Imagine a hairy caterpillar after too may tequila shots. That's basically my brow's main character energy. But two products – Vieve's Modern Brow Definer and Modern Brow Gel – have (thankfully) stepped in and now the hairs on each brow are lined up with military precision.
Much of their waywardness can be put down to over-zealous tweezing when I was a teenager, which means some hairs sprout at random awkward angles, there's a glaring gap above the centre arch and the shape slumps lazily over my brow bone. But ever since I added this Vieve brow duo to my morning makeup routine, two things have happened. People look at me quizzically, before exclaiming “You've done something! You look different!” and asking for the number of my cosmetic doctor. Or they ask for the details of the brow bar where I got my brows laminated.
This sort of flattery is a novelty as, to be honest, I've only recently started making a feature of them with visits to brow artist Hollie Parkes (the precision of her brow measurements and custom tints is exceptional). And yet, every makeup artist I've ever interviewed speaks evangelically about how a good set of manicured brows can ‘frame’ the face.
Now that I'm putting this wisdom into practice, I can see their point. Upping my brow game has given not just my eyes, but my entire face, a lift. It makes me look more awake and put together, even if I'm not wearing a scrap of makeup elsewhere on my face.
So what makes Vieve's Modern Brow Definer and Modern Brow Gel so different from everything else I've tried? In short, two products have replaced an arsenal of brow pens, powders and pomades. Not to mention, I can extend the time between my brow shape appointments, and cancel the additional brow lamination, all of which is good news for my bank balance.
My verdict on Vieve's Modern Brow Definer
My idea of the perfect brow is full and fluffy – but with the caveat that they mustn't look too sharp or drawn on.
The Modern Brow Definer pencil comes in six shades – from Taupe to Black – so there's already a realism about matching the pigment to different people's hair colours for next-to-natural results. The pin-thin 1mm nib then allows you to easily draw on fine, hair-like strokes to fill and contour. The retractable nature of the pencil, and the fact that you don't need to apply very much pressure to lay down the pigment, mean that you can do so without fear that the tip will crumble away.
It's almost impossible to be too heavy-handed with the application. This is thanks, in part, to the built-in spoolie on the other end of the pencil, which softens everything up, but also to a formula that boasts coating waxes and oils for a slick glide over the skin and impressive 24hr staying power.
A great tip from Jamie Genevieve, the founder of Vieve, is to “use the very tip of the pencil to sketch tiny strokes through the front of the brow, then switch to soft shading under the arch to lift and define,” she says. “A quick blend with the spoolie makes everything look seamless," she notes – I also use the spoolie to brush my brow hairs up before mapping out the shape with my pencil in shade Medium Brown.
The only downsides to this product is that I go through the pencil quite quickly and I'd love some sort of sharpening mechanism as I love a crisp nib.
Why I'm obsessed with the Vieve Modern Brow Gel
The main purpose of any brow gel is to carve out the shape and hold the hairs in place. But the ace up the Modern Brow Gel's sleeve is the teeny spoolie applicator and soft-hold texture.
Unlike a plastic comb, the spoolie grips every hair for extra precision when setting the brow, while the gel itself is infused with natural antioxidants like prickly pear and green coffee seed extracts to help strengthen them over time.
Better still is the dry down, which isn't sticky, gloopy or stiff. In fact, it's completely transparent, which is what creates that laminated effect, and I like to work with small movements to really place every hair exactly where I want it to sit.
The key word here is ‘modern’, as alluded to in the product names. Together the Vieve Modern Brow Definer and Modern Brow Gel create contemporary arches that look like they've been professionally lacquered and coaxed into obedience, rather than over-the-top TikTok brows. And, as a beauty editor, that's exactly how I like them.
