I go through phases with brows; sometimes I keep them as neat as possible, finely filling them in until the arches are exact, other times I just can’t be bothered and I let them become overgrown and out of shape. However, I almost always regret letting them go but I never regret keeping them in good nick, and at the moment I’m going through a serious and long-lasting brow love-in. I do think spending a couple of extra minutes on your make-up routine to perfect your brows can make a huge difference and they really do pull a look together. Consequently I thought I’d put a post together on my brow products before I realised just how many I have, so instead I’ll be doing a little mini series, starting with this post which focuses on products that add colour to the brow.
There are a few different types of products you can use to add colour depending on your skill and preference. The most common are either pencil or powder formats, but there are also now wands that add colour and definition as well as creams and even liquids. Generally, if I’m in a real hurry I’ll go for a pencil as I can fill and go. A good pencil will be soft yet pigmented meaning you can add good definition that you can easily blend in with your brows. Above are three of my favourites; on the left there’s the bareMinerals Frame & Define Brow Styler which is an extremely popular product due to its ease of use an universally flattering shade, with the above being Universal Light. This is a really lovely product with a wind-up crayon (no lid!) that offers a very natural finish, and as the crayon is so skinny the marks you drawer are very ‘hair-like’ so this is a great option for those new to brow fillers and can be found here – link – for £13. In the middle is the Eylure Brow Crayon in Mid Brown which gives a really good payoff of colour, but is probably best suited to those who are familiar with filling in their brows and I wouldn’t advise trying this if you have a heavy hand. This is £6.45 here – link. Last in my line-up of pencils is the extremely purse-friendly Seventeen Brow Sculpting Pencil. This is the one I recommend most to those who are new to pencilling in brows as this is very pigmented, but it blends brilliantly so it’s a great pencil for practising and even the brush on the lid is great for working colour into the brows. It’s a £2.89 here – link.
As I said, pencil-style brow fillers aren’t the only way to go, and if you’re after a very natural yet sculpted finish, I recommend trying something a bit more faffy but well worth it! I have a couple of brow products from Tarte, the first being the Amazonian Clay Volumizing Brow and Hair Powder which is a slightly shimmery powder in a very soft and blendable formula that’s just a dream to use. It’s very natural so this is for you if you want just a hint of colour and to fill in the gaps. Don’t worry about the shimmer as all it does is add a bit of a barely-there sheen to brows, you’re not left with a 70’s sparkle! This is currently just under £24 at QVC and it comes with a brush here – link – I use the Blonde shade. Next in the Tarte duo is the product I’m using most when I have time to do a good job on my brows (and I’m trying to make time as much as possible) which is the Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse and Brush which is available in three shades and I use Taupe, which is perfect for me. This product is a buildable cream formula that gives you serious wow brows without going too TOWIE; there’s a lot of flexibility as you can use just a touch to fill in gaps, a bit more for more definition, or you can do the whole brow for a very impactful finish. The brush is also extremely handy and I really enjoy using this! It’s £24 here – link. Last up is the ‘if you just buy one thing…’ product, which is Benefit Gimme Brow. This is the product that kick-started my most recent love for brows again and it’s been a long one due to the sheer ease of use of this. You use it like a mascara for your brows and it adds both colour and definition, but it also adds a bit of volume too, so it’s great if your brows are on the sparse side. For five minute make-up faces or when you’ve overslept…or if you really just can’t be arsed, add this to your collection and you won’t regret it! It’s £17.50 here – link – and I use shade Light/Medium. You can also read my full review of Benefit Gimme Brow here.
There we have it! My first post in The Brow Files. I’ll be posting about some of my favourite brow palettes and brow extras soon, so if you like this post then keep your eyes peeled for those too.
*PR Samples
