Benefit have been into brows for a long time. Since 1976 to be precise, when the brand was born. Their Brow Zings kits are a staple in many makeup bags, and the introduction of Gimme Brow a couple of years ago made some serious waves in the brow world.
This time they decided to go all out, not only re-formulating many of their most-loved products, but also adding new shades and introducing entirely new colours. They’ve also pimped-up the packaging. Having posted a picture of the collection on my instagram whilst at the event, I think the packaging may be devisive, but I personally love it and think it might be a case of people not liking change. I especially love the packaging of the brow pencils, they’ve weighted everything really nicely so that they feel balanced to hold, also making the pencils long and slim, therefore easier to use.
The new colour additions mean there are 6 colours to choose from in total. I’m a 3 for reference, but it’s worth going to a counter to make sure you get the perfect shade for you.
I think brows are a particularly personal part of one’s beauty routine… whether you’re into pencils, powder, pomades, gels or waxes, it’s present in Benefit’s new brow lineup so there really is something for everyone. There are 9 different products in total and today I’m going to run you through each product in turn and let you know my thoughts having had the chance to road test them for the past week or so.
Starting off with the new additions…
‘Precisely My Brow Pencil’ – This is my personal favourite product from the new range, and the one I tend to reach for when doing my day-to-day makeup. The nib is perfectly fine and therefore incredibly precise. The spoolie on the other end is the perfect size for brushing my brows into shape and the pencil is the perfect length and weight too. The texture is creamy enough to impart good colour payoff without too much pressure, but waxy enough to stay in place all day. This has quickly become my go-to brow product. Twist-up super-fine pencils tend to be my favourites as they don’t need sharpening and are more precise than traditional pencils. £18.50
‘Goof-Proof Brow Pencil’ – This neat little pencil is thicker than the above, more akin to the Tom Ford or Hourglass pencils, but slightly more precise. The nib is diamond shaped, which I really like as it makes it easy to use but still precise. The texture is waxy but not dry. I personally prefer the Precisely My Brow pencil as it gives you a little more accuracy, but I think this will be a favourite for those who tend to apply their brow makeup in a hurry, or are new to filling in their brows. £18.50
Ka-Brow – A tined brow pomade, this cream-gel tint comes in a pot with an in-built brush that you pull out of the lid and flip over. Great when you’re on the go, but I did find the brush a bit tricky to handle, and would probably opt for a full size brush if I wasn’t traveling. The formula itself is waterproof (Benefit actually say for 24 hours) so it’s a good choice if you know you’re going to be swimming or sweating. If you are a fan of Anastasia or Illamasqua’s version then I would recommend making a beeline for this. £18.50
‘Ready, Set, Brow!’ Clear Gel – I’m not entirely sure where I stand when it comes to high-end clear brow gels, as I think you can get some amazing alternatives on the high street that are no different to the high end versions, however, I do quite like this due to the clever wand design. It has a double-sided wand that is finer on one side to allow you to shape your brows more precisely. £18.50
‘3D Browtones’ Highlighting Gel – The idea of metallic tones for the brows is becoming more and more popular. If you think about natural hair, it’s not simply a ‘flat’ colour, it has tone, dimension and highlights – so why should your brows be different? I first heard about brands adding shimmer to brow products a few months ago with the launch of Armani’s Eye & Brow Maestro, but Benefit have taken the idea and run with it. 3D Browtones is a slightly shimmering brow gel that allows you to soften the look of dark brows, or add dimension to paler brows, whilst holding them in place at the same time. I actually prefer this product to the clear brow gel and tend to reach for it over the clear alternative, It looks surprisingly natural and makes total sense once you’ve tried it yourself. £18.50
‘Browvo!’ Brow Primer – This is the one product in the range that, no matter how excited Benefit are about it, I’m still not sure I can get on board. In theory a brow primer is a great idea, making your products easier to apply and helping your brows to grow thicker and appear healthier thanks to the addition of keratin and soy protein. In reality, it leaves my brows feeling a little crunchy and the price tag (£21.50) is pretty high for what can be considered a princess product. I am all up for using it at night to help with brow growth, but I personally wouldn’t use this underneath my other brow products.
And for the old favourites…
‘High Brow’ Highlighter – They’ve reformulated the iconic highlighting and brightening pencil to make it creamer and more bendable, They’ve also added an additional shade in ‘High Brow Glow’ – one of my personal favourites from the entire lineup, this is a gorgeous, natural looking, yet still noticeable highlighter. I’ve been using the Glow as a general highlighter all over my face as well and it’s gorgeous. I think this will be hugely popular. £17.50
‘Gimme Brow’ Brow Building Mascara – I remember when brow mascaras first hit the mainstream beauty market about 5 years ago, I thought the idea was utterly ridiculous and that I would never use them. Little did I know! I now love brow mascaras and benefit’s brow-building formula is one of my favourites. I have to say I think the packaging looked super cheap before (and considering it’s a £18.50 product, it shouldn’t!) They’ve remedied this with a metallic face lift, a multi-faceted pointed lid and an additional 2 new shades.
‘Brow Zings’ Compact – They’ve given their best-selling Brow Zings powder and wax duo compact a complete facelift, upgrading the packaging, adding a fold-up brush for easier application, but keeping the tweezers for on-the-go grooming. They’ve also added new shades so there are 6 in total. I’ve personally never been a Brow Zings girl, but I think long-time fans will be happy with the change, as the price has also stayed the same. £24.50
Overall, I’m seriously impressed with the new brow offerings from Benefit. There really will be something for everyone, so if you’re on the market for a new brow product, check these out when they hit UK shores on the 24th June.
Must-See: High Brow Glow, 3D Browtones, Precisely My Brow Pencil
Worth A Look: Gimme Brow, High Brow, Ready, Set, Brow! Goof-Proof Brow Pencil, Ka-Brow
Missable: Brow Zings, Browvo
