I haven't had the best of luck with eyebrow pencils lately: the oft-recommended drugstore option,
Revlon Brow Fantasy duo, turned out to be quite a major let down, and when I decided to give the high-end Kevyn Aucoin Precision Brow a go, I disliked the shade and how scratchy it felt on the skin. Looking back though, maybe I should have given it another chance, because welcome to my current rotation, the hardest of hard eyebrow pencils - the
Shu Uemura Hard Formula 9 in the shade Seal Brown 02 ($23 for 4g/ 0.14 oz). Have you heard the raves about this one way back in the day and always been curious? Yeah, me too.
The Shu Hard Formula 9 Eyebrow Pencils are long pencils made of wood with a simple clear plastic cap - the design certainly does not look very luxurious, but I don't mind. I vaguely remember some claims that these have to be sharpened a certain way at Shu counters, but a) no Shu counters in the US, b) it came sharpened just like any other pencil in the world, c) I don't see how special sharpening would change the performace, and really, who has time for that?
The Hard Formula 9 pencil is also the singular worst swatching product I have ever had the displeasure to use. I'm sorry you can't see anything in the arm swatch - I really tried, so much so that I actually scratched my skin pretty bad in the process and had a scab to show for it. To be perfectly honest, at this point I was ready to throw in the towel and I frantically started to look for my online invoice to return the bastard to the make-up torture chamber that it clearly came from. But! something urged me to still try it on my actual eyebrows, and boy I'm glad I did.
When used through the brows, the Shu Uemura Hard Formula pencil doesn't necessarily glide on the skin, but it does transfer color quite easily, both on the more and the less bushy areas. Because the formula of this pencil is so, so firm, it's easier to control and draw in the shape with more precision, which is especially nice for the arches and tails of my brows. When the pencil is sharpened to a nice point, you can also draw in very fine lines to mimick the actual brow hairs - and the pencil looks pretty much invisible, unlike the Revlon duo. I also find that the hard consistency of the Shu brow pencil translated into better longevity; while creamier pencils tend to slip and slide and fade more throughout the day, the waxy feel of Hard Formula 9 really does not budge.
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| L-R: Shu Uemura Seal Brown, Revlon Brow Fantasy in Dark Blonde, Annabelle So Foxy Eyeshadow (dupe for MAC Charcoal Brown which I sometimes use as an eyebrow powder. Also, poor inner arm) |
Ingredients: Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Stearic Acid, Cera
Microcristallina/ Micocrystalline Wax, Candelilla Cera/ Euphorbia
Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Carnauba/ Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax,
Rhus Succedanea/ Rhus Succedanea Fruit Wax, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil,
Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Oil [+/- May Contain:
Mica, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499/ Iron Oxides, CI 77891/ Titanium
Dioxide].
As for the shade Seal Brown, it's a very ashy, cool-toned brown that's a touch lighter than the color of my brow hairs, which is exactly what I was aiming for. While the warmer tones in Revlon Brow Fantasy in Dark Blonde matched my hair quite well when I had it foiled, my natural hair color at the roots is darker and more ashy, and Shu's Seal Brown blends in much better now.
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| Looking majorly unimpressed here, but you can see not only my brows, but also my 'ombre' (root grow-out) situation. |
I really enjoy using the Hard Formula 9 Seal Brown pencil - it's a great staple brow product to have on hand, and the pencil goes down so slowly that I can see it lasting for years to come. However, I find that when I'm in a hurry, the process of filling in with this firm pencil can get a bit time-consuming - so now, I'm on the hunt for something quick & easy; maybe the new Benefit Gimme Brow gel?
Have you tried the famous Shu Eyebrow Pencil? What's your favorite brow product to use when you're pressed for time?
I've been using Clinique's twist up brow pencil in Brown Black, I think. I haven't tried any others except for Benefit Browzings, which was too warm for me. Have heard so much about the Shu Uemura, and Paris of My Women Stuff did a post about the special way they sharpen it.
ReplyDeleteHey Monika! I have this and when I bought it they did the special sharpening. I haven't gone back to get it sharpened by them, and you know what? I think it does perform better the way they sharpen it to be honest. It was a lot faster to use when they sharpened it, so I'm going to go to the counter to get it done again.
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know, Tracy - I didn't know the way they sharpen those makes a big difference! But, given that we have no counters... I guess I'll just try to moisturize my brows, lol (as per Belly's comment) and hope for the best.
DeleteOooh, shu brow pencils. I still don't own one of these, but I've always loved the concept of them! :P You make a really great point about time, though -- I guess I never considered how slowly you'd have to go with a super-stiff pencil.
ReplyDelete(What? I'm lazy; it's brow powder all the way, for me.)
I used to use brow powder all the time (or, uhm, eye shadow)! Which one is your favorite, Rae?
DeleteMonika, I love that Shu pencil and also use Seal Brown. It's a nice brown without any redness on me. The product is designed to interact with the oils that's produced by your skin (like clinging to your brow hairs) and won't swatch on clean skin. So if you try to do your brows right after you wash your face (and without moisturizing your face), you would also find the pencil won't deposit color on your brows either. :) This pencil is actually my FAST brow. I scribble scribble and brush through with a spoolie and call it a day.
ReplyDeleteMy other options are more labor intensive marker type ones for painstakingly drawing on little hairs (l use K Palette & Suqqu) or with a brow powder with a brush.
Thank you for the tips, dear Belly, that's very helpful! I do always moisturize my face (not so my inner arms, haha) but I don't think I moisturize my brow area very well, so I'll try to get some moisturizer on there next time and see if that helps. I also found already that after using it a couple times, it does get a bit softer.
DeleteI've always been curious about those brow markers! But it seems like they're not that fast :/
Ah, I'm so glad you gave it a go even after the swatching fail on your skin. I love this product! Like Bellyhead, this is one of my fastest brow products actually.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever cross the border up to Canada, you should definitely stop by a shu uemura counter and get it sharpened. They sharpen it so that you get a flat angled top, kind of like a highlighter pen. I think that's what makes this so fast. And even after you get it sharpened, once you wear it down, it's easy to follow the sharpening technique so you can do it on your own with a sharp knife. :)
The YouTube tutorials for sharpening these beasts are pretty terrifying but my pencil is going to be less 'angled highlighter tip' and more 'big fat sharpie' if I don't attend to it soon. I could go to the counter but that's running the risk of a massive Shu haul.....arrgh!
ReplyDeletePS - Seal Brown is a great colour on you, really natural x
ReplyDeleteThank you dear! Hahah, we've all been at the fat sharpie point with various pencils, I'm sure :) And yes - shopping at Shu is dangerous. I only get the urge to splurge online, but then it's even worse: 'Oh, I just need one more thing to get the free shipping... And one more thing to get the GWP...'. They always find a way to get you!
DeleteThis is on my list to try. I bought some Face Shop ones because they were cheap, but the soft textures are really annoying since they deposit too much colour.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the exact method the Shu counters use for sharpening, but I think it's close to the method I was taught in Korea in grade school. (Yeppp, the school made me take a knife to the pencil as a wee child.) Point being: I might try sharpening these myself. I'll sharpen yours too if I ever master this technique and find the proper knife. LOL
I saw some interesting brow products in The Face Shop last time - they also had a colored brow gel that looked decent.
DeleteHahah, I actually remember than in Poland when I was a kid some people still sharpened their pencils with a knife, but I'd be afraid to mess up my precious Shu pencil :) But yes yes - come to visit and sharpen my Shu, Liz! Lol.
Monika,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! I'm always on the lookout for a good brow product. My favorite thing right now is Tarte emphasEYES mousse in Taupe. I has some photos of my eye brows on my blog if you want to check them out. Pencils just don't look good because I need to paint the little hairs, not just the skin behind them. The powder is also way too see through. I plan to checkout LM brow mousses, and see how they perform. I get anxiety attacks when the irreplaceable treasure doesn't have a backup.
Hi Tanya, I've heard really good things about the Tarte mousse, and the newer Anastasia DipBrow pomade! I'm quite hesitant to try them myself - I don't know, I guess my brow hairs are quite thick and I'm not sure how the mousse would look painted over that? But I'll check them out next time I'm in Sephora, thanks for the rec!
DeleteOh dear! Now I feel like a bad beauty blogger, I don't use anything on my brows except for powder once or twice a year and on me it doesn't look much different. Now I don't have fantastik lashes but seem to have good brows. :D
ReplyDeleteAt the counter they sharpen it to their "sword" shape -- kind of like the flat edge you get from the Hourglass Arch Brow pencil. It's good if you need a lot of brow work really quickly, but otherwise, a traditional point suits people just fine!
ReplyDeleteOh, ok, now I understand how their signature shape makes filling your brows even faster. But I'll have to deal with what I have - unless Liz comes to visit and sharpens it for me, lol :)
DeleteThis is the only brow pencil I'd ever use!!! There isn't a Shu Uemura counter near me, so I just sharpen it as I would any other pencil. When I'm in KL though, I'd get them to sharpen it. It gives the most natural looking brows ever, and the best thing is, it doesn't break when you sharpen it! Your brows look so groomed, Monika! I'm trying to grow mine out, so I'm dealing with stray hairs here and there. LOL!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lily - and I'm happy to hear I'm not the only one who has to sharpen it the regular way :) My brows mostly do whatever they want, I only tweeze a hair here and there when it's obviously out of line. But I've never had them professionally shaped to be honest!
DeleteI wanna try that pencil. It seems easy to use. I also love the color. It looks great on you too.
ReplyDeleteHello Monika!
ReplyDeleteI'm using the Shu Uemura eyebrown in shade Seal Brown 02. I love the way Shu sharpen the pencil as they said in the shape of samurai's sword, which I don't see your pencil sharpened, maybe you can take it to the store and ask them sharpen it for you? The shape of the pencil make it unique and more easy to define brows :)
Btw, I'm beauty blogger and lover like you, check out my blog if you have time :) I'd be very appreciated!
XOXO, Vy
vybeautyscrapbook.blogspot.com