Unsung Heroes: Brow Mascaras

Around two years ago, my mom bought a brow mascara from Lunasol. And ever since then, I've never looked back. They became even more necessary after I started dyeing my hair. I have yet to commit to bleaching my eyebrows, so brow mascaras are a must for me. My Lunasol brow mascara worked well for a little over a year before it dried out. I didn't repurchase it because it ain't cheap. Then I purchased an ELF Studio brow mascara in medium. Although it took a little longer to apply, I actually didn't mind since it meant that it was harder to overdo it. It dried up in about 6 months, which is okay since it was very affordable anyway.

When I went to Bangkok last November, me and my MUA friend were desperately scouting for a MAC Boy Girl Brow Set, which is always OOS locally. We still scouted around the Watsons there, and ended up testing different brow mascaras: Kate (by Kanebo), Fasio and another brand which I forgot. Kate proved to be the hardest to rub off. Once it dried, it really stayed put! So, we bought one each and our lemming for MAC Boy Girl disappeared.

Brow mascaras don't seem to be getting enough attention. Not only do I use them for people (and myself) who have colored hair, they are also useful to soften a person's overall look. I like to use them on people who have full brows (like mine). Clear mascaras are useful for people who don't need color tweaking and just want their brows to stay in place.

Here's me and my full brows using Kate brow mascara in LB-1. Don't you think it helps soften my look?

Do you use brow mascaras? What do you think?

Review: Kate Mascara Base

Hello everyone! I'm really sorry for not being able to blog. December is a very toxic month for me, with all the Christmas concerts, weddings, etc. I promise to be a more diligent blogger after Christmas. Haha. So for today, I'll be reviewing Kate Mascara Base. Here is a picture in the box. What I've actually been eyeing is Clarins Double Fix Mascara, which is said to make your mascara uber smudgeproof. But I saw this Kate Mascara Base during the Luxeasia sale in Ortigas and decided to try it out.

Here it is in the box:

 Let's take a look at it's wand:

It looks like your ordinary mascara wand. When applied on your lashes, it looks almost clear, but there are some white fibers that stick out. They won't be seen though once you apply your mascara.

So let's give a rundown of the pros and cons:

PROS

• Cute packaging
• Adds length to your lashes even before you put your mascara
• Holds the curl up all day

CONS

• Did not make my mascara smudgeproof

Sadly, my Maybelline Cat Eyes Mascara, which is supposedly waterproof, still smudged on me even when using this. But all-in-all, I think it's still a product worth trying.

Will I buy this again? Maybe.

This retails for P900. However, I got this on sale. Be on the lookout, as Kanebo frequently joins Luxasia sales and stuff. They also give a 10% discount in their stores sometimes.

I Found my HG Liquid Liner!

I love Japanese products! First of all, it's more suited for Asian skin, so yeah, I take a leap of faith. Kanebo is the first Japanese brand I've encountered. Even when I was young, my mom used a lot of stuff from Kanebo, and if you've been reading my blog for a long time, you'll see that she even bought me lovely presents from Kanebo for Christmas.

Anyway, moving on, I got the chance to try this Kate Super Sharp Liner. Before that, I was really lemming for MAC Penultimate Liner because I'm fond of felt-tip applicators for liquid liners since I find that it's easier to use than brush-type applicators. As you might know, it's hard for me to find a budge-proof black eyeliner because I'm the oiliest gal you will ever meet! I'm serious. But one day, while hanging out in SM Makati, the SA of Kanebo applied this on my lids. After a few minutes, it smudged but after I wiped off the immediate smudging, the rest of it stayed put the whole day. So it seemed like a good product so yes, I went ahead and bought it!

I roadtested it now. I primed my lids using UDPP, and then applied this. I experienced no creasing for the first 3 hours! That's really a record for me! After the 4th hour, there was a very teeny-tiny crease in my right eye (because it's more monolidded than my left), but you couldn't even see it unless you look real close! Whoa, I was really impressed because no liquid liners has ever lasted this long without creasing! I've found my HG liquid liner. I didn't even buy MAC Penultimate Liner anymore when it came out.

So here's how it looks like:

 picture taken from www.kaboodle.com

My shade is BK-1 which is the blackest. It's not uber black, but black enough. I can always swipe again if I need it to be darker. I can make a really thin line with it as you can see in my swatch. The texture is not so runny. It's just right if you ask me.

 

I'm loving this because it gets the job done and it's affordable! I got this for less than P600. No need for more expensive brands.

TIPS

• During SM mall sales, Kanebo goes for 10% off. During Luxeasia sales, they become 20% off.
• Be sure to close the tip when not in use or else it will dry up easily.

So to end this I will leave you with an EOTD using the Kate Super Sharp Liner:

 

It's hard to see it well with my monolid eye, but it's there. I'm so happy with this EOTD. Do you know why? Because my eye has very little puffiness in this picture. Yey for enough sleep! Unfortunately, I can't say the same for today because I was so tired last night and I'm still tired today. Haha!

So what's your HG liquid liner? I'd love to hear from you.