Product Comparison: Mechanical Brow Pencils [Anastasia Beverly Hills vs. NYX]

It’s the end of the Christmas weekend— I can’t believe it! Things are beginning to wind down here in my own household, but it’s still very much family time (as I’m sure is the case for many of you) so I’m going to make this week’s post quick. Today I’m bringing you a comparison between the popular Anastasia Brow Wiz and NYX Micro Brow Pencil, just in time to see whether or not you should use that Sephora gift card or save it. Keep reading to find out if I’ve found the perfect dupe, and without further ado, let’s get started!

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Dark Brown

• Formula: The formula is neither too stiff or too soft and the transfer is nice and smooth, so it glides on perfectly. It also is not too waxy, so that it can blend easily when being brushed out. 4.5/5
• Color Range: There are 9 different shades in the range with 2 light shade, 2 dark shades, and plenty of other colors in-between. There is also a nice selection of cool, warm, neutral, and ashy undertones. 5/5
• Color Payoff/ Pigmentation: The color payoff is not ultra pigmented, but if you prefer a more natural looking brow this could be what you are looking for. However, it can be built up. 3.5/5
• Packaging: This is a dual ended, very slim mechanical pencil. The product is a fine tip that never goes dull and twists up until it runs out. The opposite end has a spoolie to brush out the brow. This spoolie is not too rough and blends out product nicely. 4.5/5

Pros:

• The formula is the perfect balance of not-too-soft that the product breaks on contact and not-too-tough that it tugs at the skin.
• The spoolie is a nice quality and the material is not too scratchy.
• The color range is superb and the selection of different undertones makes it easier to find a color that suits your hair color.

Cons:

• The price point is pretty steep at $21.
• The tip, while fine, is still pretty round and leaves a thicker line.
• I find that the caps on the ends of the pencil can be tedious.

NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Espresso

• Formula: The formula of the NYX pencil is a bit tougher than the Anastasia. It also has more of a waxy finish, making it less smooth. 3.5/5
• Color Range: There are 8 colors to choose from- 2 light, 1 dark, and the remaining midtones. There are less cooler and ashy undertones, with primarily red and warm tones dominating the color selection. 3/5
• Color Payoff/ Pigmentation: I find that these have more color payoff than the Anastasia pencils, however they have less of a natural look since they are more prominent on the skin. 4/5
• Packaging: The packaging is eerily similar to the Anastasia, almost an exact duplicate. The only significant differences I’ve noticed is that the tip on the NYX is slightly finer because the product is stiffer and the spoolie is a little more scratchy. 4/5

Pros:

• Much more affordable at only $10 for the same amount of product.
• The tip is finer for more precise and darker lines.
• The formula is waxier so if you have more unruly hairs, this could help in taming them and it also helps the product last a bit longer while wearing.

Cons:

• The color selection is a bit disappointing, especially if you have ashy or cool tones to your hair. A lot of these are very red toned.
• Although the product has a finer tip that will give you darker and precise lines, it does have less of a natural look.
• The spoolie is rougher.

Conclusion:

It depends what you’re looking for!

As you can see from this side-by-side, the aesthetic of the pencils is virtually the same, and I even heard from Marlena from Makeup Geek’s review that it is entirely possible that these pencils could be manufactured by the same people since both products were made in Korea. It mostly boils down to the color and formula you are looking for in your brow pencil.

Use the Anastasia if:

• You like a more natural looking brow, with less precise lines and less heavy pigmentation.
• You only need to add a bit of color and shape to the brow, not fullness and definition of lines.
• You have more ashy or cool tones in your coloring.

Use NYX if:

• You want a more defined and dark looking brow— the “Instagram brow”.
• You have a thinner or sparse brow that needs to appear to have more “hairs” or unruly hairs that could be tamed by a more waxy formula.
• You want to save a bit of money and can get away with the warmer coloring.

As you can tell from these swatches, the Anastasia (left) is a cooler tone and matches my natural brow color perfectly. It also looks less “drawn on” and is much subtler. I prefer this for everyday wear, however I can build it up if I am going for a more dramatic look. The NYX (right) is much redder in color and adds more definition and darkness. I prefer this one for days where I have an intense eye look going, especially if it is warm toned as it matches a bit better. Although I have dark hair, I can get away with the red-brown tones because I have a bit of chocolate, warm brown tones in my hair. However, if you have jet black hair, you probably could get away with the NYX black pencil, but if you only have medium-dark, cool toned black hair, the Anastasia colors will be more suited to you.

That’s it for this week! I hope you all found this review helpful and that you all had a wonderful holiday with your loved ones. This will be my last post for 2015, so I would like to quickly take the time to thank everyone for their support. This year, despite all of its trials, has really shown me what I am capable of with the support of a wonderful network. Thanks for making this year of blogging so great and I can’t wait to continue to grow! See you in the new year!

All my love,

Megan

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