In the last several years, brow makeup has taken off. There aren’t just powders and pencils anymore. With pomades, gels, pens, mousses, and more to choose from, how are you supposed to know which of these brow products is right for you and your brows? If you don’t know where to start when it comes to brow products, there are some tips that can help you on your hunt for the perfect arches. Everything from your brow shape to your skill level comes into play when choosing the right brow product or products for you.
- Brow Powder
Brow powder is the easiest of all the brow filling methods. It is basically foolproof. All you need is an angled brush and a brow shade that matches your hair color. Since powder is so soft, this technique will provide the most natural look. It is easy to keep a steady hand and brush the color through, and any mistakes are easily corrected.
We’d recommend the Milani Brow Fix Brow Kit (click here).It comes with two brow shades to mix, a soft highlight, tweezers, and an angled brush.
- Brow Pencil
Eyebrow pencils are probably the most common product used to fill in brows. You can get a thin pencil to recreate hair-like strokes or you can get a thicker crayon-like pencil for something fuller. Finding the right pencil for you can be a bit of trial and error. Some are soft and break easily. They can deposit too much color on the brows for an intense look that’s hard to control. They can also be firm and waxy, which means you need to push hard to get the pigment you want.
Although pencils are creamier and tend to last longer than powder, they can take a little more practice to get your ideal brow look down.
We’d recommend the NYX Micro Brow Pencil (click here). This pencil is soft but not too creamy, so it deposits a good amount of color without going overboard. It comes in a variety of colors and has an attached brush to comb the color through the brows to disperse it evenly.
- Brow Gel
Brow gel is sort of like hair spray for brows. If your brow hairs tend to be unruly, this is the product for you. You can get a clear gel that is applied after a pencil or powder to keep everything in place.
If you’re all about low maintenance, a tinted brow gel could be your one step to groomed brows. Tinted brow gels offer slight pigment that thickens and darkens the hairs and a soft hold so they keep their shape and last all day. Just be careful not to over-apply—some gels can leave your brows looking crunchy.
We love the Glossier Boy Brow (click here). It has a petite brush ideal for any brow shape or size, comes in 4 shades plus clear, and never feels hard or crunchy.
- Brow Pen
A brow pen takes some time to get used to. It is subtle but useful if you have sparse brows. Brow pens recreate the look of actual hair, which gives you a natural and full look without being too dark or overdrawn (if you choose the right color).
A pen technique is long-lasting because the ink mostly clings to the skin rather than the brow. It will not necessarily thicken the appearance of the hair itself – it will give you more of a micro-bladed look.
Benefit Cosmetics Brow Microfilling Eyebrow Pen (click here) is a great option because it has three points to help you work the color through quicker.
- Brow Pomade
Brow pomade is one of the more difficult products to work with. It is thick, creamy, and highly pigmented. Pomades tend to come in pots that have a lot of product. This means they often dry out before you can use the entire container.
If you can master the technique, pomade offers hold and color that lasts. It can look amazing when applied correctly, but can go south fast. The biggest issue with pomades is it is easy to be heavy-handed and end up with overdone arches. When using a pomade, you want to have a light hand.
If you fill your brows in regularly and want a polished look, try the Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW Pomade (click here) for a product that has the perfect balance of dryness and pigment.