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I’m still hoping to discover something that lives up to the awesomeness of the Anastasia Brow Wiz without the Beverly Hills price tag. Today we are testing the L’Oréal Brow Stylist Definer.
I purchased the shade Dark Brunette, because, well, I’m a dark brunette. See how that worked out for me. Do I think this product is a good inexpensive alternative, or something that is just not worth your time?
Click through to read my full review and see whether I think L’Oréal duped the oh-so-famous Brow Wiz!
L’Oréal Brow Stylist Definer — A Happy Price Point
I picked up my L’Oréal Brow Stylist Definer in Dark Brunette on Amazon. My drugstores are complete turtles when it comes to stocking new products, and I’m impatient. I paid $7.99 for the product online, but I later spotted it at Target for $7.99 also, at Walgreens for $9.99, and at Walmart for I don’t know how much because of their issue with chronically missing price tags…
Let’s talk about some of the specifics. Obviously, we all know what product L’Oréal drew inspiration from when creating this, so we’ll just start the comparison train now. Like the Anastasia Brow Wiz, this pencil contains 0.003 oz of product. Above is the pencil fully extended before use. As you can see, the pencil is quite short. I’ve gotten used to the fact that one of these skinny brow pencils only lasts me about a month of relatively consistent use. This is why I’m so intent on finding a favorite pencil that does not make my wallet cower in fear.
L’Oréal Brow Stylist Definer >> Purchase on Amazon
Let’s talk packaging & color selection
On the opposite end of the pencil is a respectable spoolie. It is not as soft and dense as the Brow Wiz spoolie, but it gets the job done. I have no real complaints.
Unlike the Brow Wiz or Sephora Retractable Brow Pencil, the L’Oréal Brow Stylist Definer only comes in three shades- Blonde, Brunette, and Deep Brunette. When I purchase one of those brow pencils, I never go for the darkest shade. I have light skin, so too dark of a color will look harsher than I prefer. However I still do have black eyebrow hairs, so too light of a color won’t blend naturally.
I chose Deep Brunette thinking it would be similar to the darkest shade in the Maybelline Define+Fill duo color range. Maybelline’s darkest shade is a dark brown, but is not black by any means. The Deep Brunette shade in L’Oréal’s line is verging on black. I have to be very careful with it to avoid going overboard. More on that in a bit. I haven’t tested the other colors to see how they compare, but I believe the Deep Brunette shade would be better suited to people with deeper skin tones. But because it’s me, I wore it anyway.
*Update: I did get my hands on the Brunette shade, and I tried that as well. It is a much better match for my skin tone, though the tone is slightly on the warm side. The texture and pigmentation is exactly the same.
How it applies on the brows
The texture of the pencil itself is somewhat softer and waxier than the Brow Wiz. I don’t usually mind this, as the texture is very similar to the Sephora Retractable Brow Pencil. The color is what made it difficult in this case. Since the Sephora pencil is a lighter color, it’s okay if I get a little heavy handed in an attempt to get a clean line.
With a softer pencil, the lighter color still doesn’t look too harsh. When I did my brows the way I usually do using the L’Oréal pencil, I looked like a cartoon. The creamier texture makes it a bit more difficult to get a clean line, which is why I apply more pressure, but it is not possible for me to do that with the L’Oréal.
The overall effect is quite nice
Below is my brow after I applied the brow pencil as cleanly as possible. I did not use any concealer or makeup remover to clean up the lines. As you can see, it looks a little fuzzy and smudgy up close, but it’s not bad from normal conversational distance. To avoid looking too harsh I used a very light hand, (which didn’t help with the fuzziness,) and I stayed away from the top of my brow to keep a somewhat natural edge. When I use it like this, I can get it to work.
Of course, not everyone will have this problem. I just have the wrong color, but I hope this is helpful for all of you brunette girls with fair skin who typically go for dark-ish eyebrow colors. I was hoping that Deep Brown would be equivalent to Anastasia Brow Wiz in Dark Brown, (what I usually use,) but I think it is more comparable to Ebony.
L’Oréal Brow Stylist Definer >> Purchase on Amazon
Sephora Retractable Brow Pencil vs. Anastasia Brow Wiz.
That’s all for today!
Like this review all about the L’Oréal Brow Stylist Definer? You’ll probably enjoy this post too >> Sephora Retractable Brow Pencil — Is it a Brow Wiz Dupe?
If you find this post informative, interesting, or just plain entertaining, tell me about it in the comments below. And don’t forget, sharing is caring. Share this post!
Till next time. ♥︎
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FTC- This post is not sponsored by any brands mentioned. I purchase all products myself. All opinions are my own. Some links may be affiliated.
Chelsea says
I don’t know how I didn’t know about this brow pencil. It’s been out for so long and I only tried it recently, but I’m so glad I did! It really is a great dupe for Anastasia Brow Wiz & so much more wallet friendly. Thanks for the great review!
-Chelsea <3
Kay says
Thank you so much, Chelsea! Thanks for stopping by 🙂 xo
Sabrina Warren says
This pencil is just too creamy for me. They tried, but I don’t love it enough to abandon Anastasia. Plus the color range is pretty bad. Three colors? 🙁
Kay says
I absolutely agree about the pathetic color range, but since drugstore brands are pretty new in the eyebrow pencil game, I’m hoping they’ll expand once they realize that eyebrows are here to stay. Keep using what works for you! Thanks for reading 🙂 xo
Margherita says
Very nice article, just what I needed. Been on the lookout for a cheaper brow pencil and I hope this is the one for me =D
Kay says
You should totally check this one out! It’s a great option that I’ve repurchased several times because I like it so much. Thanks for reading! xo
اغانى شعبى says
Hello, I read your blog on a regular basis. Your writing style is awesome, keep up the good work!
Kay says
Thanks for reading! xo
Tina says
L’Oreal is my favorite brand from the drugstore and they didn’t let me down with this brow pencil. Finally a good brow pencil from the drugstore that isn’t too thick, to creamy, to pigmented, too whatever.. Seeing that you like it too only makes me love it even more! =D
Kay says
I’m glad to help, Tina! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂 xo
Kassandra says
I don’t mind slightly creamy eyebrow pencils, but none of the colors look good on me. :/ The medium is too warm, but the dark brown is too dark. Ugh, disappointing. -Kassandra
Kay says
Yeah, the shade selection is rather crummy. Hopefully it improves. Thanks for reading 🙂 xo
Lela says
I love this pencil. Yea, its creamier than Anastasia, but I think it still does a good job and doesn’t smudge all over the place. That’s my biggest worry with creamy pencils, but this one is good. Love it!
Lela =D
Kay says
I totally agree, Lela! Thanks for reading 🙂 xo