Getting The Sculptured Brow From Nature Republic Eyebrow Pencil

I love brows. It's a torture to do but it's the most important part of makeup, aside from base. Without brows, we look funny. They may be two little arcs sitting on top of your eyes but mind you, alter it a little it can change how you look almost instantly. That's why I always make the effort to make them look like they're in top condition by getting them shaped regularly and maintaining it on my own. There are brows that are pretty and perfect on its own and only take a few minutes to define while there are those that take 30 minutes to do. Whatever time it takes, I never leave brows for granted. That's why I invest on quality eyebrow makeup and equipment. If you see my makeup collection, I have different eyebrow pencils, powders, and gels for the perfect arches in face-flattering universal shades.

When I went to the launch of Nature Republic last week in SM Fairview, I saw that they priced their makeup pencils quite affordably, only around Php 170. So you guys could imagine what I hoarded at that shopping trip, knowing that it might take quite some time before I reach a Nature Republic Store.

I hoarded on the pencils, particularly the eyebrow pencils. While I was swatching the eyebrow pencils, I loved the consistency of the pencil. It wasn't too waxy or creamy, and it had the right hardness I want for my brows. The fact that it was automatic and never needed sharpening is another plus.

The tip is really fine, and if you put the pencil sideways, you'd notice the tip's quite flat, which makes it easier to mimic hairlike strokes when you do your brows. The shade above is #4, which is a light, ashy blonde-brown shade that's easy and wearable.

The other end of the pencil is a spoolie brush, which can be used to tame unruly hairs or brush the pencilled strokes so it looks more natural. I'll show you how to utilize the spoolie brush later. Now, let's do some swatching.

I purchased #3 and #4. The #3 shade is darker, something similar to MAC Spiked or Stud. this shade can be used for the end tail of the brows, if you want a longer-looking tail or a more defined brow. This technique applies in shows, photoshoots, or if you want a look with a nice brow focus, a look I'll demonstrate in this entry. Anyway, I really like #4, and it's a shade I really recommend, especially for first-time buyers.

Don't you hate it when you have perfectly defined brows in the morning then as the day goes on, the tail end starts wearing off? Well let's see how this one goes.

I tried to swipe my hand on the swatches a few times and this is what I got:

When I rubbed my thumb on the swatch like crazy like it's going to reveal the winning combination of a lottery ticket, this is what I got:

So far, with the rubs and swipes, there still are marks left. the back of my hand may be red but the swatches are sorta there. So we won't be left with a brow cut short at the end of the day. But just to be safe, especially if you're the type who's fidgety and sweaty, set the pencil with a matching matte brow powder. Nature Republic has a duo also for you.

So now, how to work the pencils? Let me present the Sculptured Brow featuring Nature Republic Brow Pencils.

First of all, the usual. Wash your face, apply your base, and set. Before the rest of the makeup and the world ends, brows first, since that's our focus. Some people like starting lips first or eye makeup before brows, but since our topic today is brows, I start with brows. Make sure that the brows are nicely groomed because this won't be as pretty if there are strays and funny hairs.

Step 1:

Apply shade #4 on the brow. Apply using "flicking" strokes like you're mimicking the hairs of the brow. Or you can just fill-in (but not totally color in) like I did below, but don't color like a grade 1 student on too much candy. Less is more. You can always go back and add more later.

Step 2:

Using the spoolie brush attached to the pencil, brush the strokes so the lines blend in more naturally and the brow looks more, well, defined. If you prefer using a separate angled brow brush instead of the spoolie, you are free to do so. The spoolie comes in handy if you're defining brows on-the-go.

Step 3:

Using #3, which is the darker shade, define the tail end of the brows like I did. You can use this to extend the tail to make your brows look like it has a tail. This works well in a shoot or a show when you need to show the audience or the world that you have brows even when they're seated at the far end of the balcony. Again, so it doesn't look "marked-on" like the picture does, blend with a spoolie. Just like eyeshadow, we need like a gradation of colors so it looks pretty and natural, just like contours of the face, we contour the brow.

Final Touches:

It depends on the person and the situation. If you did this look on the go, leave it at that. You can highlight the top part or bottom of the brow for a lift or add a bit of shading for a 3D effect. Soften the look with brow gel in a blond or light shade (this look is really pretty especially if you have highlights). If you want and you want more lasting power, you can top the pencil with matte brow powder in a matching shade. This also cleans up the edges so the brow looks sharper. What do I do? I do all three! Then the rest of my makeup follows.

For first-timers, I recommend just doing a few strokes first, brush, and add on as you go. It's easier to add makeup than apply a lot and remove. When you get the hang of it, you see why I'm obsessed at brows. A pretty, well-groomed, and strong brow can make you look confident, put-together, and emphasize your overall look too.