…Or does it?
Guys, it’s 2018—everything, and we truly mean everything, is a simple click away on your phone… even your perfect eyebrow shapes. Ever since the first iPhone rolled out 11 years ago, our whole world has been rocked by the technological age. You can get your favorite foods, Amazon packages, even prescription medications delivered to your door, so of course there are tons of beauty apps available at the ready.
But, one of the double-edged swords about these apps are that most of us use them to manipulate our entire faces. With great power comes great responsibility, and as a society we are definitely irresponsible with our editing apps. FaceTune has made PhotoShop dated through its fool-proof editing that allows you to create a totally new face. SnapChat filters set such an unreal beauty standard that plastic surgeons are genuinely concerned about the filters’ influence on clients’ plastic surgery choices.
Instead of downloading apps to create a fictional avatar that looks nothing like yourself, we should be using our abundance of tech power to help customize our real-life looks. And no, we’re not talking about plastic surgery—when used correctly, you can use apps to help create the style and makeup looks of your dreams and implement them into real life.
And where can you start? With your brows, of course. Eyebrow shapes are indisputably one of the most difficult areas to perfect, and with the wrong styling and products they can take a turn for the worst (think “box brows,” over-plucking, and the dreaded “sperm brow”). With a little assistance from a few of the top beauty apps available, you can be guided to thicker, bolder brows in an instant. Who would’ve ever thought that the answer to great brows was sitting in the palm of your hand?
We know that the app store is flooded with options, so how would you ever be able to choose the perfect brow-improving app without days of trial and error? Well, we did the hard work for you — we’ve whittled your options down to some of the top beauty apps around, so you can get your eyebrow shapes in tip-top shape.
Whether you want to find your perfect brow pencil shade, or your patchy eyebrow shapes are in dire need of a makeover (we’ve all been there), each and every one of these apps is essential to keeping your eyebrows at the top of their game. Try one of them for some minimal adjustment, or give all of them all a try for the ultimate eyebrows that will make microbladed Insta-influencers eye you with envy. No matter which one you choose, we guarantee that you’ll have the most shapely brows in the beauty game after using them.
Do your eyebrow shapes need some styling assistance? You’ve come to the right place.
Bellashoot
Ever wanted to learn how to create fluttery feathered brows, or just need a quick refresher on how to sharpen your arc? Bellashoot is your answer: this app is basically a social media hub for beauty enthusiasts. Think of it as Reddit, but filled with beauty junkies from all over the world. The app not only has tutorial videos on just about any and every beauty trend known to (wo)man, but it’s also filled with MUAs and beauty lovers from around the globe sharing all of their biggest secrets and hacks for creating flawless looks. This app is an essential for any brow enthusiast for its abundance of tutorials that even the biggest beauty novice can grasp.
Benefit Cosmetics Brow Try-On
Ok, this isn’t exactly an official “app,” but it’s seriously a game changer for your eyebrows. As a part of Benefit’s website, the Brow Try-On feature allows you to try the most popular eyebrow shapes so you can see them on your face for yourself. And it’s extremely simple to use: you can take a photo of yourself, mark the major points of your brows (beginning, arc, and tip), and then get to trying on some fun brows. Or, you can use the site’s “live” feature, which captures your face in real time via your phone, tablet, or computer’s camera to let you see how each brow style will look on you at that exact moment. As if this miracle feature couldn’t get any better, it will also give you personalized Benefit Cosmetics product recommendations to create the brow shapes for yourself.
YouCam
This beauty app is the third-highest rated app in Apple’s App Store for a reason: YouCam allows you to try on basically every beauty product known to man. Want to see the difference between the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz and Milk Makeup’s Kush Brow on your brows? This app will do just the trick for you, without even stepping into the store. And for you skincare enthusiasts, here’s a bonus: the app also has a “skin diary” that will evaluate your skin daily through your phone’s front camera to give you customized advice on any spots, wrinkles, and dark circles lingering on your face.
ShadeScout
We’ve all suffered from a brow product that’s one shade too dark or too light for our natural color. When it comes to makeup, it gets pretty difficult to figure out any shade, and beauty store assistants can get impatient when we hound them down for help with shade matching. Well, that’s where ShadeScout comes in: just take a picture of anything, and the app will bring up an array of products that match the color. So, a quick snap of your brows and you’ll find a whole range of products you can choose from to avoid any color malfunction.
Sephora To Go
If you’re anything like us, then you know life can get too hectic to squeeze in a visit to your local Sephora. That’s why the genius team over at the fan-favorite beauty store created the Sephora To-Go app—it’s basically a Sephora store and MUA in your pocket. Through the app, you can try on all of the products available in the store’s e-commerce site, so you can check out all of the different brow products available and see how they’d look on your face. And the best part is that you won’t even have to step foot into a Sephora store to get the product you want, because with just a few taps you can order the product right to your doorstep.
Ulta GLAMlab
Sephora isn’t the only beauty store with a game-changing app: Ulta’s app has a similar feature that allows you to try on any of their available products, too! But here’s the reason why we love this one so much: Ulta’s range of products dives beyond the luxury products that Sephora limits itself to, so you can try on any of your favorite luxe and drugstore brands through Ulta’s app. So, you can compare how your brows will look with a MAC Cosmetic product in comparison to a L’Oréal Paris eyebrow pencil without having to use two different apps. Once you find the one you like, you can order it off of the app and get it shipped to your house.
Now that you have your brow-shaping apps at the ready, go from virtual to IRL by grabbing these eyebrow products.
The Eyebrow Pencil
The classic, go-to product for shaping brows has been the signature eyebrow pencil. Whether you’re a beauty beginner or a self-admitted cosme-holic, an eyebrow pencil is one of the best ways to give your brows a shapely, fuller and more defined look.
If you’re on the hunt for a new brow pencil, then you must use the G.O.A.T. of the pack: the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. This mechanical brow pencil is ultra-thin to create hair-like strokes, giving you a more natural finish. The pigment from this beauty necessity just can’t be beat, and it’s my go-to pencil for any of my brow-shaping needs.
The Brow Powder
If you need some light coverage, then using a brow powder is the way to go. These easy brow products are not as saturated in color as their pencil counterparts, so you can create a subtle boost in definition and color when using these.
My favorite brow powder pick: the Benefit Cosmetics Foolproof Brow Powder. It glides on smoothly, and doesn’t leave an ashy residue behind like other brow powders. It also provides two shades to create a faux-natural color gradient for a fuller finish.
The Brow Gel
If you truly want thicker, fuller brows, then you can’t skip on brow gel. A brow gel is basically the glue that holds everything together. They not only add some much-needed color, but are helpful in grooming your brows for a cleaner, fluffier effect. You can wear them on their own for low-key “no makeup”-makeup days, or you can use them as a finishing touch to intricately sculpted arches.
The Milk Makeup Kush Fiber Brow Gel is one of my all-time favorite brow products. It holds brows in place all day long, and the heart-shaped fibers create a fuller look. And it won’t leave your brows feeling as stiff as a board, because it’s filled with conditioning CBD oil to keep your hairs soft and hydrated.
The Highlighter
To really give your brows a shapely, eye-catching effect, always use a subtle highlighter. Tracing your brows with a highlighter adds an extra pop while adding some definition and lift.
This brow highlighter from Benefit is exactly what you need to conceal any stray hairs while accentuating your arches. It add a very subtle shimmer, and stays on the flesh-toned side to create a more natural effect. The formula is lightweight, so you can feel free to blend in as much (or as little) as you want.