How to choose the perfect eyebrow product to suit your colouring

Eyebrow trends are notoriously fickle. The ‘Kate’ followed the ‘Brooke’ before being usurped by the ‘Cara’ and we suspect it will all come full circle again. But one thing that remains, is getting your shade right, as generally, when we want to make a statement with our brows it’s not with the colour. 

However, as with anything brow-related, nothing is quite as straightforward as it seems and unfortunately it’s not as simple as ‘blonde’ or ‘brunette’. In fact, it’s often not even as easy as matching your chosen product to your hair colour.

While brows may be diminutive in stature, there’s a lot riding on these face framers and getting it wrong can impact your entire look. Too dark and you’re veering strongly into Groucho Marx territory, while the wrong undertone can throw everything off. In short, when it comes to employing some brow-how, one shade clearly does not fit all, as numerous colour casualties will attest to.

According to make-up artist Sonia Deveney, the key to the most natural-looking arches is to err on the lighter side. ‘After a disastrous attempt as a teenager, I learnt very quickly that when choosing the most flattering brow shade you need to go about 2-3 shades lighter than you think,’ she says. ‘Brows have a tendency to look too dark and too overdone if your colour selection is off.’

This of course also relies on not being too heavy handed with your application and building up gradually is always easier than trying to take away. Natural brows aren’t one block shade so bear this in mind when applying your chosen product. ‘Brows are all about creating a frame to showcase your eyes. If the frame is too dark or if the shape is wrong you’ll be doing a your eyes a disservice, which no one wants,’ she adds.

‘At work I tend to use a mixture of pressed powders and matte eyeshadows to perfect and groom models’ brows using a thin angled brush and more importantly a slightly fuller soft-angled brush which gives a lovely natural finish,’ says Sonia. ‘People often ask which medium is best to work with in terms of gels, pencils or powders but that totally depends on personal preference. For professionals, a brow powder palette with lots of different shades to mix and match tends to be the most versatile option. It’s actually very easy to create a bespoke colour by dipping your brush from one to the next; just aim for a shade lighter than you’d expect. 

‘On the other hand, brow pencils are really easy to use at home and give faster and more obvious results, but you’re slightly restricted by their monotone colour so correct shade selection is paramount. Charlotte Tilbury brow pencils are great as they’re angled and easier to use because of the shaped tip. But if all the pencils and brow palettes are too much for you to navigate then opt for a coloured brow gel where colour selection will be a bit easier as it’ll be slightly less noticeable if you get it wrong.’

Blondes are possibly the trickiest hue to master after redheads so it’s important to really think about the undertones in your hair colour. Is it on the cool, ashy side of the spectrum or does it have a warmer, more golden tone? Light brown, for example, is not necessarily the go-to shade and more often than not blondes suit grey tones or even something with a hint of khaki in it.

‘For blondes I tend to use MAC Eyeshadow Matte in Omega, which is an ashy/grey-toned light brown,’ says Sonia. ‘If someone’s colouring is more strawberry blonde I’ll mix in a warmer light brown which has more golden undertone and a slight sheen to it. Initially I was perplexed at using anything but matte colour on the brow but it can work nicely and isn’t too obvious.’

Few redheads have truly red brows, so as with blondes, similar rules apply in terms of nailing that all-important undertone. ‘I tend to end up mixing the MAC Omega with a warm-toned light brown and a touch of red depending on the look,’ says Sonia. That said, there are now more options than ever for auburn arches too.

Dark hair doesn’t necessarily mean dark brows according to Sonia who still relies on her trusty MAC Omega eyeshadow to perfect brunette arches. ‘I tend to mix it with an ashy mid brown from a brow palette by Laura Mercier (Laura Mercier Pomade & Brow Duo in Ash). By trial and error I’ve found that choosing a rich brown shade to match your hair/brow colour usually looks too dark and too warm on your brows,’ she says.

‘For darker skintones, I’ll still use the Laura Mercier palette but mix it with darker eyeshadows or I might opt for a brow pencil which will quickly give a stronger more defined look.’