I have a crush on Ron Livingston’s Eyebrows. Not the rest of him, just his eyebrows. While we can’t all be blessed enough to have come into this life with the natural goodness that Ronny boy’s got, we can make the best of our own. But to create a great brow shape you have to know what products are best for you. So let’s go through them one by one and discuss what they are good for, what they can help correct and which ones are best for you. But first a few simple rules.

When in doubt, go ashy. If you aren’t confident that a color is right for you, choose the one that is less red. Most people have an ashier tone to their eyebrows, so even if it doesn’t 100% match your brow color, it will look more natural than if you go too warm.

When in doubt, go lighter. If you can’t decide which color is the right depth, always go with the lighter one. Subtle but defined is better than sharpie eyebrows, if you ask me.

Now let’s talk products.

1. Colored Brow Gel - Colored brow gel is good for a few things. The first thing it does is set your eyebrows, duh. But while setting your eyebrows it will also add color to smaller, invisible hairs which will add some thickness to the shape. This comes in handy for those of us who are not looking to create a new shape, but are really looking to maximize the potential of what they already have. This will give a neater and slightly more defined, but ultimately very natural look. For this you will want to choose a color that is as close to your natural shade as possible. Alternatively you can also use a brow gel that is slightly lighter than your other products to bring some dimension and lightness back in if you have overdone it and made them too dark or sharp with another product
2. Clear Brow Gel - Clear Gel is also used to set the brows, but it doesn’t have all the extra bells and whistles I mentioned about the colored variety. You can use it on it’s own if your eyebrows are naturally almost perfect and you just want the hairs to lay in a neater fashion, or you can use it with other brow shaping products in order to set the hairs in place and keep them in shape throughout the day. This can also be replaced with a clear mascara, for an inexpensive alternative, and it works, but the lasting power isn’t quite as good.
3. Brow Pencils - Pencils are the best way to map out a new shape for beginners, or even for the eyebrow pro who is looking for a soft and natural effect. Eyebrow pencils are different from eyeliner because they are much harder and have less color payoff, which allows you to use them with a softer effect. For those of you that draw it’s like the difference between a 2H pencil and a 6B. The function of these pencils is to give a clean outline and shape to the brow where it may be lacking, and also to fill in any holes and patchy areas that might have been over-plucked or have a scar, etc. Within the world of brow pencils there are two basic types. There is the roll up pencil like the Anastasia Brow Wiz. These are the thinnest and hardest types, generally and are the best for someone who is just starting out and might be worried about making the lines too thick or sloppy. Then there are classic, wooden pencils such as the Anastasia Brow Perfect Pencil, which is a little harder to work with as it is thicker and a bit softer, but if you are a little more skilled it works just the same and comes with a great deal more product than the roll up variety.
4. Cream or Gel Products - OK this one is new to the crew for me. I just started using the anastasia Dip Brow, and here is what I have assessed: It gives a very clean line when used to create a different shape around your brow, but it is less natural looking than a pencil. Which is nice if you are going for that very clean and perfected look. But I can imagine that it would be very hard to make it look nice, and not overly harsh if you are not well versed in the art of the brow. This wins big time in the staying department though, because if i set it with a powder it is the ONLY thing that doesn’t get rubbed off when I wear a beanie. So if you are confident, this stuff doesn’t budge.
5. Powders or Matte Shadows - Powders are great for filling in the gaps and bald spots of your brows in a very natural way. They blend easily which makes them fool proof, because if you screw it up they can just be blended away. The problem is, however that they don’t set and therefore may mot last the whole day. They are GREAT though, if you use them over your pencil or your cream product to add some texture and dimension back into the brow. When you put a powder over a cream or a pencil it sets it, and locks it in place for a long time, so you kind of get two benefits in one that way. You may be wondering what the difference between a brow powder and a matte brown shadow is. The answer is not much, but brow powders tend to be more pigmented and less blend-able, because they aren’t made to blend over the lid like a shadow is, and brow powders are formulated to be proper eyebrow colors, so you don’t have to worry that it is going to be too warm once you apply it. Sometimes shadows can be tricky, they look different in the pan than on skin.

Woo! That was a lot. I hope I didn’t bore you to death, but hopefully dividing them up into categories helped you pick out the information you needed . . .I need a nap now, I’m going into a brow coma 😉