How Highbrow Of You

I love eyebrows. I find myself watching eyebrows and staring at them when I should be concentrating on a tv shows plot. (Julianna Margulies, Alicia in The Good Wife? Perfect brows).

Only problem is I grew up when thin drawn on eyebrows were the best so I plucked my beautiful thick eyebrows into a state of none return. Now I struggle to grow them without them being super patchy. So my tools? I tint my brows every month or so, just to help darken the lighter hairs. I've never paid to have my brows tinted, the Colorsport 30 Day Mascara & Brow Dye in dark brown does the job however they have recently changed the formula and it is really hard to mix. Why change something that isn't broke!

I used to wax my brows but found I was taking too much hair off. Now I tweeze my brows, I am still trying to grow them out / get thicker brows but am not committed enough to leave them for weeks and weeks without being attacked with a tweezer. I have had them threaded a few times but they always leave me with super thin brows. 

Depending on how heavy I want my brows I either use a pencil blended with a spoolie - I use MAC Brow Pencil in Strut (red undertones) or Spiked (for dark brown hairs) or MAC Eyeshadow in Espresso with an angled brush. I also love the ELF Brow Kit which has a pigmented wax and shadow to set, it is a bargain at £3.95. 

The new Gimme Brow from Benefit has changed my routine, I thought it would be a complete gimmick but is actually really good. Some days I now just use gimme brow alone, just with some help from an eye brow pencil to perfectly define this shape. The tiny brush helps catch every eyebrow hair creating dark thick hair where there is none. My only problem is the tiny amount of product you get for the price, but am going to post a full review of this with before / after photos once I have tidied up my very neglected brows. They are not close up ready at the minute.

Yey, eyebrows!

A Make Up Counter Grumble

I have had a few unpleasant experiences at cosmetic counters in stores, as have most people. Being matched to the wrong shade foundation and told it looks amazing only to realise when you step outside you are as orange as the counter assistant. Dawn had a horrible experience in Boots when they applied foundation with an old, unwashed brush. Now I've worked in retail and sales, not saying they are the best jobs in the world but some basic customer service would help. There are only a few things I buy from higher end brands, foundation being one. I know what shade suits me, I know what shade I am. A lady on the YSL counter tried to convince me the foundation I was wearing made me look ill as it was too pale. She insisted on applying a new foundation that made me look I had fallen in the mud. 

Many people I know try to go to Boots first thing in the morning to grab things they need to avoid the awful sales pitch and pestering. Last week I went to pick up an eyeshadow from MAC, I picked up of the shelf and walked toward the counter. Like in a normal shop. As I walked across a staff member grabbed it out of my hand, no idea why. No eye contact and just asked for the money. In stark contrast to the service I had at the MAC in Harvey Nichols, a lovely woman helped me find the perfect red lipstick to give to my sister.

The growth in beauty blogs and endless swatching means you don't need to spend as long at a beauty counter, basically grab your shade and go. I like going to Boots, having a dabble with the testers and walk out with a few treats. I have a fairly small "high end" collection. I think many blushers and nail varnishes are just as good at the £5 price point as £20, with the growth in online retail maybe counters might change and become more accessible.

Make-up 2: Lips

(L-R) MAC St Germain / 17 Dusky Pink / MAC Lustering / Models Own Deep Fushia /
Dainty Doll 003 / Natural Collection Cherry Red / No7 Stay Perfect 55

Top to Bottom - 1st Column: Models Own Deep Fushia /MAC Lustering / 17 Dusky Pink / MAC St Germain

2nd Coloumn: No7 Stay Perfect 55 / Natural Collection Cherry Red / Dainty Doll 003

Barry M Bubblegum / Bourjois Effet 3D Brun Poetic /  Avon Plump Pout / ELF Matte Lip Color Tea Rose

Oh if I showed my whole lipstick / lip gloss collection again we would be here forever. These posts however are making me condense my make-up down. I am actually throwing old make-up away! 

My favourites are first Dainty Doll's 003 Lipstick. The range is obviously suited to pale skin lovelies like Nicola Roberts, oh and me. It is such a lovely colour against my skin and is a wonderful lasting lipstick. Models Own Deep Fushia is a new one, I bought on the recommendation of Claire and Hollie and love the colour. The two MAC Lipsticks are no brainers. I really need to increase my MAC collection however I am now POOR. Actually beyond poor. Lastly Elf's Matte Lip Color goes on wonderfully and is cheap. 

Zoey xox