If you have ever used a brow product, whether it was a powder or a gel or a pencil, you know that doing your brows is a literal art form. The act of painting (or drawing) your brows in is a technique that takes days, sometimes months (and even years, for some) to master. And to make matters even more laborious, doing your brows often requires more than just a couple of products. The brow gurus over at Benefit want to make the task of doing your brows a little less complicated, but without compromising how they look. Meet Benefit's new Brow Contour Pro, a four-in-one defining and highlighting brow product that promises to combine everything you need to create a killer brow in one compact pencil. It's available at all Benefit Cosmetics retailers beginning Aug. 7.
Jared Bailey, Benefit's Global Brow Expert, tells Bustle that this new brow product was created to make those impossible-looking "Instagram brows" people have been striving to create more attainable.
"As brows have really become a fundamental step in everyday beauty, the attention to detail has become more and more refined. To achieve those aspirational brows that you see online, in print, on social media, or even on the streets, you have to use multiple products in multiple shades. And unless you’re a makeup artist or a brow pro, it can be really difficult (not to mention expensive) to grab the right products, in the correct shades, etc.," Bailey explains over email. To solve this "modern day brow dilemma," as Bailey calls it, he and his colleagues developed their idea of a simple and straightforward solution. "We created four products to help fill, shape, define, and highlight the brow and put them all into one [pencil]."
Do you remember those multi-colored pens you used to have in high school? The ones with different ink colors so you could color-code your notes (or create a colorful masterpiece during a boring lecture)? That's exactly what Benefit's new Brow Contour Pro pencil looks like, only instead of red, blue, and black ink, you've got a lighter brow shade (to fill the front of your brow), a deeper shade (to fill the end), a definer shade (to clean the edges), and an arch highlighter shade. The pencil comes in five different shades — blonde, brown light, brown medium, brown-black light, and brown-black deep.
But do not be fooled by the pencil shape or name — the consistency of the Brow Contour Pro is actually more of a gel. It goes on creamy, so you should use a lighter hand when applying it to your brow. It is also meant to be blended with a spoolie (which is not included in the pencil). This texture allows the product to be waterproof and last 24 hours.
So, how does it work? Here's exactly how to contour your brows in a jiffy, but like a true brow pro.
Step 1: Begin With The Lighter Shade
If you look at your natural brow, your hair tends to get darker towards the end. For this reason, if creating a natural-looking brow is your goal, you should always use a lighter shade at the front and a darker shade at the end.
Using the lighter shade, begin to fill in the front part of your brows. To create hair-like strokes, use the side of the pencil.
Step 2: End With The Deeper Shade
Repeat the previous technique using the deeper shade to fill in the rest of your brow. Don't forget to use a spoolie to brush out your product as the gel is pretty pigmented.
Pro Tip: If you're used to using a pencil or powder instead of a gel or pomade, you might want to start out with a lighter hand when first using the Brow Contour Pro.
Step 3: Define And Clean The Edges Of Your Brows
Shape your brows and clean up the edges using the definer shade. This shade should act like a concealer. Make sure to blend it into your skin for a more natural finish. You can use a small brush, if you have one, but your fingers will also work.
Step 4: Highlight Beneath The Arches
Finish your brow by highlighting underneath the arches. This will help "lift" your brows and make your eyes look bigger and brighter. As you did with the definer shade, make sure to blend into your skin for a natural-looking finish.
If you're afraid you're doing it incorrectly, Bailey wants you to know that there is no right or wrong way to use this product. "As long as you use it on your brows, you’re all good! Brows have become a canvas of self-expression, just like the eyelids have been for centuries. So if you feel comfortable and confident using it differently than the next person, go for it!"
While creating your brows can sometimes turn into a production, it doesn't have to be intimidating or complicated. Brows should be fun and simple, and filling them in really does not get any easier than with this all-in-one pencil.
