Creating The Perfect Shape
Why a Brow Pencil is Essential for your Beauty Routine
There’s nothing that can make a face look more polished than well-groomed eyebrows. On the other hand, untamed brows can take away from your face and make you look unkempt or imbalanced. Getting your eyebrows professionally shaped (waxing, plucking, or threading) is usually the best way to achieve perfectly sculpted brows that complement your face, but you can also use makeup products at home to fill in and shape them.
At 100% Pure, we are passionate about creating natural looks with ease–and that includes perfect eyebrows. We have the best pencils and brushes to achieve any brow style you desire, and we’re sharing all our tips and tricks with you!
What are the functions of Brow Pencils?
Few of us are born with eyebrows that look completely balanced. And whether your eyebrows tend to be full or thin, chances are there are a few sparse areas or empty spots where one eyebrow grows and the other doesn’t. As a result, your brows may appear somewhat unbalanced.
Brow pencils can help! By adding subtle color to your brows, filling in any empty spaces and shaping them as needed, you can create the appearance of fuller, more polished eyebrows.
How Long Will a Brow Pencil Last?
If you want your brow pencil to last all day, then make sure that it has the right ingredients and is applied correctly. Clean, plant-based ingredients are better for your skin and brows because they have natural staying power.
What are the Ingredients?
It’s important to know what ingredients are in your brow pencil, as many color cosmetics don’t undergo safety checks. Here are three dangerous ingredients often found in brow products.
Chromium oxide greens. This verdant shade is commonly used in pencils, but the EWG Skin Deep website points out that it is a nano-particle material—and therefore damaging to the environment and your health. In fact, the FDA doesn’t permit its use in lip products, so why would you want it near your eyes?
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has an unsafe rating from the EWG . It is known to be an irritant, and it is classified as a neurotoxin in many countries. Because of this, Phenoxyethanol is banned from being used in cosmetics in some countries, like Japan.
Polyethylene. This is a plastic polymer (sometimes called a PEG) often added to brow pencils to thicken them and make their application easier. The problem is, they’re classified as a toxin with potential reproductive interference.
Use these ingredients to find the best eyebrow-enhancing product for you.
Vitamin E (tocopherol) helps Keep your skin smooth, and works as a fantastic emollient. It also combats free radical damage that can make you look older by working as an antioxidant.
Mica is a natural, talc-free alternative to other brow powders on the market. It gives your brows rich pigment and longevity without having to worry about irritating your skin or eyes.
The best brow products contain natural ingredients like seed oil, beeswax, castor oil, or vegetable oil to help shape and tame your brows while preventing the product from flaking away. Cocoa seed butter is especially nourishing and invigorating for your eyebrows, keeping them perfectly shaped all day long.
Although this list is by no means exhaustive, the best way to ensure that your eyebrow pencils and brushes are safe, is to purchase from a brand that you can trust to provide only clean and green products.
What is the Difference Between Brow Pencils and Eyeliner Pencils?
Though brow pencils and eyeliners may appear similar at first, they have distinct functions. Additionally, you should always check the ingredients list to ensure it is safe to use near your eyes.Eyeliner is usually creamier and glides on more easily than a brow pencil. The best Brow pencils have a matte finish without any shine or waxiness. Eyeliner often has a glossier finish, which helps make the lash line more noticeable.
Unlike eyeliner, brow pencils will be used to draw thinner lines in order to fill in any sparse areas of your eyebrows. Additionally, micro brow pencils are much thinner than regular eyebrow pencils and could potentially damage the skin on your eyelids if used incorrectly. Precision Brow pencils have very fine tips that help create the illusion of natural-looking eyebrows.
If you’ve ever mixed up your brow pencil and eyeliner, don’t worry – you’re not the first person to make that mistake.
Is it possible to use one instead of the other?
We’ve all been in a situation where we forgot to bring our brow pencil with us when we travel, and then wonder if we can use our eyeliner as a replacement. Even though you might be able to use one for the other product in an emergency, it’s usually not the best idea. The precise tip of a brow pencil is typically too light and difficult to apply on your lash line, whereas an eyeliner will likely be about 2-3 shades darker than your natural brow color. If you forget one or the other hair beauty product while away from home, just skip it that day – trust us when we say you will look just fine without it.
How to Use a Brow Brush?
Brow brushes are versatile tools that can be used for a variety of purposes. In this tutorial, we’ll focus on using a Brow brush to fill in and shape eyebrows.
For application, we love the 100% Pure green tea fiber brow builder. The built-in precision brush is perfect for defining, filling, and sculpting brows for a polished finish.
Determine the Symmetry of Your Eyebrows
You don’t need to use a lot of pressure or product to create the appearance of defined brows. Instead, start at the arch and brush upward in gentle strokes.
Follow Your Natural Hair Growth
To fill in your brows, start at the inner corner of your eyebrow and sweep the brush outward. Be careful not to lay down too much product; if you do, just use a spoolie brush to blend it out.
Use a light touch when you start arching your eyebrows so that they don’t appear blocky.
To create more believable brows, avoid using a) too much product and b) harsh lines. Instead, go for light strokes that mimic natural hairs. Also, focus on the inside of your eyebrow- you don’t want the tails to be significantly darker than the beginnings. And as always, blend!
How to Make Your Brow Makeup Look More Natural
The right tools will help you achieve natural-looking brows that complement your face.
Choose Lighter Shades
Avoid dark shades if you want to avoid looking angry. Instead, choose a light taupe shade lighter than your natural brow color for a more natural makeup look. Lighter colors are also better at dispersing into your brows to create realistic-looking individual hairs. Additionally, don’t try to match the pencil exactly to your hair color. Even if you have non-colored hair, it is usually darker than eyebrows.”
Use Smaller Strokes
Broad, sweeping strokes with a pencil will create clumps of product and a crayon-like effect. Small, short strokes give the illusion of individual brow hairs. This will create fine lines that look more realistic.
Fill your brows with products rather than re-shaping them.
Trying to trace the natural shape of your brows is usually a recipe for disaster that leaves you with unnatural looking brows. To achieve a more polished look, use a brow builder to fill in any sparse areas. Also, don’t try to change the way your eyebrows naturally grow or they will be mismatched with the rest of your features.
In conclusion
You don’t need to be a seasoned makeup artist or require professional tips to learn how to use eyebrow pencils and brushes. In fact, all you need are the right shades of vegan, non-toxic eyebrow products that fit your coloring. Once you have those essentials in your makeup bag, beautiful brows are only a few quick strokes away!
If you want full, beautiful brows without breaking the bank, trust 100% Pure’s brow brush to give you a natural look.