I was born with thick and dark-haired brows which I find difficult to tame and match with my colored hair. All thanks to brow products which are readily available on our local malls and online shops. Eyebrow pencils, brow powders or even brow gels, name it, they have it! I've always been obsessed with nicely groomed and filled in brows like Noe's of Color is My Weapon. And of course, I want my brows to match my hair color.
Guess what?! I finally found the perfect match for my trusty Ever Bilena Eye Pencil in Brown! Last weekend I am very ecstatic to find out that James Cooper recently released an eyebrow gel which is available in two shades: Frosted Brown and Dark Brown for only 299php each.
I got the Frosted Brown while my aunt got the Dark Brown.
I almost squealed upon swatching Frosted Brown from James Cooper makeup counter (SM North Edsa). It instantly reminded me of MAC's Brow Set in Girl Boy!! I only get to try my sister's, MAC is beyond my budget's reach at the moment.
The list of the ingredients used. James Cooper is made in France which is a sister company of Pinkie Swear, available on SM Department Stores and Watsons. The eyebrow gel is from their Jazzy Collections. James Cooper is famous among the blogosphere for its cream foundation which I want to try soon! The SA in the SM North Edsa branch is very accommodating. She let me take pictures of their other products which have just been released along with their brow gels. (I'll make a separate post about that!)
Let's now move on to the review and comparison!
*Note: My James Cooper Eyebrow Gel is only four days old while my sister's MAC Brow Set is almost a year old already. I can only compare the products in terms of color payoff, consistency and staying power. How long will the product last is unanswerable at the moment. I asked my sister's opinions about both products because she's a long time user of brow gel.
Content, Price and Packaging:
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| Left: James Cooper Eyebrow Gel in Frosted Brown Right: MAC Brow Set in Girl Boy
James Cooper is a lot cheaper for 299php compared to MAC which is sold for 700-900php locally.
Both has clear plastic packaging and black screw cap (JC has shiny finish, MAC has matte finish). MAC contains 8g while James Cooper has 7g of product. The label print, MAC Brow Set on the tube completely faded away after almost a year of usage. I hope JC's label print won't go off easily.
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Wand applicator and Consistency:
The wand applicator of JC is shorter, has a pointed tip, and the bristles are away from each other.
The consistency of the brow gel is thinner or more liquid than MAC's making it easier to apply and spread over the brow hair.
MAC has a longer wand. The bristles are also closer to each other. Unlike JC's wand, MAC has a round tip making it difficult to apply product on the tail of the brows.
The consistency of the product is thicker and dries easily. The thick consistency of the product makes it difficult to spread evenly. A need to be extra fast in applying the product is also a must as it dries up easily!
Swatches:
Both appear shimmery. MAC is more golden than JC. JC appears to be bronze and darker when swatched.
Staying Power:
I exposed my arm swatches under running water and wipe it off with a tissue. MAC almost faded away instantly while JC remained intact.
I exposed my arm swatches for the second time under running water and rubbed it off vigorously. MAC completely went off. JC won't go off completely. I used a soap hoping it would completely go off but it still left a subtle stain on my arm. I am very impressed with the strong staying power of James Cooper!
When applied:
These are my younger sister's brows. She has darker and thicker brows so she's a better model for this comparison.
Her brow hairs on the left are already a bit thicker to start with that's why it appeared darker than the right. However, it's still obvious that James Cooper did a better job in tinting the brows. Her right brow looks so blonde, agree?
When worn:
I love how the product can transform my black brows into a nice light brown shade that matches my hair color well.
What I like:
- Affordable for 299php compared to other brow gels
- Locally available at SM Department Stores and Watsons
- Great staying power : Water proof and smudge proof
- Does a great job in tinting the brows
- Pointed tip of wand applicator makes application easier
- Consistency of the product is perfect
- A little goes a long way
What I don't like:
- None at all
Rating:
10/10
I've finally found the perfect product for my brows. The answer to my desire to have light-colored brows! To those who have dark-haired brows and who are in search for an affordable brow gel, this is it! Application is a breeze!
My elder sister, a long-time user of MAC Brow Set in Girl Boy, says that James Cooper Eyebrow Gel is a lot easier to use because of the consistency. Also, the results are better. She has the darkest and thickest pair of brows but JC is able to give her nicely colored brows!
Thumbs up to James Cooper!
What's your favorite brow product? Have you tried any brow gels yet? Share your experiences and thoughts below! I would love to hear them!
