Everyday Guide to Brows

This is the first in my new series of Everyday Guides where I tell you the absolute basics of what you need to do for certain aspects of make-up. If you have something you'd like to see then let me know.

One of the questions I get asked most often is about brows and how to just 'fill them in a bit' or 'make them less crap'. Brows are still huge in the world of make-up but a lot of my clients want to know how to make the best of theirs, on a daily basis without looking like they've done anything to them at all.

I wanted this to be a short video but it's incredibly hard to cover everything - you always feel like there will be someone somewhere saying 'she didn't even mention... '. I can't mention everything. This is not a video on how to fill in your brows if they are really sparse. As far as I'm concerned Sam from Pixiwoo has covered that in the video I've linked to below. It's also not a tutorial on how to get really full, drawn-in brows that are so fashionable on Instagram now. That can seriously backfire when done in real life and is, I believe, the main reason I have so many women coming to me asking for brow advice. I am by no means queen of brows, I rarely do anything to mine. This is just the basics - what you can use, my favourite products and how to do it.

All products are listed below and products with a * that I haven't used but have had recommended to me from other make-up artists are listed under that. There are so many brands that do brow products now that again I may not mention ones that you use and love. Do feel free to mention them in the comments.  If anything is not clear then do feel free to leave me a comment either on here or on YouTube or send me an email.

Pixiwoo brows
Pixiwoo Microblading

Tools
Eco Tools Brow Shaping Set (I don't love the angle brush from brows but it's fine for smoky liner. The spoolie is worth the money on its own)
Louise Young brushes (specifically the LY22 spoolie and LY37 angle brush)
MAC 263 Brush
Barbara Carranza Tweezers (also great for applying false lashes) - http://bit.ly/2p2gDjT
Tweezerman Tweezers*

Pencils
Laura Mercier Brow Pencil
Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Wiz
Hourglass Arch Brow
Tom Ford Brow Sculptor*
Nudestix Stylus Pencil and Gel*

Mascaras
Maybelline Brow Drama
Benefit Speed Brow
Illamasqua Brow Gel
Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel*
Diego Dalla Parma Volumising Eyebrow fixer*

Powders
MAC eye shadows (Omega, Cork, Charcoal Brown, Brun)
Louise Young Essential Eye Palette

Gels
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade*
Diego Della Parma Water Resistant Cream Brow Liner*

Anastasia Brow Whizz

In a world where you can now be over-whelmed by brow products its hard to know what format to choose let alone what colour. Powder? Pencil? Pen? Gel? in the last year brow products seem to have exploded onto the market. Not only is this confusing for the individual but as a makeup artist I could have an entire bag just filled with brow products, most of which I would never really need. I know that as long as I've got some good tweezers, some matt shadows and an angle brush I should be able to deal with any brow disaster that comes my way but recently there has been one thing in my kit which seems to work on everyone and has made my life a hundred times easier - Anastasia Brow Whizz in Medium Ash.

Now, this isn't the only thing I take with me when I go to work. I have a personalised quad of matt shadows from MAC (including wedge and omega) and an HD Brows palette as well as the fabulous Illamasqua Brow and Lash gel which holds everything in place but as I've mostly being doing bridal makeup recently (much more pregnancy friendly) the brow whizz has been the only thing I've need and the Medium Ash colour is so versatile, buildable for darker hair colours and blendable for paler skin tones. The brush on the end is perfect for making brows look more natural - no bride wants to come down the aisle looking like The Count from Sesame Street - that it makes the rather steep £15.50 price tag worth it.

Now I'm not suggesting you run out and buy this colour - choose the one that is right for you, but these pencils are definitely worth trying out if you struggle with your brow shape, have over-plucked and need them filling out a little or just want a bit more definition. I don't think I would be without this now.
 
What You Need to Know - Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Whizz

• £15.50 
• 10 colours available
• Available in the UK from Cult Beauty,