Getting in Shape at Anastasia Beverly Hills.

I have regrettably been neglecting my brows during the last couple of months. I adore the look of a good, thick set of eyebrows, but some times I feel like my brows are just not the priority when it comes to make up looks. However, wedding time is approaching and I am ready to get polished! The wonderful lady that usually waxes my eyebrows is on maternity leave, so I figured I would go big and visit the Anastasia Beverly Hills counter at Nordstrom to get my eyebrows done according to "The Golden Ratio." I'll admit I can get a bit...protective? about my eyebrows because I usually like to keep them looking as thick as possible so (at the risk of sounding melodramatic) I am taking a leap of faith here and trusting my brows with someone else (hair grows back, right?).

This is me, pre-appointment. Au natural. Brows ready to be tamed!

My appointment was the first of the day, right when the store opened, which provided for a nice, relaxed brow shaping experience. The stylist who worked with me was very, very sweet and she took her time explaining the Anastasia philosophy and each step of the process before she did anything "permanent." That was definitely comforting and overall I loved the service.

Brow shaping accoutrements.

Smattering of products used on me.

Anastasia brow stylists use a set of stencils to generally shape the brows according to "The Golden Ratio" which determines the look and arch of your brows based on your unique facial angles. The brow stylist told me that the best fit for my brows was the Full Arch and I agreed that this was a good look for my brows. The stylist also told me that the stencils are not "one size fits all" but they actually work as more of a general guideline, to give the artist a better idea of the shape your brow "should" have.

Photo from http://www.anastasia.net/ 

I got sneaky and snapped some shots in between brows! Before even applying any wax, the stylist essentially drew out what my brows would look like according to the predetermined stencil. First, she drew out the three guiding points for the brow (the origin of the brow toward the center of the face, the arch, and the end point of the brow) using the Anastasia brow powder in Brunette. Then, she placed the stencil on top of my brow and used powder to further fill in the shape. Next, she took a waxy pencil and drew the boundaries of my brow so that I would get a better idea of what my brows would look like after she waxed.

My brow marked using the three points and filled in. 

THEN CAME THE WAX! The brow stylist commented that the Anastasia wax was probably softer than any wax I had used since it is crafted to be extra sensitive on the face. I have only waxed my eyebrows with Gigi honey wax and the UniKWax wax and I can definitely say that the Anastasia wax was the gentlest wax I have used as my eyes did not water once! After the wax, the stylist placed the stencil over my brow again and filled it in with powder. Lastly, she sat me up in the chair, plucked a few stray hairs and filled in some holes with a pencil. 

The finished brow look!

I am LOVING my brows. I don't think I have ever had my brows look so even! Ever, ever! I think they look sleek and modern and I love them! Overall, I would recommend this brow service if you are looking to shake up your brow routine and want to get a bit frou frou about it (the service at Norstrom's will set you back $30).

I was also curious to try an Anastasia pencil since I have never used any of their products in the past and the stylist recommended the Anastasia Brow Wiz in the shade Brunette. Brow Wiz is a very delicate twist up pencil with a spoolie on the end. I have watched Sam & Nic from Pixiwoo use this countless times and I have always been curious about it's performance on my own brows! I really like the natural look of the pencil and how the color matches my natural brows (the brow stylist used the brow wiz pencil in the finished look photo above). I have always had dark brows, which I love, but I feel I have to be a bit careful to make sure I don't fill them in so much that they look unnatural.

What products do you use for your brows?

Love,

V.

Bonus Bits

• World Cup Qualifiers: Mexico vs. Costa Rica and USA vs. Panama tonight! Watching as I type!
• I have so much to do before jetting to summer wedding #1 in Puerto Rico! How do you all motivate yourselves to pack?
• Xabi is napping right now after a long play session.
• Going to give myself a pedicure post-half-hearted packing session. Stay tuned!