I cannot remember exactly when my obsession with brow mascaras started but it must have been around the time that Cara Delavigne’s brows were heralded as the new epitome of brow cool. Needless to say, several years on and I must have tried dozens.
I first heard about Glossier’s Boy Brow about a year ago when British makeup artist, @katiejanehughes, started using it in her pictures. When Glossier finally started shipping to the UK in October of this year I was dying to try their game-changing brow mascara for myself and in my haste, ended up ordering two by mistake! (I am, of course, subsequently thrilled haha).
Why do I think it is the best? Three reasons:
- The taupe shade is bang on for blondes. For example, to compare it with a few others I have tried, I find Blink’s Cinnamon Spice too warm (though great for natural red heads) and L’Oréal’s Brow Artist Plumper in Light/Medium a bit too yellow and unnecessarily shimmery. Charlotte Tilbury’s Legendary Brows in ‘Linda’ a comes close second in terms of an appealing ashy-taupe, but I am not sure the teeny, tiny brush (despite being extremely satisfying in catching every fine hair) is worth the extra fiver.
- The brush is a terrific size and the bristles which form the spooly head are not too deep.
- It is neither glossy nor extremely matte, leaving brows in position, but with a realness to them.
How to wear it
In line with Glossier’s cool girl vibe, Boy Brow is intended to be applied a bit nonchalantly (i.e. brush gently through brows for a light groom). As its name suggests, it has a certain tom-boy quality to it which greatly appeals to me, being completely obsessed with the no makeup look. There are times, of course, when an evening occasion calls for a defined and perfected brow, in which case I will invariably reach for a pencil or powder but for daytime, a groomed and healthy brow is all that is needed.
On the days I wear Boy Brow (I do not wear it everyday because that would be boring), my brows feel fuller, slightly defined (though the secret it not to define them too much) and to my mind, they always look healthier. It is my final step in my ‘no makeup makeup’ routine before I walk out the door. I also find when wearing Boy Brow that I can get away with less eye makeup (brushing up ones’ brows can help to frame the face which, in turn, lessens the appearance of tiredness).
Subtly thickening
Unlike other brow mascaras, Boy Brow does not contain fibres to boost thickness, but despite this, I find its creamy wax formula suitably thickening. It is a formula which does not leave brows stiff or flaky (a real bug bear), but rather retains a light flexibility which feels more comfortable as the day progresses. It is also buildable meaning one can dial up a daytime look for night with simply another brush through if time is of the essence.
Of course, if during the 70s, 90s or early Noughties you plucked your eyebrows to oblivion (I certainly dabbled in my teens and early twenties *shudder*), you may need to bring in the bigger guns, aka, a brow pomade with angled brush or a good quality, waxy eye pencil. Once you have traced your brows back in, a few upward strokes of Boy Brow will catch any remaining hairs, thickening and tinting them. If the thought of having to do that daily does not appeal there is always microblading (if I were to get this done, I would not hesitate in going to see this lady in Southgate).
THE FACTS:
How much is it:
$16.00 USD (approximately £12.00. On Glossier’s website you will not see the final Sterling price until you checkout).
Where can I buy it:
Glossier.com. Shipping is free when you spend over $30.00 USD and be sure to use the 20% discount code I supplied in my recent Glossier review!
Who is it for:
Anyone really. Teenagers will love you forever. Friends and sisters who prefer the natural, no makeup look will absolutely love this product. Could work on mums but depends how their natural brows have fared over the years!
Tomorrow’s present continues the natural, no makeup theme. It also comes from a much loved High Street brand. Who’s in? 🙂
xx
A bit more about my Advent Cal:
My advent-themed calendar is designed to give you, lovely reader, some ideas for presents this gifting season. The list is based on my Top 25 Beauty Buys of recent years. Of the 25 products which made the cut, some I have used for the first time this year and others I have been using for several years. The selection criteria for each product was as follows:
1. It is a product I have repurchased or know I will definitely repurchase at some point
2. It is an item I believe will genuinely make an awesome gift for someone this Christmas
This series is not sponsored in any way and you should know that, like many makeup artists, I am one of the fussiest people I know when it comes to selecting and using beauty products. They have to blow me away. Hope you enjoy!