The Drugstore Dupe Almay Brow Defining Pencil VS Anastasia Brow Wiz

                                                $7.50 Almay Brow Defining Pencil in Brunette


It would probably be a fool’s errand at this point in my life to try to become an Olympic sprinter…
 Especially because I’m barely 5’2″ tall, I’m in questionable physical condition, and I have one leg that’s shorter than the other.

Not the most realistic goal, you know? But I do have other aspirations, like finding drugstore dupes of my favorite department store/high-end makeup.

Now THAT’s something I can do.

It’s not gonna be easy, for sure. Sometimes (but not always) with makeup, I do think that you get what you pay for.

So I’m on a mission. I’m a woman on a mission to find respectable, affordable alternatives to her favorite department store items.

$7.50 Almay Brow Defining Pencil in Brunette on the left and $21 Anastasia Brow Wiz in Dark Brown on the right


This one here is Almay’s $7.50 Brow Defining Pencil, which I’d hoped would be a drugstore dupe for my current eye pencil love, the $21 Brow Wiz by Anastasia Beverly Hills.

I completely forgot to mention this pencil in the Ulta post the other day (it was buried at the bottom of that huge bag!), which is weird because, seriously, it took me a really long time to find in the store. I combed the aisles for a possible Brow Wiz dupe.

And then I saw it — Almay’s $7.50 Brow Defining Pencil — tucked away on the bottom shelf.

“Aha!” I exclaimed…to myself.

 Almay Brow Defining Pencil in Brunette on the left and Anastasia Brow Wiz in Dark Brown on the right


The tips of both pencils are similarly fine (Anastasia’s is a tad finer), and Almay’s does create the plush natural brow look I like, but Almay’s formula is slightly drier and consequently not as smooth.

I mean, it’s not a huge deal… It’s not like the pencil’s painfully difficult to use, but Anastsia’s definitely does skim along my skin and brows more easily.

Even so, I think Almay’s Brow Defining Pencil is a decent Anastasia Brow Wiz dupe — if one of the two available shades works for you.

 Almay Brow Defining Pencil in Brunette on the left and Anastasia Brow Wiz in Dark Brown on the right


Almay Brunette is slightly warmer and redder than the Anastasia shade I usually wear (Dark Brown), and I think it’s most noticeable in pics when I use a flash.

Of course, that could just be me…
For the most part, I’m happy with Brunette. If you’re looking for a brow pencil for day-to-day wear (and less for pics), it’s a great deal.

Oh! — before I forget, the Almay Pencil’s twisty thing-a-ma-bobber takes Hulk-like strength to turn. Either that, or I need to incorporate more push-ups into my workouts.

For now, this is a pretty good dupe for my favorite brow pencil, and a more-than-capable drugstore option.