It's hard not to think of Benefit when you think brows. Aside from their quirky take on brow essentials with some undeniably cult-favorite products, the San Francisco brand has also made a name for itself with their unique brow bars which offer brow shaping and waxing perfection. Last week I headed along to Bar 21 at Sky City to check out the new collection and was treated to delicious cocktails with a very entertaining magic show courtesy of a magician, followed by a brow consultation with the Benebabes.
And while Benefit has always had a focus on brow products, they have now officially reinvented the game. They’ve just released a revamped range of products (available at the end of the month) that covers every need, every tone and every occasion. Before you freak out they’ve they’ve discontinued the old products you liked, all the favourites (like Gimme Brow) are still there, only now there’s some improvements, new additions and colour extensions. There’s really something for everyone in this collection whether you lust after Cara Delevingne’s bold brows or perhaps you want something a little more subtle.
Let’s just talk about the packaging because frankly it’s fabulous. Particularly with the pencils, they have a good weight and balance to them which makes them easy to hold and apply. The outer packing has a consistently cute retro magical theme and is of course slightly tongue-in-cheek which we’ve come to expect from Benefit. Let’s have a look at the range.
Ka-BROW! Cream-Gel Brow Colour
If you like a defined brow and you’ve got a few seconds spare to give your brows some attention in the morning, this is the way to go. The concentrated colour is great for getting a perfectly defined shape and filling in sparse areas. The thin brush that comes in the lid allows you to create tiny hair-like strokes.
Brow Zings Total Taming and Shaping Kit
Another for the budding pro brow wizard. This now comes in six shades from blonde to very dark brunette, with the wax and powder to fill in and set your brows, a double ended brush to apply the products and a pair of tweezers to remove any stray hairs.
Goof Proof Brow Pencil
This twist-up pencil is somewhat similar to their famous push-up liner. It’s a double-ended pencil with the colour on one end and a spool wand on the other which allows you to blend out the colour. The tip is a really unique shape - kind of a diamond, which allows you to create thin strokes, or fill in larger areas depending on your need.
Precisely, My Brow Pencil
This pencil has a superfine tip which twists up and can easily create the sharpest of brows. Perfect for defining the arch or tail or adding fine hair like strokes. The packaging reminds me a little of my high school days when I took architecture. It has a textured grip which is akin to that of one of those super sharp metal utility knifes.
High Brow Highlighting Pencil
So happy with this. I always loved the colour of High Brow but the texture now blends so much smoother. There’s also a glow version if you prefer that over matte.
Gimme Brow Volumising Fibre Gel
Most people who’ve used this ones predecessor swear by it and for good reason. The tiny fibres emulate hairs and fill out the brow without making it too solid. It’s pretty much remained the same but they’ve added a third colour which I’m very happy about.
3D BROWtones
I’m in love with this, in fact it could be my favourite. It’s like highlights for your brows. The gel formula picks out subtle highlights in your brow hairs which adds dimension to dark brows or can alter the tone (i.e. if you want to lighten or deepen your brows without having to add too much shaping and definition).
Ready Set Brow!
What would a brow collection be without a clear brow gel? In fact, I don’t recall the last time I filled in my brows without setting them with a brow gel. Who is this for? If you’re happy with the colour and fullness of your brows (whether natural or achieved using one of the pencils etc) and just want to set the hairs in place.
Accessories
They also have a full size Brow Brush that has an angle brush on one end and a spoolie on the other, as well as a very beautiful pair of precision tweezers. And of course a sharpener that services both the thin and thick pencils.
The great news? All the product colours are numbered, so if you're a #3 (like me) in Goof Proof, you'll also be a #3 in Precisely My Brow Pencil, and the same in Brow Zings, and so on.
If you want to check out the collection for yourself, you can find Benefit at Smith & Caugheys, or at Auckland International Airport. This collection is available from the end of July 2016.