Continuing my search for the perfect brow, I turn my focus to Ardell Stroke A Brow Feathering Pen.  After already trying Urban Decay's Brow Blade and many other brow products, I am interested in seeing how well this affordable alternative can perform.

Ardell Stroke A Brow
Feathering Pen Review

Ardell Stroke A Brow Feathering Pen Review

INFO SHEET

Brand:  Ardell
Product:  Stroke A Brow Feathering Pen
Shade:  Medium Brown
Color Payoff:  Highly Pigmented
Price:  $8.99
Where to Buy:  Amazon, Sally Beauty

Ardell claims that this product is both waterproof and smudge proof.  It's affordable too!  I picked mine up from Sally Beauty Supply since Ulta did not have it in stores (shame).  Sally does not have any testers so I had to rely on the swatch on the box as well as online swatches to make my decision.

SWATCH

Ardell Stroke A Brow - Medium Brown Swatch

Ardell Stroke A Brow Brush Tipped Applicator

Notice that there is practically no feathering in the swatch; which is a good sign.  Ardell Stroke A Brow has several shades to choose from:  Taupe, Medium Brown, Dark Brown, and Soft Black.  Worrying that Dark Brown and Soft Black would be too dark; I went with Medium Brown.  When I first swatched it, it was practically black!  I think that since it was new, a lot of product was coming out of the applicator.  But as time went on, the product coming out lightened up a little bit into a dark brown... If this is Medium Brown then what the heck does Dark Brown look like?  Vanta Black?  A void in the universe?  I guess my brows will just be darker than usual today.

BEFORE AND AFTER

Ardell Stroke A Brow Feathering Pen has good staying power.

The applicator is a brush tip instead of a felt tip - which is nice for accuracy.  The brush holds it's shape very well, not too soft, and allows fine lines to be drawn.  There is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to using the Ardell Stroke A Brow Feathering Pen.  If you take too long during the application process, then the ink flows towards the back of the pen; so the brush tip will appear to dry out.  You will have to put the cap back on and tap it gently against the counter to bring it forward again.  This was really frustrating to me when I first started using Stroke A Brow since I was still learning and I was slow.  While the pen does allow you to draw individual hairs; it can take too long to apply it this way and cause it to dry out.  To get around this, it is best to apply the product using a lot of short, quick strokes to fill the brow areas that look "thirsty" and then go back and draw a few fine hairs at the end and beginning of the brow.

Another thing I noticed is if you have any skin care products or sunscreen on your brow it will hinder application and won't really adhere to the skin.  I suggest wiping the brow area clean prior to using the Ardell Stroke A Brow Feathering Pen in order for the product to transfer better.  It dries quickly so there isn't much of a waiting period after application.

The product is highly pigmented so a little goes a long way.  I found that it is long lasting and does not fade throughout the day.  It also performs well on combination / oily skin.  I did apply it before bed to see how well it would do in that scenario, but found that the product did flake a little bit over night due to contact with the pillow.  No transfer, though!

FINAL THOUGHTS

I like the Ardell Stroke A Brow Feathering Pen a lot.  I find myself reaching for it far more than my other brow products (DiorShow, Urban Decay Brow Blade, ABH Dipbrow, etc.).  The formula is nice and has good staying power.  If you can get past the learning curve then it will work quite well.  You are probably wondering if you can redraw your entire eyebrow one hair at a time with this product.  While it CAN draw individual hairs, drawing one hair at a time can take too long and cause the tip to dry out while in use.  The best way to use this product is to sweep the brow quickly with short strokes, and then add more definition at the beginning and end of the brow.

The shade range is an issue though.  Medium Brown really is very dark.  Since the product is highly pigmented it can be easy to overdo it.  If you have patchy brows like I do, I recommend using Stroke A Brow to even out the patchy areas first and then do the rest of your brow with a pencil or ABH Dip Brow.  This will give your brow a little more structure and depth; resulting in a natural look!

Pricing & Availability

AmazonSally Beauty

Rating