Before you say it: Yes, I do have full brows to start.
In fact, I have one thick brow that I groom into two. (Thank you, mom and dad, for blessing me with Italian heritage.) But even thick-brow girls want to get 'em filled in, shaped, and looking their best. With the plethora of brow product and shaping services available today, getting your brow game strong can be daunting.
So I ventured to Macy's in Herald's Square to put two brow juggernauts, Benefit Cosmetics and MAC Cosmetics, head to head based on products and how well the beauticians drew my brows in.
Join me on my brow journey below — you may be surprised by the brand I liked best.
First, let's establish the starting point. Here's an unglamorous glamour shot of my untouched brows.
My day-to-day brow routine involves tweezers. That's it. I complement my athleisure style with an au naturale beauty look.
If I'm heading out after work or on the weekend, I'll conceal my under-eye circles, apply eyeliner, and do a few swipes of mascara (all with drugstore products) — my eyebrows are always an afterthought because they're already full.
No more. My brows deserved some love, and dammit, they're going to get it.
Welcome to Benefit Cosmetics. The brand is known for its brow bar, so I wanted to see how they would transform my brows.
When you hear Benefit Cosmetics, you think Benefit Brow Bar (or at least that's what my beauty co-workers told me).
I walked up to the brand's beauty counter in Macy's and asked to get my eyebrows filled in. Based on what I knew about the brand, I expected this brow makeover to be tame and natural.
These are the tools that would soon dress my naked brows.
Benefit has two eyebrow pencils: the precisely my brow eyebrow pencil and the goof proof eyebrow pencil.
My brow artist told me the precise pencil's ultra-thin tip mimics eyebrow hairs, making it the ideal product for those with already fuller brows. The goof proof pencil applies thicker, which helps add depth to sparse brows. I decided to do the precise on one brow and the goof proof on the other, because why not?
The other two products my artist used were BROWVO! conditioning eyebrow primer and high brow glow eyebrow highlighter. More on these later.
My brow beautician asked me what look I wanted, how long I wanted the brows to last, and then she got to work priming my brows.
I told her I wanted a natural look that lasted 12 hours. (I didn't need 24-hour brows and they didn't need to be waterproof.)
The eyebrow primer contains keratin to help brows grow thicker.
My brow hair is long, so this primer will also help keep them in place all day.
Next is what the pros call eyebrow mapping — aka planning out where your eyebrows should start, where they should arch, and where they should end.
The artist explained how to map out my brows as she did it. Unbeknownst to me, my plucking skills are on point because she told me my brows hit exactly where they should.
Shout out to my hairdresser from high school — I pluck the hairs based on the shape she established over seven years ago.
The eyebrow pencils are equipped with a spoolie brush to blend out the pigment.
My brow artist used 06 – deep on my brows, the darkest shade.
Shaping and filling, check. On to the highlighter to help them pop.
Time to blend out that highlighter for a more natural look.
One of these things is not like the other, am I right or am I right?
Voila! Benefit Cosmetic brows!
I never knew my brows had the potential too look so polished. They're fuller, more defined, AND the color matches my natural brows. She used the precise pencil on my left eye (your right), and the goof proof on my right.
My one issue: The defined square shape at my brow's beginning. I personally like a rounder shape, but overall I loved the transformation.
Next on my brow list: MAC. The darker atmosphere and lighted mirror hinted at a dramatic makeover
MAC is known as the brows of Instagram (again, according to my co-workers). I prepared myself for big, bold, Instagram-worthy brows.
Here's what it takes to create "Instagram brows."
And yet, this is all my brow artist used.
She used MAC's eye brow pencil in Lingering and the brow set gel.
I had some questions...
But I don't fill in my brows, so who am I to question her method?
No keratin priming gel, she went straight to the fill in.
Unlike Benefit, the brow artist at MAC didn't explain what she was doing while she did it. But I also didn't ask.
Similar to the precisely Benefit pencil, MAC's eyebrow pencil is ulta thin so you can draw individual hairs for a natural look.
Another bonus? It's self-sharpening.
By this point, my skepticism began to subside.
My other eyebrow couldn't wait for its makeover.
She finished off my brows with the gel to keep them in place.
What did I love about the gel? My eyebrows didn't feel stiff and they still moved with my facial expressions.
Skepticism gone — my brows never felt so fabulous.
My artist listened when I said I wanted a natural look. She told me she skipped the concealer since I wasn't wearing foundation and it would look absurd.
Are they Instagram-worthy for an Instagram model? No. Are they Instagram-worthy for a fitness junkie who doesn't wear makeup? Yes.
However, once I stepped into the light I noticed the color was a touch too light for my liking.
You know when you do your makeup in shitty lighting and scare yourself later in the night when you see yourself? That's how I felt when I saw this photo.
I LOVED the shape and how they looked from far away, but I would've gone darker.
So, who wins the Benefit v. MAC brow-off?
Let's review. Benefit Cosmetics took me through each brow product and explained in detail how and when to use it. I learned about my brows while she filled them in, and the color matched my natural brow hair. The one downfall: the defined square shape.
MAC didn't explain the brow process, but did explain each product's function and technique afterwards. I loved how she filled in my brows and helped define its natural shape rather than change it, but the pencil was too light for my brows.
Despite the color issue, MAC wins the eyebrow makeover brow-off.
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't say no if Benefit wanted to do my brows again, but MAC took my natural brows and defined them in a way I hope I can imitate.
Both makeovers brought out my eyes, but my MAC brows were what the kids call "on fleek."
