*Insert Arch Pun Here*

Brows are a tricky thing. Don't fill them in, apply makeup as normal and you risk looking strangely unfinished. Go a little over board with the tinted gel and look like an angry cartoon character all day.

The balance between finding the right product and applying it properly can be a hard thing to find, but after 5 years of dallying with my own I think I have come to some very important conclusions.

1. Tone is everything. Now this lesson too a bit of doing for me. The whole reason I started filling in my brows in the first place it because I had dyed my hair red. The naturally ashy tone in my brows suddenly looked very out of place. Turns out finding a red-toned brown is easy, but when my hair grew out and a I needed a natural ashy brown on a budget for my brows things got a bit more challenging.

2. Tread lightly. No matter the product it's always easier to add more, a little at a time, than it is to remove an overzealous application. Yes I have learned this lesson the hard way. I always like to keep a spoolie or brown comb handy to brush through things during application to make sure I avoid product build up in any one spot.

3. Tame the fly aways. On natural makeup days I lucky to be able to get away with nothing more than a sweep of some clear brow gel. Over the years of trying all the budget brands I have settled on my love of the Essence Lash & Brow Mascara. No crisp, no shine, and $2.99. Another alternative would be just a bit of hairspray on a spoolie and be done with it.

4. Have options. For strong and sclpted 'night out' brows I like the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe. (Just enough gray tones and lasts through any dance floor). Paired with a  precise angled brush, I like the ELF Studio Small Angle, this makes a strong natural brow easy (and cheap)! For everyday brows I am obsessed with the Hourglass Arch Sculpting Brow Pencil in Soft Brunette. It is the perfect shade of cool brown with just the right wax to powder texture. Brows look sculpted, soft, and natural. This one is worth every penny. For ultra quick definition I like the MAC Brow Set in Beguile. A bit more yellow in tone than it's counterparts but on a late morning this gets the job done in record time. As a backup I have the Maybelline Define a Brow in Medium Brown. Too red and a smidge too waxy but, passable when I'm waiting on my next paycheck to repurchase the Hourglass. :)