Here’s how you can get Cara Delevingne-inspired brows from this affordable eyebrow kit
For as long as I’ve been into “weird” makeup, I’ve been into brow cultivation. I guess because makeup is innately a prettifying thing, I always want to have some element of contrast with a couple of hairy, messy, masculine eyebrows reigning over my forehead.
But hairy, masculine, messy eyebrows don’t come as naturally to me as they do to others who are #blessed — Cara Delevingne, cough, cough! While my brows are definitely okay, they aren’t as impressive as I’d like. The amount of hair there is acceptable (though, like a spoilt child, I will always want more). It’s the way those hairs are that is the problem. And the way they are is a nondescript mousy color, thin, fine and ultimately ignorable.
I’ve been an evangelist about eyebrow dyeing for a long time. I really think it’s the most natural looking way to add bulk and definition to lackluster brows. Because it only sticks to actual hair, it never looks too blocky and drawn on. Plus, it lasts for a matter of weeks, which is handy for the lazy like me.
For a while, I was an eyebrow dye floozy, somewhat loyal to one brand but always open to a dalliance with a stranger. None had particularly wowed me: they were never really dark enough, never really intense enough, and never really long-lasting enough.
Then my friend, an equally passionate dark eyebrow enthusiast, texted me about a new thing she’d tried. She called it, and I quote, “the best thing ever,” and said it made her eyebrows “as dark as two black holes on your face.” Obviously, I couldn’t resist! Four to six days later, a package arrived for me. The product in question was called Refectocil Color Kit from Amazon, $22.85. Oh, and I got mine in Pure Black, duh!
From what I can gather, it’s a German product made for professional use — both of which suggest efficacy and results to me. It’s also cheap, considering everything that comes in the kit! It included the dye, developer, stirring stick, application brush, and miniature shot glass for mixing for around. You’ll also need a spoolie brush, which you can get at any drugstore.
Here’s my “before” shot. Big up to pores!
Here’s what you’ll want to do to get Cara Delevingne-inspired brows:
First, squeeze about half an inch of the dye into the shot glass (sorry, I know it isn’t actually a shot glass but that’s what I always think of it as). Then, add about ten drops of the developer.
Then, stir with your mixing stick, until it resembles a dark brown sludge.
Note: If you’ve never done this before, you need to patch test either on the skin inside your elbow, at least 24 hours before. Be safe, kids!
Next, provided the elbow situation was okay, apply it to your brows. I painted it on with a little narrow brush from the kit, then I combed it through with the spoolie.
I then cleaned up around the edges with a cotton bud, that way I wouldn’t have any dye stains on the surrounding skin. After yo’’re done with the application, you will look very cute and cool, like this.
Develop for five to ten minutes (I err on the side of ten) then, remove with cotton wool. I also followed up with a coating of castor oil because I feel like a post-dye conditioning treatment is perfect for keeping hair strong and healthy.
Et, voila. Proper eyebrows, for a properly long time. I’d like to thank my friend, Germany, and of course, the internet. You never let me down.
