Some mornings I just CANNOT get it together, and even something as simple yet important as operating the coffee maker might as well be quantum physics.
I call those my makeup-for-dummies days, and when they strike I turn to instant coffee my arsenal of tools and tricks to fake a good night’s sleep.
Can’t have my neighbors mistaking me for the first wave in the coming zombie apocalypse, right? 
The latest addition to my makeup-for-dummies kit, NYX’s new Eyebrow Shaper ($8.75), is one of several new eyebrow products from NYX this fall. It’s a colorless, waxy brow gel in pencil form — perfect for sculpting and taming unruly brows — and for me it takes the place of having to fill in my brows with a colored brow pencil, wax or eyeshadow, particularly when I’m tired and/or lazy (read: often).
Easy is the name of the game on makeup-for-dummies days. In my dreams, this is one of the things I grab when I’m running out the door to cash in my winning lottery ticket…
PRICE: $8.75
AVAILABILITY: At select drugstores, Ulta stores and online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Oooh I need this. I think I have zombie eyebrows.
I think we all do sometimes. 😀
omg WANT! I technically have brow gel, but I don’t like how it makes my eyebrows seem… shiny.
You’re so funny! Which brow gel are you using?
It’s from Bare Escentuals. Just your basic clear gel with mascara wand-y type thing.
Oooooh! That is amazing! I think I need it, as my eyebrows are the very DEFINITION of “unruly.”
Have you ever tried trimming the tops? I do that it makes a big difference in the unruly-ness. 🙂
Oh yes! I trim, I pluck, I brush them, I wax them into place … Trimming helps a LOT, but they need all the help they can get!
You’re like my long lost brow twin — I do all that stuff too! I swear if I let mine go back to their natural state things would start looking quite jungly, haha!
I do believe I must try this! I usually one that one scraggly hair that won’t follow orders. :\
Haha, the entire outer half of my brows revolts when left to their own devices!
ooh! i usually use the sumita brow wax pencil which retails for $11…..i will definitely try this cheaper alternative!
Hi Lisa,
Yay! I hope you like it.
I haven’t tried the Sumita one… is it easy to use?
I need to get into the habit of grooming my brows since they do get quite fuzzy. I don’t always remember to brush them so this pencil might be easier for me to remember. I should put it on my next beauty shopping list, next to shampoo and face cleanser.
Hi Rinnie,
Groomed brows make a huge difference; plus, you can literally get them looking neat in less than 60 seconds with this.
What shampoo/face cleanser are you thinking about getting? I need to make a Target pit stop, myself. Gotta buy some coffee and Maybelline Full N Soft mascara, among other things.
I was using Lush shampoo bars for a while but found that I needed to wash more often because my hair got greasy quick with it. And I wasn’t feeling the softness in my hair. I want to buy a shampoo called “Head Organics” from Ulta after trying a sample and really liking it. I’m using Loreal’s sulfate free shampoo and kind of not feeling it. As for cleansers, if budget allows, I’m getting Dermalogica prewash and cleanser since I’m breaking out more lately and this stuff fixes it quick.
I used to use Dermalogica in my mid-20s. I really liked it — the Daily Microfoliant rocks!
This sounds wonderful, I have to try it!
Yes! And it’s affordable, to boot. 🙂
Yeah, that looks really good and very easy. Definite A. I need my color because I have a couple of small spots that need filling. Not like eyebrow mange or anything, but a clear pencil wouldn’t do it for me. It’s awesome that it works for you, though – good brows make such a difference! 🙂
PS I love, love, love your animated zombie. So cute!
I love him too and have named him “Earl.”
What do you use to fill in usually? Powder, pencil, wax?
Oh, Earl is perfect! 🙂 I use Clinique’s Brow Keeper (pencil with wand at the other end) in Honey. It’s a couple of shades lighter than my hair so my brows still look natural and it’s very quick to fill them in.
I think I have one of those in my stash waiting to get some love. It’s the one where you don’t have to sharpen it, right?
I like both “natural” and “very quick.” Tis music to my ears!
Mine too! It’s actually the one that does need sharpening. I’ve used the other pencil before and don’t like it nearly as much. I find it too waxy/streaky. The needs-sharpening version always works best for me. It might just be me, though!
Oh, and I finished Hush, Hush last night and started on Crescendo. It’s nice to be reminded of teenage angst when I’m far removed! 🙂 I was laughing at myself because I had so many moments of saying “Oh, you silly girl… why would you do that? No, no, no.”.
I love the way you write, Karen! I think about it every time a read one of your posts, not just now. You’re incredibly witty and funny:D The quantum physics part made me laugh=) Love the title, too!
As for this wax pen, it sounds like exactly what I need. My brows are full and dark, but they can be really unmanagable! And I hate the wet feeling clear brow mascara leaves on my brows!
They say NYX is coming to Sweden Spring 2011! Yeay!
Hi Antonia,
Thank you very much for this. I REALLY needed it. 🙂 I’ve been having some killer writer’s block and it’s so paralyzing… if I could I’d give you a big hug! And maybe some Trader Joe’s Chocolate Stars, haha!
And HUZZAH for Nyx coming to Sweden! That’s so awesome!
haha, thanks, Karen=)
You have a lot to look forward to. Dunno if you’re interested, but here are some links to a few reviews just in case you want to prepare, LOL!
NYX Studio Effect Liquid Liner and a Tuesday Hello
Adventures in Drugstore Makeup: NYX Blush Dupes for Two Icons from MAC and NARS
So Who’s Duping Whom? The NYX Nude on Nude Natural Look Kit vs. Urban Decay Naked
Don’t Sweep These New NYX Makeup Brushes Under the Rug
What Do You Think of Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencils?
NYX Special Effects Lashes: Crazy False Lashes at a Crazy Good Price
Karen! It’s been awhile! How have you been?
I think I’m going to have to look into getting this. I love your blog, but every time I come here, I want to buy, buy, buy. =/
Hi Jeannie!
It’s been FOREVER. What have you been up to? Anything new to report?
Things are good on this end — just busy. I guess it’s better to be busy than totally board though, right?
I have MAC’s brow wax pencil and it always seems to tug hairs out!
Karen, I keep meaning to tell you that my workplace FINALLY upgraded from IE6 (seriously) and now every time I open a new tab the url bar says ‘about:Tabs’ and I laugh.
BOO for tugging the hairs out. 🙁 My ghost brows can’t afford to lose any extra hairs!
Okay, it’s funny that you mention that thing about tabs, because every time I go to “new tab” I think, “Aww… a new Tabs.”
I totally read this as ”eyebrow sharpener ”. And was like ”why would i want my eyebrows to be sharper?!”
LOL, Sonja. Hmm, maybe someone with dull eyebrows that need some spicing up? Haha!
Oooh, I could totally use this… my eyebrows like to go a little crazy sometimes, too! Yours look seriously great, and I really like that it’s clear and not a gel. For some reason that zombie smiley is cracking me up! I feel like that a lot lately.
Hi Lo,
Not gonna lie — I’ve been a little more than obsessed with zombies lately. 🙂 (I’ve named that one Earl, btw). I blame it on the new show on AMC, The Walking Dead!
Oh my gosh, me too! I’m loving that show. I was so afraid it would be cheesy or lame, but it looks like it’s going to be great… and apparently it’s already slated for a second season 🙂
Hmm this sounds like a very useful product. Instant brow tamer! 😀
It’s *so* useful. Best of all — it’s a snap to use. 🙂
How does this take the place of a filler? Is it b/c it moves the brow hairs into place and you don’t need the filler?
Nice. I like this! A while ago, I used clear mascara to tame my brows. Unfortunately, I inherited my dad’s unibrow. 🙁
Recently, I found a place to get my eyebrows threaded, and that’s really helped keep them groomed.
I like! I’ll have to give it a try. 🙂
i likey a lot …. brows and me – always up for that!
i have those days too : and its my hair that bears the brunt of my cannot put it together ness.
This looks awesome. I use Revlon brow gel, but by afternoon it always starts to flake. I really only use it because I can’t find anything else. Have you tried using this over top of powder-filled brows? I’m wondering if it’ll make things all gunky.
Oooh very keen to try this one
I rember when I was younger I tried to “trim” my eyebrows. . . . The result was not pretty!
How do you do it without taking giant chunks of hair? I think I can be a little heavy handed sometimes 😀
awesomee, this reminds me of the Anastasia clear brow pencil, but obviously at a much more reasonable price. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for this next time I hit ULTA.
It’s amazing! The difference is so visible.
Hi Vonvon,
It IS amazing! Plus it works fast!
I would love this, but how am supposed to sharpen it?
Why, oh, why isn’t NYX available in Croatia? Argh!
I definitely need this 😀
I like to use the Bee Bar (some online solid moisturizer that lots of people have been talking about) as a brow wax but this seems like a much more convenient form for a brow wax
I’ve used Origins Brow Fix for years. You should give it a try! You put it on with the built-in brush rather than a pencil.
I hope I can find this in the UK, it would help tame my caterpillars!
You’re killing me with these brow products lately! I am obsessed with brows, and now this is just another product I have. to. have.
I need this. I have one eye brow that doesn’t behave so maybe this will tame that bad boy.
I went to my local Ulta. They said they probably won’t get this item and if they do it’ll be in January 🙁 So sad.
You’re before and after pictures look phenom! My brows (in addition to being nonexistent) are splayed in every possible direction every morning 🙁 Do you think I can use a brow pencil to color in the aforementioned nonexistence after using this?
Ooh, nice! My brows are so dark & thick that I don’t need a pencil to color my brows… that would be pretty ridiculous for me… but this looks handy! I’ve used clear mascara / brow gel before but this seems a lot quicker if you’re in a hurry! I have the double-ended brow pencil from ELF and I love the highlighter side but the “dark” pencil side is pretty useless for my brows.
Question: Where do you buy your NYX goodies? The only place I know to get NYX is Ulta and my Ulta has a limited supply and not many of the cool items 🙁
I bought this and was disappointed. My brows stay flat for fifteen minutes and then they are sticking out or up and I see little whitish flakes not longer. I wanted to make my brows stay flat but this isn’t doing that.