Brow-beaten No More!
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| Tom Ford Brow Sculptor |
This is my newest Holy Grail product.
A combination of overplucking in my youth and thyroid issues have left me with very sparse brows. For years I’ve used pencils, powders and gels, all with mixed results, trying to fill in my brows and give them some shape and definition. All had their drawbacks. Pencils had staying power but I find them difficult to use to get the shape and application of color just right. Too much and….
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…well, not quite but it’s just too easy to cross over into “too harsh” territory. Powders are easiest and have the best color options, but often do a vanishing act by mid-day. I’d been using the Laura Mercier Brow Definer Gel which had the ease of application of a powder, and the longevity of a pencil. But even the color lightest option was a bit red (not terrible when I had red hair, but wrong now). A couple of weeks ago, Vicki at French Essence recommended this new pencil, so I set out to track one down.
The Tom Ford Brow Sculptor pencil (in Taupe, for those of you with blonde, grey or light hair) is the best brow product I’ve tried yet. The angled tip makes it easy to fill and shape, and the color is soft and cool enough to match the color of my brows and look quite natural. Stays on all day.
Someone in comments also recommended this Brow Serum from Anastasia Beverly Hills, which is supposed to promote regrowth of brows. In the name of blog research and as a Public Service, I’m going to give it a try and report back.
Do you have a favorite brow product? Or are you one of those women who are blessed with full and shapely brows?
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I’m not a victim of overplucking, but have naturally sparse brows, plus they are very light in color. I’ve used Maybelline’s eyebrow pencils in Blond for years with good results. The color is natural and not harsh or too dark and it stays on well. I think it’s important to keep the pencil very sharp.
Oh, I should add this. Sometimes I just get my eyebrows dyed. I haven’t done this is a while, but like the results when I do.
My sister, who lives in another state, just informed me that she had hers tattooed in. Haven’t seen a photo yet, but sounds tempting. (Then again, she had NONE at all.)
My older sister in law, a hairdresser, did the tattooed brows and lipliner a couple of decades ago and they still look great, she’s about 70 now. A friend of mine just did the tattooed brows a month ago…we’re 54. It is beautiful! Subtle and perfectly shaped by a talented aesthetician.
I too am very tempted.
My brows have thinned near the centre of my face as I get older, so I like to fill them in a little using a powdered brow product. It does disappear after a while though, so your find is definitely of interest.
I’ve wondered about regrowth hormones too. Makes sense if they have products to grow hair on bald men there should be something to regrow eyebrows.
I’m one of those women who can’t be bothered! Drives my daughter crazy:). Now they are going gray. I do cut the errant frond when it escapes the hedge…
I have my brows tinted every 6 weeks. The effect is very natural and covers the grey!
Those thyroid issues are a pain but I must be thankful I have brows as mothers completely disappeared.
Btw I love your blonde shade of hair, it suits you.
I have been really loving Benefit’s Brow-zings, not the powder, just the colored wax, in a soft brown. I have fairly thick unruly brows that need taming and I like them to retain their shape. This stuff has really worked for me. You are the 5th person (at least) to talk about the Tom Ford brow sculptor however, so I will check this product out. I have been so impressed with the nail polish from that line that I would buy other products as well, despite the high prices!
Completely unrelated side note: If you have time, think about joining Adrienne and me for “How I Wear My: Florals.” You can send a picture to either of us by June 3. It would be great to have you with us again! XO, Jill
Thanks for the tip! I used to have truly bushy brows, and cursed them. Now I’d love to have that “problem” back. : )
Brilliant advice, and nice to know we come from the same era of “over plucking”. It leaves a grin on my face to think that we followed trends to that extent, and yes, I am also suffering the same issues, to little brows! Please update us on your experience soon!
FF
Yes! Over the years I have tried many products. The Tom Ford sounds intriguing. Please post pictures!
Currently I am using products by Joey Healy. He is an eyebrow specialist here in NY. I went to him a few times to learn his application technique and get his shaping. I am now on my own, but continue to use his products. The brow powder lasts until I wash it off. His brush is easy to use once he showed me how. I think that Joey has a website…
I never plucked my eyebrows in my entire life. To enhance them a bit, I use a soft light brown kajal and a brow brush but that’s all.
Annette
Lady of Style
Oh the dreaded thinning of the brows. I am currently using a Mac Taupe eye pencil.OK but not brilliant. I use a growth serum but again no miracles.
Yes, thanks for the tip. I just discovered how powder can be used for brows (I’m late to the game, I know), and sometimes I like that Crawford look, but this product looks great for daily wear. For the moment I have the brows of Einstein although I cleverly (with varying success) disguise them.
My eyebrows have got bushier as I’ve got older – I get a professional to tame/thread them these days.
I am excited about the possibility of the Tom Ford,eyebrow sculptor. I’ve tried stencils with a variety of “blonde, taupe, light brown” and never was very satisfied. I looked like I had two caterpillars on my forehead. Similar to your (hysterically funny) Joan Crawford photograph, only without a desired arch. Eyebrows are almost an obsession with me, I always notice other women’s brows. My mother has perfect brows, but she couldn’t draw them on anyone else. Thanks for the post, it will be great to know what you discover.
Best,
Elise
Joan Crawford pix thrill me. My sister’s favorite movie in the ’80s was Mommy Dearest. She still does great imitations!
I would not be able to manage without an eyebrow pencil. It´s a must for me.
I have used a one by Chanel, which is fine. I try to have all cosmetics from the same brand.
But – I am curious about the Tom Ford one.
I´ll have to see if we have it over here. Thank you for the advice!
Having white hair, my brows are also fairly white and faded looking. You haven’t steered me wrong yet(I love the Chanel mascara). I just ordered this for myself.
I have always had sparse brows, and made it to my 30’s before discovering that filling them in makes a huge difference! I’m a dishwater blonde who highlights and lowlights, so mine are naturally a cool color. I found too many pencils have red in them, which does not work for me. I found a great pencil at Target, the Sonia Kushiak (sp?) line, in Taupe. The PERFECT color for blondes or cool light browns. They are hard to find in my area, so apparently others agree. It’s around $7 US, so I get several when they are in stock. I will look out for the Tom Ford, though. Thanks for the recommendation!
Mine are also fairly sparse – even though really I have never plucked them much – just tidied stray hairs. And like you I find pencils harsh and the wrong colour. Maybe I will give this Tom Ford product a go – thank you! S x
I’m another one with sparse brows that absolutely must be filled in a little to look decent, so when it comes to brow products I’ve tried most of them. Somehow I have missed the Tom Ford, though, so I’ll have to give it a shot. Lasting power is one of my key requirements, as I perspire and also must rub my brows without being aware of it, and I hate finding myself halfway through the day with only one eyebrow!
My latest Holy Grail has been Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color which is pretty darn perfect: it goes on subtle but buildable and doesn’t come off until I wash it off. I’m a brunette and the medium is perfect for me, but it also comes in Light.
I need to find a good brow product…I also have the sparse. I just need something more affordable than this one..I will let you know if I find it!
I have a good strong brow but I require regular tinting and shaping. In between, I use a brown pencil and gel by Revlon to cover the strong white hairs.
I have been using Latisse on my brows for about a year to darken and fill them in. It works great. Do not use their horrible brushes instead use a very fine eyeliner brush for both brows and eyelashes. This extends the product which can be expensive.
I will have to try the Ford product. I have a couple different Clinque brow pencils that I am fine using but not thrilled with.
My brows are not bad, but I wish they were a little thicker and longer. I rarely leave the house with filling them in.
And I second Jill’s comment – we would really love to have you next month for How I Wear My: Florals!
I now use a combination of a Lancome pencil and the Bobbie Brown powder and it seems to work quite well. When traveling I like to have my brows tinted so I don’t scare anyone heading for the treadmill early in the morning, but it never seems to last for more than a couple of weeks before I start filling in again.
My brows are going gray, like the rest of me. I use Diane Young Brow Wax, but I’ll have to try some of the other ones suggested here.
Your post is timely. Two weeks ago I noticed that the outer one third of my right brow had disappeared. It was shocking. I’m off to order the brow serum!
I have cool coloring and light ash brown hair with a few silver highlights. I’m using an NYX pencil that is gray or charcoal – has a little brush on the end…it’s the only thing I have found that isn’t too warm.
Glad you liked it… 🙂 xv
So I haven’t tried this long enough to know if it works, but my superstar threading lady told me on Monday that applying castor oil to the over-plucked areas can cause them to regrow. Go figure!
Of all the regrets I have about my youth, I am happy to say that overplucking my caterpillar eyebrows wasn’t one of them. Most of those wayward hairs are permanently damaged and need little maintenance. But the remaining eyebrow hairs……..they are long and wiry and naturally have that Donald Trump look to them so they require what seems like daily trimming and a few hairs are now grey.
I am trying very hard to resist the urge to pluck the grey ones out least they die like the wayward hairs and endeavor to tint them before I can resist no longer. I do have an odd problem though that arises from generally sleeping in fetal position on my left side. This causes my left eyebrow hairs to squish up in the middle and poke upwards when I need them to lie flat to make the arch like they do on my right side and have for decades before acting up now.
These are such strange grooming problems to encounter in middle age. Hair putty on my eyebrows works but, why now?
My mum had similar issues with overplucking so had very little in the way of eyebrows. I introduced her to brow powders which worked very well to give her a subtle look. She also got an excellent propelling pencil and soft brush combo from Estee Lauder in a soft brown. I’ve got quite dark hair but thin eyebrows ‘cos I’ve got thin hair all over. I find the soft brown colour really good to add definition without looking like I’m rocking the ‘Scouse brow’.
I gave up and had my thyroid disorder thin eyebrows tattooed. I get them re – done about every 3 years. May try the Tom Ford when they’re about due, though!