Save vs. Splurge: Brow Products Edition
Get perfect brows no matter your budget
Eyebrows have become the focus of many modern beauty philosophies. A lot of women can confidently walk out of the house sans makeup — as long as their brows look good.
With all the eyebrow products out there, though, it can be hard to choose which to use to up your brow game, with dozens of cosmetics companies releasing more and more options into the market.
To help you out, we’ve rounded up our top picks below. And as a bonus, we even give you two options, one from a drugstore makeup brand and one from a higher-end makeup brand. Go with the drugstore option when you’re on a tight budget; splurge on the more premium options when you want to treat yourself.
Keep on reading for our must-have brow buys!
Eyebrow Pencils
Pencils are best used for filling in your brows with precision. Create short, upward strokes with a light hand. You can apply more layers to intensify the color, or for particularly sparse areas.
Look for a pencil with a spoolie brush on the other end to help you blend in the color afterwards.
Save: NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil
The Micro Brow Pencil’s tip is ultra-thin, letting you mimic precise brow hairs that look very natural. It glides on easily and is easy to build up for more intensity, plus the color payoff is great and impressively long-lasting. In short: it’s an absolute steal.
Splurge: Eye of Horus Brow Define
We love the Brow Define because it’s super easy to use. The consistency is a bit waxy, but looks very natural, especially after you blend in the lines with the spoolie. Bonus: it’s made with vegan ingredients like castor seed, soybean, and coconut oils to condition your brow, and it’s paraben-free and cruelty-free.
Eyebrow Powders
Of all brow products, these are probably the most forgiving. They’ll give off the effect of a shadow under your natural brow, creating a softer look than pencils and perfect for evening out your brow color. Just lightly sweep the powder over your brows, and layer until you get the right level of color.
The best powders come in palettes, with multiple shades so that you can create even more natural-looking brows, and packaged with its own brush for convenient application. Use the lighter shades on the inside part of your brow, and darker shades on the tail end.
Save: Maybelline Fashion Brow Palette
The Fashion Brow Palette comes in two variations (Light Brown and Dark Brown), but each palette comes with three highly-pigmented shades, so you’re sure to find the right color match for your brows. The convenient brush is dual-ended, making it easy to blend in. Bonus: it’s multi-functional — you can use it to contour your nose, or even as eyeshadow in a pinch.
Splurge: Benefit Foolproof Brow Powder
Like all Benefit products, the Foolproof Brow Powder kit is both super cute and super convenient. The eyebrow-shaped pan with two different shades on each side already serves as a clear guide for where to apply each shade. The applicator also comes with both a sponge and a spoolie for easy blending. It really is fool-proof.
Eyebrow Gels
Although they look more like mascaras, think of brow gels as hairsprays for your eyebrows. They set your brows and help keep the shape in place, making for easy grooming for those of us with unruly brows. To apply, brush upwards and out.
Clear brow gels can be used over other brow products to lock in the color and shape, while tinted gels can be used on their own for days when you don’t want or need super filled-in and defined brows.
Save: L’Oreal Paris Brow Artist Chisel Straight
This gel’s accompanying applicator might look a little strange, but it’s actually kind of genius. The spongy tip is meant for defining your brow shape and filling in extra-sparse areas, while the more common mascara-type wand can be used to blend out the color and set your brow hairs. It’s super quick and easy to use once you get the hang of it, and your brows won’t budge one bit.
Splurge: Wunder2 Wunderbrow
This cult favorite is everything it promises and is hyped up to be: water-proof, smudge-proof, transfer-proof, and semi-permanent — and they’re not exaggerating. The pigmentation is super intense and will last multiple days. And it’s super easy to apply: use the brush applicator to swipe on with a light hand, and then the accompanying spoolie to blend it out.
Eyebrow Waxes and Pomades
Brow waxes and pomades set your brows in place a little less firmly than gels, but with a bit more definition, making them ideal for filling in your brows as well. The cream-based formulas usually come in a small jar, so just dip an angled brush into the product and lightly apply in upward strokes.
Save: Maybelline Fashion Brow Pomade Crayon
Maybelline makes it super easy to fill in your brows with this convenient Pomade Crayon. No need for a separate angled brush, so it’s extra easy to apply, with a long-lasting waxy formula that’ll tame your stray brow hairs. It’s also highly pigmented — just be sure to blend it out with a spoolie so it doesn’t look as if you’ve used an actual crayon on your face.
Splurge: Ofra Eyebrow Gel in Light Brown
You’ll need to work a little quickly to apply this properly before it sets, but the color payoff and the consistency of the formula is so worth it. It’s also very long-lasting, and is impressively sweat-proof and water-proof. Your brows will look perfectly sculpted even throughout the humidity of the summer months.
Shop all our picks and more must-have brow buys at ZALORA Philippines.
Let us know your own eyebrow product holy grails in the comments section below!
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