New In: Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Gel

Hey guys! I've got a new product to talk about today. I recently picked up the Maybelline EyeStudio Brow Drama in Soft Brown, which is one of the first tinted brow gels for the drugstore. I really was excited to try this out because I wanted a more affordable alternative to the Benefit Gimme Brow, which is over $20. 

 

This runs for about $8 at the drugstore and comes in three shades; blonde, soft brown, and deep brown. It looks like a mascara wand and the soft brown shade actually fits my brow color pretty well. I like how easy it is to use, all you have to do is follow your natural brow arch with the wand, and it just fills in your brows with extra color and fibers. 

It's a good product if you're on the go and don't want to have to shape and maintain your brows too much. It's fast and easy, and in a rush, it'll get the job done and make your brows look fuller and will keep them in place all day. 

{A closeup of the gel in action}

{My left eyebrow without the product, my right brow with the product}

What I don't like is that it doesn't completely fill in my brows the way I wanted to and definitely isn't as effective as Benefit's Gimme Brow. It will fill in some of the gaps but still leaves some parts sparse. Also, if you put too much product on your brows, it'll leave them feeling stiff and cakey, which I really don't like in any sort of brow product. 

Overall, I think it's great in a pinch and I have been using it every so often since I got it. It's a great alternative to the more expensive brow gels, but it does have some flaws.

♡

xo Emily

Benefit Dupes

Hey guys! I thought I'd share some awesome dupes of my favorite Benefit products. The Benefit makeup items are pretty damn expensive so I thought I'd share some affordable options!

You want the beautiful, rosy Rockateur Blush? It's $22, but E.L.F.'s Studio Blush in 'Tickled Pink' is only $3 and is a pretty good dupe. 

Gimme Brow runs for $22 but at Target you can pick up the Sonia Kashuk Tinted Brow Gel for only $6.

A great concealer for those pesky under-eye circles, Erase Paste, is $26 compared to Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind - the absolute BEST concealer I've ever used. And it's only $9 and will last you MONTHS. 

The highly coveted and loved POREfessional is a whopping $31, which makes me cringe. A great dupe of this is the Maybelline Baby Skin primer - only $7.

Lastly, a favorite, the They're Real Mascara is an amazing product but it's $23 and the L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara, for $9 is such a great dupe for this awesome product. It helps to lengthen and separate your lashes perfectly!

♡

Did you enjoy this post? I think it's a great one because it'll help you save money and find products that will work just as good as higher-end ones!

xo Emily

Ooh La La....Brows!

Today I thought I'd share with you one of my favorite brow products! I've been using this Maybelline Master Shape Brow Pencil in 'Soft Brown' almost every single day since I picked it up in late May. It has been an absolute winner in my book. First off, the color matches my brows almost perfectly, which is the number #1 thing I look for when choosing a brow product. Secondly, this stuff stays in place all day long. I don't even need a brow gel to set it because I know it'll last me and won't smudge. Thirdly, it makes my brows look completely natural and goes on smoothly. The formula is fantastic. It doesn't flake off and sharpens nicely back to a point. Plus, it comes with a really graet spooli at the other end so you can brush through your brows before and after you apply the product! 

How I use this product: Since my brows are relatively full, I use pencils to just fill in gaps (which I have a few) and sharpen them up so they match. I just take the pencil at the middle of my brow first, filling it in and outlining the shape of the brow, then I take the pencil to the highest point of my brow and fill that in. At that spot, I make sure to be careful because I don't want it to look too sharp and severe. Lastly, I do the front of my brows, closest to my nose, and just do a bit of filling in there; only really wanting to make sure they two sides look even!

I love how my brows look! 

This has been incredibly well-loved for the past two and half months and I've still got a good amount of the product left! It's also really affordable, coming in at just about $4. This is a great product if you're looking for an affordable, reliable, and easy to use brow pencil! I recommend it!

♡

What's your favorite brow product?

xo Emily