BLOSSOMING COMPARISONS: M.A.C. Brow Pencil Vs. Maybelline Define-A-Brow

Hey Blossoms,

Eyebrows are the gate keepers of your face and what I mean is: your eyebrows can either MAKE or BREAK your entire look. The eyebrows hold the emotion of the face perfectly. Don't believe me look in the mirror and looked surprised, then frown and then smile. If you cover your face and only leave your eyebrows visible you'd be able to tell EXACTLY which of those emotions your showing. So if your brows aren't showcasing CUTE, SEXY, SOFT, HOT or any other adjective that may describe how you feel and want to look then 9 out of 10 times the rest of you won't either, no matter how dolled up you get.

These few parts make up your face and see how the brows dominate!!

Eyebrows don't have to PERFECT. Actually they never could be,even in their natural state eyebrows are two slightly different shapes(in the picture above the left eyebrow is arched slightly more & the brows beginning are slightly different...see what I mean). However they ARE proportionate to the face. And THAT'S what matters! Think of eyebrows as siblings: YES! but NOT identical twins!

Thick (Bushy) eyebrows

Sparse eyebrows (can be natural or from over tweezing/threading/waxing)

Eyebrows that have been filled in, arched AND highlighted!! SEE THE DIFFERENCE!

There are many different eyebrow colors and types: sparse, bushy, straight, long haired, short haired, some people even have whispie eyebrows (grow in different directions) and these are just to name a few. I have sparse eyebrows with short hairs. Depending on the look of your brows it can change the look of your face. When I hear these words I automatically think of the eyebrows in the following ways: sharp =defined & highlighted brows, sexy=filled in & nicely arched brows, soft= lightly filled natural brows with small arch (these words are just the tip of the iceberg...brows come in MANY different looks & shapes). I prefer a more highlighted, sexy & soft look to my brows. I have tried MANY different eyebrow tools to achieve the look I want. I'm going to share 2 of the TOP tools I find myself always going back to. Not to say there aren't more eyebrow products I love but as far as  brow pencils these 2 are the TOP 2...

M.A.C. BROW PENCIL in SPIKED

This brow pencil is the perfect dark brown for brows in the medium brown to black colored brow category (I wouldn't recommend ALL black to fill in brows but if you mix a little black with the darkest brown you'll get the dark color you may need WITHOUT the harshness against your skin.) This pencil is not to waxy and stays put all day long when applied. No sharpening necessary. Holding the pencil at an angle as you lightly apply brush strokes to mimic your own eyebrow hairs is all you need to do to refine a point on this pencil. The pencil comes with .003 oz/.09g of product. I know definitely not much but I interchange this pencil with others so that I don't use it all up too quickly.

MAYBELLINE DEFINE-A-BROW in DARK BROWN

This is the best DUPE (very similar) to the M.A.C. brow pencil in SPIKED. Literally all the same rules apply EXCEPT the tip tends to become a little rounded and no matter how much you use it on an angle it still stays rounded. So the "hairs" you create will look a little thicker and not as fine as the M.A.C. brow pencil BUT don't fret just be sure to make "less" hairs and use a lighter hand upon application. This pencil is a tad waxier and if you have oily/combo skin may fade if you use it alone. Be sure to set it with clear mascara or brow tamer (Check out the review I did on Black Radiance clear mascar & brow tamer HERE) AND a little setting or foundation powder. This pencil even comes with a brow comb but unless you have long brow hairs it won't be of much use. Use a spoolie or clean mascara wand to comb hairs flat before applying any brow product.

Here are the pencils compared side by side....

I love both these pencils and use them often. They both come in an array of colors so don't fret: from the blondest to black eyebrows hairs you all are covered! They do aid in making your brows look flawless but its MORE about application and technique than the product. I've included photos comparing swatches of the 2 pencils side by side in both daylight, indoor light and flash photography. Unless you did the swatches yourself I'd say that the distinction between the two pencils are unnoticeable. See for yourself...

NATURAL LIGHT: M.A.C. (left) Maybelline(right)

FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY: M.A.C. (left) Maybelline(right)

INDOOR LIGHT: M.A.C. (left) Maybelline(right)

So next time you get all dolled up and forget your brows remember that they MAKE your face! So don't ever leave home without showing them love too! :)

Until Next Time,

Later Blossoms

(First 4 photos provided by Google images...all other photos are my originals)

Posted in: comparisons,eyebrows,M.A.C.