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Let’s rewind to March 2020: I was living in New York City and always in a rush to get from Point A to Point B, so putting on makeup everyday was not at the top of my priority list. My daily beauty routine only consisted of slathering on a moisturizer and facial sunscreen along with styling my thick, wavy hair—which usually took around 30 to 45 minutes.
Before the pandemic, I was mainly fascinated with skincare products, but once stay-at-home orders were put in place, my attention shifted more to makeup. Despite the fact that CNN Business reported makeup sales were declining, the extra time I had on my hands gave me the opportunity to take a deep dive into the world of makeup.
Keep It Simple
When makeup artist Bobbi Brown launched Jones Road Beauty last year, I knew I had to get behind these products, mainly because I love Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. As stated in Jones Road’s mission statement, each product is “as simple to use as they are to master,” which is top of mind for a makeup newbie like myself. The Face Pencil in particular caught my attention because a pencil designed for the face made me wonder: “What does a pencil for your face actually do?”
I love a full-on glam look, but I need products that can enhance my complexion within a matter of 10 minutes or less -- and The Face Pencil does just that.
Brown’s makeup ethos has prided itself on “look[ing] like skin,” she wrote in a January 2021 blogpost for her website. I love a full-on glam look, but when my morning routine involves a commute via train and a trip to Starbucks, I need products that can enhance my complexion within a matter of 10 minutes or less -- and The Face Pencil does just that.
Your Skin, But Better
The Face Pencil makes quite a few claims, which include covering redness and dark spots without any indication that makeup is even on your face. After applying a few strokes of the pencil onto my acne scars and dark circles, I was pleased (and admittedly surprised) they were gone. I wasn’t sure that a face pencil with a lightweight, creamy texture was capable of covering the appearance of blemishes and my gray-tinged dark circles, but it truly does live up to its claims. As an added bonus, the coverage lasts all day long, so no need for reapplication throughout the day.
The pencil’s staying power may also be attributed to the fact that I prep my face before and after I’m done applying my makeup. I use Rare Beauty’s Always an Optimist Pore Diffusing Primer to keep my makeup from smudging throughout the day as well as Well People’s Bio Brightener Invisible Powder to set my under eyes before applying concealer.
I use The Face Pencil for both my foundation and concealer (Shade 10 serves as my foundation while Shade 7 acts as my concealer). When I first tried The Face Pencil, I used my fingers to blend it into the skin, but now I blend it in with the Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Foundation Brush. After Shade 10 is blended, I apply strokes of Shade 7 onto my under eye dark circles and any acne scars. To ensure that it covers my blemishes, I usually let the concealer sit on my face for about two minutes before blending it into the skin and buffing out the edges. I lightly pat the concealer into my skin with the Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Concealer Brush, and, voila, I’ve added enough makeup to my face that doesn’t look as if I went through a complete makeover. For the finishing touches, I lock it in with a setting spray—my go-to is NYX’s Makeup Setting Spray-Dewy— and I’m all good to go.
Just like the wooden pencils that were the writing instrument of choice in our elementary school years, the Face Pencil needs to be sharpened when the point turns dull. I always use The Sharpener specifically for my face pencil sharpening needs.
A Makeup Minimalist’s Boon
Whether you’re a newbie, love minimalist makeup, or are always in a rush, The Face Pencil should be on your beauty radar. However, if you’re looking for a dramatic, full-coverage finish for your complexion, then this product probably isn’t for you. Thanks to The Face Pencil, I’m no longer plagued with fears of my complexion products pilling throughout the day, and I can complete my makeup routine within a matter of 10 minutes or less. Morning commute, here I come!
5 More Reasons To Love Jones Road:
1. Jones Road’s products are formulated without phthalates, sulfates, petrolatum, PEGs, cyclic silicones, EDTA, or BPA. The products are also cruelty-free.
2. The brand adheres to quality standards stricter than those of the European Union, keeping 2,700+ ingredients out of its products to ensure that each of the products you’re using are safe.
3. Paint your face and nourish your skin with the whole Jones Road line! Jones Road has a host of eye makeup products, lip glosses, and a skin care line to give your skin the love it needs.
4. Jones Road is the brainchild of renowned makeup artist Bobbi Brown, the namesake of the makeup brand, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics.
5. Per Bobbi’s founder note, Jones Road products are “the makeup equivalent of a Swiss Army Knife,” meaning they can get more than one job done.
