Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Benefit Gimme Brow Review and Swatches

Its funny, I never really used to care about my brows. But with brow icons like Cara Delevigne around, its hard not to pay attention anymore. My brows are far from perfect, but Benefit's new Gimme Brow is supposed to fix less than perfect and sparse brows!
 
 
Gimme Brow ($22) is an Allure Best of Beauty 2013 winner and one of the newest products from Benefit, which is such a fun brand. I chose the shade light/medium and there is one other choice, a darker brunette. I have what anyone would say is brunette hair, but it is tinted red from my recent adventures as a red head and so I have a little bit of warm/caramel tones.
 
Needless to say it is kinda hard to find a shade that matches. Most of the time, blonder shades match well, and this shade is a decent fit, but maybe a little too warm.
 
 
The Gimme Brow is a gel-like formula that has visible fibers (as you can see on the swatch above), and is applied with a very small spoolie brush. It does have a bit of a wet look but dries down.
 
Benefit claims it is waterproof and smudgeproof, which I found to be true for the 12 hours I tested it. It is supposed to create the look of thicker, fuller brows--and yes it does! However, it isn't really a substitute for creating brows where there aren't any. I still need a pencil for that. But this in conjunction with a pencil is great!
 
 
This little guy is actually really tiny for the price, which kinda kills me. However, you don't need much and it will last a while. I really do like that this mimics the look of hair, so it is very natural looking.
 
Want to see my before and after? Don't judge my brows too hard!
 
 
My brows are pretty light, have a gentle arch, and aren't always the neatest, but they do for now.
 
Now, lets add one application of Gimme Brow (no other product/pencil)
 

Thicker? Definitely? Looks like more hair too! But the sparser patch isn't covered with the gel and the pigment of the gel makes it look a little messy. I think this is a great finishing product for decent brows, but not a miracle worker if you don't have any!
 
Overall, I like that Gimme Brow is a fast way to amp up my brows---but I rarely ever use it alone. It does last through pretty much anything, but the gel-like consistency can make it a little messy looking without some definition from another product.

Pleased, but not overly psyched.
 
What do you think? Have you tried Benefit Gimme Brow?
 
 
 photo panda-sig_zps4a356226.jpg

Benefit Gimme Brow Review and Swatches

Its funny, I never really used to care about my brows. But with brow icons like Cara Delevigne around, its hard not to pay attention anymore. My brows are far from perfect, but Benefit's new Gimme Brow is supposed to fix less than perfect and sparse brows!
 
 
Gimme Brow ($22) is an Allure Best of Beauty 2013 winner and one of the newest products from Benefit, which is such a fun brand. I chose the shade light/medium and there is one other choice, a darker brunette. I have what anyone would say is brunette hair, but it is tinted red from my recent adventures as a red head and so I have a little bit of warm/caramel tones.
 
Needless to say it is kinda hard to find a shade that matches. Most of the time, blonder shades match well, and this shade is a decent fit, but maybe a little too warm.
 
 
The Gimme Brow is a gel-like formula that has visible fibers (as you can see on the swatch above), and is applied with a very small spoolie brush. It does have a bit of a wet look but dries down.
 
Benefit claims it is waterproof and smudgeproof, which I found to be true for the 12 hours I tested it. It is supposed to create the look of thicker, fuller brows--and yes it does! However, it isn't really a substitute for creating brows where there aren't any. I still need a pencil for that. But this in conjunction with a pencil is great!
 
 
This little guy is actually really tiny for the price, which kinda kills me. However, you don't need much and it will last a while. I really do like that this mimics the look of hair, so it is very natural looking.
 
Want to see my before and after? Don't judge my brows too hard!
 
 
My brows are pretty light, have a gentle arch, and aren't always the neatest, but they do for now.
 
Now, lets add one application of Gimme Brow (no other product/pencil)
 

Thicker? Definitely? Looks like more hair too! But the sparser patch isn't covered with the gel and the pigment of the gel makes it look a little messy. I think this is a great finishing product for decent brows, but not a miracle worker if you don't have any!
 
Overall, I like that Gimme Brow is a fast way to amp up my brows---but I rarely ever use it alone. It does last through pretty much anything, but the gel-like consistency can make it a little messy looking without some definition from another product.

Pleased, but not overly psyched.
 
What do you think? Have you tried Benefit Gimme Brow?
 
 
 photo panda-sig_zps4a356226.jpg

Monday, November 4, 2013

The Stay-All-Day and Then Some Perfect Holiday Red with BA Star

 
**Press Sample**
 
Powered by BrandBacker, I was able to have another try with BA Star Cosmetics, and just like the first time, I was not disappointed. BA Star is makeup formulated for the stage, cheer, and dance competitions, which means it has incredible staying power and vibrant color.
 
 
Being somewhat of a red lip connoisseur over here...when I got the opportunity to try the BA Star Holiday Red Lip Pencil, I nearly jumped for joy!
 
 
 
The Holiday Red Lip Pencil retails for $8.75 and I am telling you...it is worth every penny and then some. This baby stays ALL DAY. I am talking I need to scrub it to get off...which is great because I love my red lip to stay strong and not feather or fade through even the toughest days in Grad School.
 
 
The color on this is a true, vibrant red...although it looks a little deeper on the pencil. The pencil is thicker, but not too chubby, and you can line lips and fill them in easily. It needs a sharpener, but it applies creamy and even has a light vanilla smell. Love it!
 
 
It takes a lot for me to be really impressed by a red lipstick nowadays, seeing as I have a drawer full...but the wearing power, lovely texture, vibrant color, cheap price tag, and lack of feathering will make BA Star's Holiday Red Lip Pencil a permanent fixture in my rotation!
 
 
And because BA Star, BrandBacker, and I want you to try it out as well...there is a code for you lovely readers!
 
Reader Discount: 50% Off
Reader Discount Code: BBLIPS
 
So grab one for you and one for a friend! Perfect Christmas gifts!
 
Also, check out all of their other cosmetics here: http://bastar.com
 
 
 photo panda-sig_zps4a356226.jpg