MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set
This is a product I decided to try on a whim--I hadn't heard anyone on YouTube talk about it. I had been using the Benefit Gimme Brow, and I may be the only person on the planet who didn't fall madly in love with that product. It was so promising. I loved the idea of using a tinted brow gel with fibers that would lightly fill in my brows on my minimal to no makeup days. The product only comes in two shades. I tried them both. Both were AWFUL on me. The lighter shade made my brows look grey, and the darker shade made them look jet black. I'm not sure why the colors just didn't work for me, but they didn't. So I wanted to find something else like it that was a better color shade. Enter, MAC Pro Longwear. The MAC gel in Bold Brunette is a much better shade match for me. I don't have the Benefit to compare it to, but here's what the MAC gel looks like:
 |
| Swatch of the Bold Brunette shade |
Pros:
*The price--it's $14 for 0.17 oz, whereas you only get 0.1 oz in the Benefit brow gel for $24.
*The product lasts a long time. I'm on my second tube, and the first one lasted forever!
*It's buildable. One layer is fine, but I usually like to use two layers (and brush it out with a spoolie after each layer). This is completely personal preference; I just think two layers look better on me.
*It provides a nice strong hold, which is important if you have long, crazy brow hairs that want to go all over like me. And it really is waterproof! I have put this to the test through multiple workouts where I am busting my ass and dripping with sweat. The brow gel never moved! I have to wash it off to get rid of it.
*The brush is bigger than the one on the Benefit brow gel, but it's still pretty small. I think it's the perfect size for getting the product on your brows, although I suppose this would depend on the thickness of your brows. For me, it's just fine.
*Bold Brunette is a perfect color match for me. It comes in six shades, and I think there is a good color match for everyone. If you're not sure what your color is, I would recommend going to a MAC counter or store so they can pick one out for you.
Cons:
*The product needs to be brushed out right after it's applied in order to distribute it evenly. This is easy to do but requires a separate tool. There is nothing better than a good old spoolie to do this. If you don't have one, ELF makes one for $1, which can be found at Target, Walmart, several drugstores, or here: eyeslipsface.com.
*As with any brow gel that actually provides hold, it feels slightly tacky/crispy throughout the day. This is not a big deal to me, as I put up with it because I need the hold, but it might be a turn off to some people.
*It doesn't have little fibers like the Benefit brow gel that will make your brows appear fuller. This is also not a big deal to me, however, because I think it does a good enough job with its pigment alone in filling in my sparse areas.
Overall, I love this brow gel and would highly recommend it!
 |
| Left: Naked brows Right; Two layers of MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Bold Brunette |
Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse
This is a product I had heard about on YouTube before purchasing it. I knew I wanted to try either this or the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade. The Anastasia pomade was a better value than the Tarte mousse at $18 for 0.14 oz vs. $29 (it was $28 when I bought it last year!) for 0.12 oz. However, the Tarte mousse comes with a brush! And it's a great brush too. I don't think they sell this particular brush individually, but if they did, it would cost at least $15. The Anastasia pomade does not come with a brush, and the brush they recommend to use with it sells for $18. So when you consider that, the Tarte mousse doesn't look all that bad. Here's what it look like:
 |
| The Medium Brown shade in the container. This stuff lasts forever--I've had it for over a year! |
 |
| Swatch of the Medium Brown shade |
Pros:
*The product glides on and blends easily. It's not as waterproof as the MAC brow gel mentioned above, but it can withstand a workout much better than a brow powder can.
*You don't need very much. I've had this little pot for over a year, and it doesn't appear to be going anywhere quickly. I know it's pricey, but the fact that it will last a very long time makes it worth it.
*The color Medium Brown is perfect for me. It comes in 5 shades, and I think anyone could find a good color match. Again, if you are unsure about which color is right for you, go into an Ulta or Sephora and ask one of the associates to help you.
*The brush is great quality, and I love how it's double-ended with a spoolie on the other side. A spoolie is absolutely essential for anyone and everyone to comb through the brows and blend in the product to distribute it evenly and make it look more natural. The brush also makes it easy to draw clean, precise lines for a more sculpted brow (which I like to do when I'm wearing a full face of makeup), or you can use it to make tiny strokes to lightly fill in sparse areas.
 |
| The brush is nice and thin to give you control. Fill your brows in lightly, or overdraw them to make them look bigger! Anything is possible with the right tool. |
Con:
*While the pigmentation and texture of the product is great, it doesn't provide any hold. This might not be a problem for you, but if your brow hairs are long and unruly like mine, you might need to set them in place with a clear brow gel. I don't mind this extra step, as it only takes a few seconds. The Anastasia Brow Gel is fantastic but expensive! If you want a more budget-friendly option, try the NYX Control Freak Eyebrow Gel, which is also great and costs about a third of the price of Anastasia's. The hold on the NYX gel is not as strong, but it still does the job and doesn't leave a crispy feel like the Anastasia gel.
 |
| Left: Naked brows Right: Filled in with Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse in Medium Brown and set with NYX Control Freak Eyebrow Gel |
I would recommend wiping the angled brush off with a tissue after each use. You'll want to wash it with shampoo and water as you would any other brush every couple weeks. When you do wash it, don't forget to wash the spoolie part! You'd be surprised at how much product accumulates on it. It's also worth mentioning that when you brush out both the MAC and the Tarte products with a spoolie, some of the product might transfer above or below your brows and onto your skin (which is one reason why you want to clean the spoolie). This is an easy fix--just clean it up with a q-tip.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my current brow product favorites and found this post helpful!
No comments:
Post a Comment