Brow Gels Guide & Comparison


So as you might have seen from other posts, I like to take care of my eyebrows. I don't know why but I like them to stay in place all day so I've been using brow gel for many many years now. My brows have been from very thin to thick and natural but I've always used a gel to keep them groomed.

I've tried a lot of them and I wanted to make a small guide and comparison to help you choose which one will be the best option for you the next time you go to a beauty counter! The list goes in descending order from my top favorite to the least one.

1. Brow Gel by Nars 

My favorite, yet the most expensive one :( I really like this one, it has a strong hold, keeps my eyebrows in place all day long and dries to a natural finish. It doesn't leave a sticky feeling even though if you touch your brows you can fell it's there. It has a small sized classic groupillon and is super easy to shape your brows with it. There's also three different colors available, apart from the clear gel, which help to define a bit more the brows. The only downside of this product is that you have to wipe the wand off to avoid getting too much gel on the brows.

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2. Speed Brow by Benefit 

After Nars this is my second favorite. It also makes my brows stay in place all day and its small brush makes the application really easy. This one doesn't have the "too much product on the brush" problem but (an here comes the reason why it's not my favorite) it finish up really soon. Seriously sometimes I think some bushy brows fairy comes at night and uses it while I sleep! And since it's so expensive, I don't like to repurchase this so often and splurge so much money on a brow gel almost every month. That's why I have tried so many different ones. Still I totally recommend it if you don't mind to repurchase it often. Also is the perfect size to carry it in your bag and the packaging is the cutest one of the seven gels (as always happens with Benefit's products).

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3. Lash & Brow Gel Mascara by Essence 

This is the cheapest option of the bunch. Is an ok product, not my favorite but good enough for its price. It has a classic groupillon that can be used on brows or eyelashes. It doesn't curve my lashes and since it doesn't have color I just use it for my brows. You should be careful since there's a lot of product on the brush and you may end up with gel all around the brows area. It's not a super strong hold but it has a natural (not shiny) finish that you might like if you just need a little help to groom your brows and set any other product you may have used on them like a pencil or powder. This one is my favorite low cost gel.

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4. Brow Drama Mascara (clear gel) by Maybelline

I've tried their color version twice on the shop and ended up buying the clear option since I already have bushy brows, but it turned out to be a bad decision. While the colored version did fix my brows, the clear gel is not strong enough (at least for my taste) and it doesn't hold my brows in place for more than two hours. After that time I can no longer feel the product on the small hairs. If you want to try this one I advise you to choose the color that matches your hair since it will give you the illusion of bolder brows and will help you to keep them in place.

Get your tan on!


Summer is here! but for some of us our vacations are still a bit far away... Still, there are some things you can do to trick your body and mind to feel like you are on holidays. For example, getting a fake tan!

They used to be sticky, smelly and hard to use, but the new generation of self-tanners will get you the best tan you ever dreamed of without having to spend hours under the sun. 

1. BODY: To get a natural tan, use a gradual lotion that will develop over the days, just like if you were on holidays on the beach. St. Tropez Gradual Tan in Shower Lotion is really easy to use. You only need to let it on your skin for three minutes and then wash it off. You'll see your tan develop in a few days. 

Remember to exfoliate and wax 24 hours before using any self-tanning product. Also remember to moisturise hands, feet and elbows so you won't get any patches on those areas. Don't forget to moisturise daily to make the tan last longer, exfoliate your whole body after four days and re-apply the lotion to get a fresh tan again.

2. FACE: Most people doesn't like to use a self-tanning lotion on their faces because they think they will get a break out or similar. But there are amazing new formulas that doesn't feel greasy on the skin and that help you to develop a sunkissed look easily. The Gradual Self-Tanning Face Water by Sephora or the Self Tan Luxe Facial Oil by St. Tropez are both great options to gradually obtain the desired tan on your face.

PS. Click on the names to shop the products.


Get the Look for Less: Burgundy & Leopard Print


The moment I saw this picture I was totally drawn by its colors. The outfit is perfect, stylish yet comfy and the contrast between the burgundy and the deep blue colors makes it to stand out even more. I can imagine this woman wearing this look to the office, or maybe to grab a coffe with some friends or even to go out for dinner. 

You can wear it with flats or spice it up with a pair of high heels and a big necklace, it's really versatile. Also you can combine the separate pieces to create many different outfits. If you want to get this look, click on the links below!


1. MOTO Burgundy Cord Jamie Jeans, by Topshop





Top picture by: theurbanspotter.com

Top 3 Beauty Brands in Etsy


1. FRENCH GIRL ORGANICS

There's something so pretty about this brand! Its name, the packaging and the lovely products it makes, all of them inspired by their travels to France. Besides, all their product range is 100% organic and not tested on animals. I can't wait to try their Café Noir Polish, this shower scrub has energizing properties and leaves your skin silky smooth (win win!).



2. FOR STRANGE WOMEN

As its name says, it may not be everyone's cup of tea kind of brand but there's not denial that their packaging and pictures are simply amazing. Their owners are inspired by antiquarian style and past eras and use natural and organic ingredients to create sumptuous perfumes and cosmetics. If you like unique scents, this is your shop!



3. THE BLACK SHEEP SOAP COMPANY

This shop, based in Cali, makes the bath time even more enjoyable. In their shop you can find from bath bombs to creams in a wide variety of scents: lavender, eucalyptus, lemon and so on. All their products are handmade and very affordable! Make the most out of your bath time and add one of their bath bombs to the water, the oils they contain will leave your skin soft and non-greasy.


* Have you ever bought a beauty product in Etsy? How was your experience? Any recommendations? I would love to read your opinions in the comments section!  // Click on the shop names for the link.

Happy 2016!


New year, new start! I have been thinking about this for a long time now and this seems like the perfect day to start all over again. 2015 was a crazy year, full of amazing things but all what happened kept me away from the blog and I have missed it. 

Now that my life seems to be back on track (kind of) I want to write again. This time the blog won´t be focus just on beauty. I want to share all my interests with you which include beauty, fashion, design & decoration. 

In order to match this new direction, I have revamped the blog design. Still I will keep all my old posts so you can check them out whenever you want. I hope you like it!

Welcome again to The Glow Lab!


image source: instagram @anastasia_volkova