Crispy Brows

Best of 2015 – the Make-Up Edit

| jodi - a brash attitude

Best BB/CC Cream:

it cosmetics1

The CC+ Cream from It Cosmetics is my summer Holy Grail item since it contains SPF 50, doesn’t make my skin irritated or greasy, and it makes my skin feel like it can breathe (review). I plan on buying this again in the spring.

Best Foundation:

Nars 4

I’ve tried wearing liquid foundations over the years, and they’ve always made my skin feel like it is suffocating. The Sheer Glow Foundation from Nars is the first one that works for my sensitive skin that I’ve tried so far (review).

Best Concealer(s):

I have three that I use ALL THE TIME. And they are all from Nyx. The first one is for under-eye circles  – the Dark Circle Concealer (review), the second one is for general concealing and highlighting – the HD Concealer (review), and the third one is for any areas that need a little extra concealing power – Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer (review).

Best Lipstick:

I chose ColourPop Lippie Stix because 9 times out of 10, when I reach for a lipstick, it is one from ColourPop (reviews here and here).

Best Highlighter:

We have a tie for this one, the first being from ColourPop, and the second from Brazen Cosmetics (reviews here and here).

Best Blush:

Milani BB 1

Without a doubt, I will have to choose Milani’s Baked Blushes as the best (reviews here, here, and  here), I love them all equally!

Best Eyebrow Pencil:

My holy grail brow pencil is from Crispy Brows, with the runner up being from Anastasia Beverly Hills (reviews here and here).

Best Palette(s):

To be honest, I don’t own very many palettes. But my most used two are mini-palettes from Urban Decay, one of which I had won in a giveaway from Hello Kaily (reviews here and here).

Best Single Shadow(s):

This is a tough one since I have so many single shadows. But I will have to say that my favourite single shadows of this year would have to be Birthday Girl, Empire and Dare from ColourPop, followed by Stereo, also from ColourPop (reviews here and here). I chose these ones for their pigmentation and staying power.

Best Mascara:

Essence Get Big Lashes

I never actually did a review, but my go-to mascara is from Essence – the Get Big Lashes in the waterproof formulation. Most mascaras irritate my sensitive eyes, and because my eyes water easily (if I laugh, if it is windy out, or if my allergies are acting up), I need mascara that will stay put and not smudge. The price is ridiculously cheap too!

There you have it, my Best of 2015 for Make-Up.

Thanks for reading and have a Happy and Beautiful New Year! ❤ ❤ ❤

Disclosure: Please see individual reviews for disclosure of each product.

 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil

| jodi - a brash attitude

Hello everyone! Just a short little review for you today on the Perfect Brow Pencil from Anastasia Beverly Hills.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil

As you know my holy grail brow pencil is made by Crispy Brows (original review here), but due to the currently horrible exchange rate, I thought that I might try one from Anastasia Beverly Hills since everyone seems to rave about their products. (Also I had the VIB $20 off deal so it lowered the price for me!)

Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil

Here’s what it says on the ABH website:

With its larger nib and softer consistency, this pencil is ideal for creating straight, long strokes. The vitamin E-infused formula glides on without skipping and dries to a powder finish.

The Perfect Brow Pencil is available in eight different shades on the Sephora Canada website – taupe (cool taupe), blonde (warm gold), caramel (reddish blonde), soft brown (warm golden brown), medium brown (taupe based brown), auburn (medium warm brown), dark brown (dark warm brown) and granite (cool dark brown).

Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil

I decided to go with dark brown since my brows are naturally quite dark and taupe based shades cast too grey on me.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil & Crispy Brows Duo Brow Pencil

Consistency-wise, it is a softer pencil than that of the one from Crispy Brows, and is a little darker, but the shade works really well for me, and doesn’t seem to fade or rub off. I find that the Crispy Brows pencil seems to better control my brows than that of the ABH Perfect Brow Pencil. But overall, it is a good substitute for my HG brow pencil (at least until the exchange rate improves).

What do you use for your brows?

Thanks for reading and have a beautiful day!!! ❤ ❤ ❤

Disclosure: I purchased this!

My Holy Grail for Brows: Crispy Brows

| jodi - a brash attitude

My eyebrows are thin. Not from over-plucking, they are just thin. And despite being a brunette, they tend to be almost invisible.

When I first started pencilling my brows in a few years ago, it always looked wrong. Either the colour was wrong, or my technique was horrible. Over time, my technique improved, but it still didn’t look natural.

I found Crispy Brows accidentally on Instagram, and immediately checked out their website. Crispy Brows is run by Roxanne Crisp, a licensed esthetician who launched her own brand in June 2014. Her products are 100% cruelty-free, and some of them are vegan.

crispy browsA

I bought the Perfect Brow Kit which contains a Duo Brow pencil, and a High Brow pencil. The duo brow pencil is vegan, and is available in four shades: blonde, auburn, medium brown and dark brown. I chose the medium brown pencil. Here’s what it says on the website:

Instantly create beautifully natural, perfectly defined and fuller looking brows with this dual brow pencil. No matter what brow shape, this smooth powdery pencil is infused with a trio of waxes that can be used to build the perfect brow. The spoolie brush is great for grooming and blending products evenly for a natural look.

Crispy Brows detail1

Crispy Brows detail2

The high brow pencil is a dual ended chubby pencil, with a concealer at one end, and a highlight at the other end. It is not vegan as it contains beeswax.

The brow highlighter’s velvety smooth texture allows for easy application & blending. Perfect for all skintones, the pink highlight hue will define & highlight the entire eye area as the shimmer end will brighten when applied to the brow bone.

As well, Roxanne Crisp has some really great tutorials on her YouTube channel. I watched several of them before trying out the Perfect Brow kit.

swatches crispy

My experience: I love the Duo Brow pencil so much, I feel that my technique has improved so much! The pencil is a great colour match for me, and it has great staying power. Removal is easy as well. I’m still getting the hang of using the High Brow pencil, but it really does help in finishing off the look. I will definitely be purchasing again!

You can purchase the pencils separately ($18USD for the duo pencil, and $15USD for the  high brow pencil), or in the Perfect Brow Kit ($30USD) on the Crispy Brows website.

Disclosure: I purchased this!

Thanks for reading!!!