Review: Nichido Minerals Precise Eye Pencil

They say that our brows are the frames to the windows of our soul (make that the rest of the face), and personally, I feel a bit incomplete without groomed and decent brows. If only the rest of us were given the blessing that are Cara Delevingne's brows, we can just call it a day. Unfortunately, most of us still have to put some elbow grease into it just to get those frames to our peepers into tip-top shape.

Good thing I get some help with a few reliable friends. I go on rotation from powder to wax and powder to pencils, depending on the look that I'm going for. Brow powder can take me anywhere from soft and natural to strong and structured. However, I find that application using brow powder usually takes me a bit more time than when I use pencils. So for times when I'm in a rush, I usually just grab my brow pencils and go.

I first tried the Ever Bilena eye pencils, but I found that they seem to be a little too soft for my liking. Even with a light-handed application, I still end up with waxy and crazy dark brows. That was a really dark phase in my life. But I'm glad I found the Nichido Minerals Precise Eye Pencil. I have it in two shades, namely Chestnut and Taupe. I found that mixing two colors gave me the best possible shade match for my colored hair. Some days I also use a tinted eyebrow gel just to help me kick up the tint a notch. I also like to use my ever-reliable Marionnaud Eyebrow Duo brush (which I got ages and ages ago), which has an angled brush on one end, and a spoolie on the other. This tool helps blend out and sheer out the product so it looks more natural on my brows.

Product Shots

I have gone through them quite a bit after a few months.

The colors are shown on the bottom of the pencil for easier reference and storage

The pencils also have individual labels to indicate the shade

Some additional information on the product, as well as the ingredients

Product content is also written on the packaging for your reference

I use Taupe to help bring out the blonde/light shades in my color-treated hair

I use Chestnut to outline my brows lightly so I have a guideline for where the color goes

Swatches

Lightly swatched

Before and After

Before, no brow product on yet

Brows and entire face done

What I like about it

• Very affordable. They are available for Php 138 a pop.
• One pencil would last you for a long time
• Readily available. Check with your local department store for a Nichido counter. I got mine from Watsons SM Makati.
• It comes in a variety of shades which you can mix and match
• Nice packaging, it looks so earthy
• Comes with a cap so the product doesn't dry up
• Can be sharpened
• The consistency is not too waxy and not too hard either. It doesn't drag onto my skin.
• Great for traveling, light and easy to stash
• Pigmented
• Long-wearing, doesn't budge much (using an eyebrow gel definitely helps with its longevity)
• Doesn't break me out or irritate my skin

What I dislike about it

• The shade Taupe has a tinge of orange in it
• I wish they have more shades to choose from
• I still have to mix two colors to get the right shade to match my hair color

If you're looking for a good-quality and affordable brow pencil, I would recommend the Nichido Minerals Precise Eye Pencil. You don't have to search far and wide for great products that work. For all you know, gems are tucked away in your local stores and makeup counters. Try different things and see what works best for you. Let me know how your adventure goes!