People Think I Spent $600 on a Microblading Appointment, But It's Really Just This $26 Brown Pen

For as long as I can remember, I've been super particular about my eyebrows. They were always thick in width but still sparse, and they frequently grew to connect in the middle, which led to years of trying different ways to groom and fill my brows. To this day, I don't let anyone touch them, and I never get them waxed or threaded. It’s usually just me, a pair of tweezers, my electric brow trimmer, and of course, a good brow pen.

Although, getting comfortable with the latter wasn’t exactly a smooth process. I distinctly remember being a late bloomer when it came to using makeup and using eye shadow (that was way too dark) to fill in my eyebrows. From there, I graduated to tinted brow gels, and eventually, brow pens and pencils. That’s not to say there’s only one right way to fill in your brows—this was just the journey that worked out for me.

These days, I'm still picky when it comes to my eyebrows, but I'm always willing to test out new products when they hit shelves because I'm constantly looking for ways to up my brow game. So naturally, when I found out that Anastasia Beverly Hills was releasing the MicroStroke Brow Pen, testing it for myself was a no-brainer. Admittedly, I went into it with high expectations, having a good amount of knowledge about the brand. Needless to say, it did not disappoint. If you're curious to see how this new It product performs, read on for my full and honest review.

About the Anastasia Beverly Hills MicroStroke Brow Pen

Designed to create realistic, hairlike strokes, this fine-pointed brow pen was designed to create fuller, more defined eyebrows. It's currently available in nine shades and provides buildable, water-resistant coverage for up to 24 hours. It also comes with a custom spoolie for easy blending and has a sleek design that makes it easy to maintain control during application.

How I Used the Anastasia Beverly Hills MicroStroke Brow Pen

Using the brow pen was relatively easy. To start off, I primed my skin with my go-to moisturizer and applied some concealer to my red areas and under-eye circles. From there, I grabbed the brow pen and swatched it on the back of my hand to get a sense of how thick or thin I could make the strokes.

When I was ready, I held the pen closer to the base for extra control and created super-thin hairlike strokes moving in the same direction that my brow hair naturally grows in. I started around my tails and worked my way inward, making sure to slowly apply less product as I got toward the center to prevent them from looking too bold. I also have some spots on my brows that don't grow any hair, so I made sure to fill in those areas and really define the shape of my brows in the process.

The Results

As previously mentioned, I already had high hopes for this product, but I was still genuinely surprised by how amazing my brows came out. I feel like I was able to create natural-looking hairlike strokes with minimal effort, and I was also pleased with the overall color match. I had the shades soft brown and medium brown with me, but medium brown ended up being the perfect match.

When I come across brow products that have a single fine point, I often find that they're hit or miss. Sometimes too much product is released at once, the tip is not fine enough to create realistic strokes, or the formula is a bit difficult to blend out. I didn't run into any of those issues with the MicroStroke Brow Pen. Instead, I was able to create brows that looked similar to my own—just fuller and more defined.

Before

After

Is the Anastasia Beverly Hills MicroStroke Brow Pen Worth It?

I definitely think that this product is worth the money. Even if you’re a beginner, all you really need is somewhat of a steady hand because the fine-pointed tip makes it really easy to create those hairlike strokes. That said, it’s also a great option for anybody who likes a more natural look and wants their brows to look as realistic as possible post-application. Compared to a lot of other brands, this is at a slightly higher price point, but for the quality and results, I think it’s worth the splurge.

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