Arched to perfection! Tips & tricks for the ultimate brow
Want to wow your brows? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve teamed up with senior make-up artist – and one of Benefit Cosmetics very own benebabes – Lauren Hodgson to show you how to create brow-tiful looks.
Brow background
There’s nothing that says the 90s like a razor-thin brow. Brows are the one facial feature that acts as a sign of the times and right now we’re obsessed with the filled-out, social media-worthy brow of the modern day. But wait, there’s more to brows than just face fluff – it’s an art.
“Well-styled brows can enhance the eyes, add symmetry to the face, slim the nose and ultimately make you look and feel perfectly polished,” says Lauren.
Having the right style and shape can make a huge difference to your look. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get the brow lowdown with three top trending styles.
Linear & straight brow
This style works really well for a longer face shape, as a low-lying arch and elongated brow helps to break up a long face shape, adding width to the face – fierce!
To create a straight, linear brow, remember that you don’t need to pluck the top of the arch. According to Lauren, the trick is to start with a cream-gel product like Ka-Brow! Eyebrow Colour, and use “an angled brow brush and simply apply the brow product directly to the skin under the arch to draw out the shape.” Next, fill in the arch and create a flat brow rather than arching it down.
Soft angled arch
A soft angled arch can really help to add structure and length to a more rounded face shape, helping to narrow it – think contour for your brows, gorgeous!
Use a brow pencil such as Precisely, My Eyebrow Brow or Goof Proof Pencil. Lauren’s top tip is to “brush through the brow hair in an upwards direction, and lightly draw the brow with upward, tiny strokes to lift your arches.” If you’re looking for more definition, Lauren recommends using “a contrasting shade such as two brow shades darker,” giving you a fluffier, softer look.
Want to lift those arches even further? Take your fave highlighter (ours is Benefit Cookie Highlighter) and your finger, or a flat brush, and tap a bit of highlight on the brow arch bone.
Natural & feathered
These full-on, fluffy and textured brows are definitely in this season. Perfect for those of us with sparse or fuller brows, it’s so easy to achieve the hottest brows right now.
Take a fine brow pencil, Precisely, My Eyebrow Pencil is our go-to, and brush the hair along so you can draw strokes in an upwards direction after you’ve nailed down a basic shape. Next, Lauren suggests taking “a coloured brow gel and, with the comb, brush the hair backwards and forwards.”
Gimme Brow+ Gel is the perfect partner, adds Lauren. “That’s because the little microfibers in the formula will hook themselves to even the sparsest of hairs, so your brows will appear thicker and fuller.” Result! Don’t forget the finishing touches. Set your brows with 24-Hour Brow Setter, and brush the brow hairs up to achieve that fluffy look.
And with that, you’ve just aced brow styling 101. No need to thank us, it’s one of the Benefit(s) of the job!
