Eyes and Brows with Almay

After many Instagram DM’s about makeup recommendations, application and a general consensus of ‘where do I start?’ I thought the blog would be a great place to review and chat about new in products and the bits I’ve been trying recently.

A couple weeks ago Almay sent over a package of products for me to try out including some newly released brow & eyeshadow products. I’ve been trailing them for a while now so I thought it was about time to share my thoughts.

Lets start with brows because lets be honest they’re one of the most important features on your face, and in your makeup routine. On a good day I”m extremely picky about my brow products and very seldom change them up but let me just say that I’ve been pleasantly surprised by these products. If you’re a long-term blog/YouTube follower you’ll know that I have 3 favourite brow products that I use on repeat. The only thing is that they’re either high end or only available internationally. I’m really happy that I’ve found a more affordable brow products to use on a day to day basis.

The Almay Fill Me In Brow Pencil (R199) has a creamy, triangular shaped pencil with a spoolie on the other end. Although initially I was skeptical about the shape of the pencil it’s been really great for those quick do your makeup in the car days (let’s be honest, we all have them). Because the pencil is softer than what I’m used to I fill in my brows a lot quicker but definitely have to be careful to use a lighter hand. I think this is a great product for beginners and professionals as it allows for an easy application with immediate effect. There are three easy to use shades and I use the shade Taupe.

I’ve coupled the brow pencil with the Really Real Brows (R139.99) to create perfectly bushy brows, which you know I love! This brow gel is unlike anything I’ve used before with it’s skinny, long wand. Looking at it, you wouldn’t know it’s power but honestly it’s amazing! Often I opt to apply less brow pencil and instead use the brow gel to create fullness and texture without them feeling rigid. My brows look perfect all day and many people have been commenting on how good my brows look so it’s clearly doing something good for them! This brow gel comes in four shades – clear, light, medium and dark brown.

As a makeup artist and beauty lover people are often shocked to hear that I don’t like to wear much makeup and when I do go all out, I stick to the old faithfuls. Giving these eyeshadows a go meant making a bit more effort day to day which to my surprise got me excited about makeup again! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not creating a cut crease or smoky eye for work on a regular Wednesday but I’ve definitely made more effort than just a lick of mascara.

The Almay Smoky Eye Trios (R199.95) are right up my alley because they’re easy to use, small enough to throw in your makeup bag and have three perfect shade combinations to create a pro look in minutes. If you’re like me and you’re more into simple makeup looks, don’t be put by off the name – there really are very wearable shades. These palettes suit me perfectly to create three separate looks or one look using all three shades. This is also great for beginners as the palette is split into three sections to show you where to place each shade. You have a lid, crease and brow bone shade in each palette. There are 11 palettes – 4 Smoky, 4 Nude & 3 Intense, so once again, there’s something for everyone.

Next up we have the Velvet Foil Cream Shadows (R109.95) which are my personal favourite because they’re easy to travel with and make it seem like you’ve made a lot more effort than you have. if you’re someone that wants maximum impact and minimum effort this is the product for you. These creamy eyeshadows can be applied with your fingertips or a brush. I like to apply Cupid Glaze or Golden Vibes all over my mobile lid and then use a clean finger to blend out the edges – it’s the perfect product for a one hit wonder! Because these shadows are crease, smudge and fade-proof I also love using them as a smoked out liner. Simply use a small angled liner brush, apply Out of the Woods (a shimmering bronze shade) as close to the upper lashes as possible and flick upward towards the lid, using the bush to blend out the product and create an everyday smokey liner look. The 12 shades range from light metallic blue, jewel toned red, intense black and everything in-between.

All these products are hypoallergenic, fragrance free, ophthalmologist tested, suitable for sensitive eyes or contact lens wearers. Buy them online or in store at Dischem.

As I said, these products really have sparked excitement in me to try some new products so you can look forward to more of these posts. And hopefully some regular action of this first baby of mine (the blog)!

If you’re keen to win all the products I’ve just spoken about in this post, comment down below telling me which part of your makeup routine you enjoy the most and why. Also check out the Instagram post to get another entry into the competition.

*Paid Partnership with Eau Thermale Avène. All opinions are my own.