer, and a small tube of Anastasia Clear Brow Gel. It’s available in 2 shades: Ash Blonde (my choice) and Medium Ash.

Click for a breakdown of the products.

Best Brow Gels

Image credit

For brows that look polished and tidy, you need to keep up with regular grooming (tweezing, trimming, filling in, etc.). And to keep that polished, pulled-together look all day long, you heed a reliable brow gel. This makeup bag essential tames unruly hairs, helps brows keep their shape, and provides a glossy finish. Here are my top picks, broken down by category.

1. Best Overall: MAC Brow Set ($15)
Everything about this brow gel is fabulous, from the clear formula that helps brows stay put to the well-designed skinny brush that allows you to brush through your brows to set the hairs exactly where you want them. This is my favorite gel from any brand.

Image via Billion Dollar Brows

2. Best Celeb-Adored Gel: Billion Dollar Brows Brow Gel ($15)
Celebs and regular gals alike flock to this chic LA salon to have the brow pros shape and style their arches. The salon has a product line that’s garnered an equally standout reputation. Their brow gel is superior, holding brows in place with a shiny, long-lasting finish.

More picks after the break…

Brows-ing The Web

Eyebrows are one of the first things I notice about people (yes, I’m oddly obsessed). Just as a really great pair of brows stands out, so does a truly unflattering pair (think: overplucked, overarched, shapeless). My brow obsession got me thinking about Hollywood’s A-list arches. These celebs nail it, with perfectly-shaped brows that flatter their facial features and make them look effortlessly polished.

Image via NY Daily News

Lauren Conrad: With the help of her makeup artist, Amy Nadine, (and before that, the pros at Billion Dollar Brows), Conrad transformed her overplucked, too-skinny brows into lush, to-die-for arches that provide the perfect frame for her eyes.

Image via Hollywood Reporter

Rachel Weisz: With some of the fullest, shapeliest brows in the biz, Weisz is doing for modern ladies what Brooke Shields did in the ’80s: bringing back the natural yet bold brow look.

Image via khloekardashian.celebuzz.com

Kim Kardashian (and all of the Kardashian sisters): With celeb brow guru Anastasia Soare on hand to make housecalls, Kim of course sports perfect arches.

Image via celebrityscoops.net

Mila Kunis: I recently read an “Allure” article by Heather Muir in which she referred to Mila Kunis as her “brow crush.” (Love that term!) It’s easy to see why…Kunis’s picture-perfect brows are shapely and tidy.

Who do you think has the best brows in Hollywood?

GIVEAWAY: Billion Dollar Brows (Closed)

Update: Congrats to winner Leah!

I’ve been waiting for months to tell you about Brow Boost ($19.95) by celebrity-loved L.A. brow salon Billion Dollar Brows. This brow regrowth serum has been a godsend for me. I overplucked my brows into rectangles in high school (still not sure how that was possible) and then into super-skinny, super-high arches (aka triangles) that made me look permanently surprised. Not good looks, to say the least. So after years of overplucking (and reading about destroyed follicles that will never grow hair again), I thought growing out my brows into the full, lush arches I desired was a lost cause.

Then I got a tube of Brow Boost.