Brow’s are a big part of my makeup routine as they frame the face and pull everything together, much like mascara pulls eye makeup together. I have quite dark and unruly brows which tend to take a lot of work to get under control and after using a fair few products over the years I thought I’d pull together a post of a few of the different types of products out there for brows for anyone who’s just branching into the world of filling in brows or who is stuck in a rut with what to do with them.

The traditional pencil

Pencil’s in general offer precision and control when filling in brows opposed to shadow and an angled brush. Pencil also generally doesn’t take as long as shadow to fill in brows either. That being said it is harder to create a ‘natural’ brow look with pencil - especially if it’s a soft pencil - so it’s essential that you comb through the brows before and after filling them in. Pencil also generally doesn’t last as long as it’s a cream product but if you’re going for a look that needs a strong brow or your natural eyebrows are very thin and sparse a pencil is the way forward. Versions can be found from the high street to high end including Rimmel, Maybelline and Anatasia.

The sculpting pencil

This version of a pencil is a generally new concept which is seen more with high end brands than hughstreet brands. The concept combines powder, pencil and wax to be able to easily and quickly sculpt the perfect brow shape. One end is generally a spoolie brush and the other the pencil with a slanted tip. The purpose of the slanted tip is to be able to precisely outline the brow with the thin side and quickly fill them in with the wider edge. The sculpting pencil is great to create the Cara Delaveigne type brow that’s thick and dramatic - the new trend with brows - as you’re able to create the shape and fill them in quickly and easily. Versions can be found from such brands of Hourglass, Tom Ford and the new high street entry Sleek.

Eyeshadow/brow powder

One of the most natural out of the bunch but also one of the most time consuming. Using eyeshadow is a natural way to fill in brows as the powder isn’t too harsh like a soft pencil can be. Powder also wears well as because it isn’t cream it doesn’t move around or disappear easily. A good angled brush is needed in order to create a precise shape but generally powder is a good call if brows aren’t really your thing as it isn’t too heavy and if you mess up it’s not easily noticeable or powder is a good call if you already have dark/bushy brows and don’t want to draw too much attention to them but want to fill in the gaps. Great powders can be found at MAC (Omega specifically) and Anastasia.

Brow pen

The most natural as individual hairs can be drawn on however it's a very time consuming process which isn't very practical for everyday. However, brow pens tend to last all without budging as their essentially a waterproof eyeliner but for eyebrows. Brow pens can be found from Anastasia and Barry M.

Brow gel

Brow gel can be used over any of the above options or on its own. Brow gel is great and keeping brows in place especially if your brows are unruly like mine are. Clear brows gels will create the most natural brow when used on its own and tinted brow gels will add a little something but nothing too heavy - a great starting point if you’re just dipping your toe into the world of brows. Clear mascara will also do the job, or even a brown mascara - if you have brown eyebrows of course. Great brow gels can be found from Eyeko and Maybelline.

Brow kits

Also on the market can be found brow kits which generally include a wax, powder and often a powder highlighter with a cute little brush to make things easy - especially for beginners. These can be picked up easily from the high street from brands like Seventeen and Sleek.

How do you control your brows?

~ Jade xx