What Colour Should My Brows Be?
Top Insights From This Guide
- Fair skin: choose taupe to medium brown; Benefit Goof Proof Shades 01, 02, 03.
- Medium to deep skin: pick medium cool to deep warm browns; try Benefit Gimme Brow Shades 03, 05.
- Dark skin: favour deep warm brown over black; try Benefit Ka-Brow! Shades 04, 05.
- Choose cooler undertones for a natural look and warmer undertones for more definition; stay in the brown family.
Defined brows are a beauty trend that's come and gone over the last century. But in the past few years, focal-point brows have returned with a vengeance and seem to be here to stay! While this beauty look is great for those who have always kept their brows in line, for beginners, it can be a bit of a struggle.
Colour: The Key to Natural-Looking Brows
There’s a fine line between defined and overdone. The key to brows that are bold without being overblown is the shade of your preferred brow product. It can be difficult to know what colour you should use, but the choice comes down to just two factors: your hair colour and your skin tone.
Before we get into hair and skin, however, it’s important to note the undertone of your brow product. A cooler tone gives a more natural appearance, whilst a warmer tone is richer, giving brows a bolder, more defined look. Figure this into each suggestion to choose which will work best for you.
Do remember this: relatively few people have brows that are naturally blonde, red, or black. So unless you want a bold, outlandish look, staying in the brown family is the way to go.
Coordinating Brow Colour With Skin Tone
If you have a fair complexion, a brow that’s too dark can overwhelm your face and make you look severe. Regardless of whether your hair is light or dark, choose a shade somewhere between taupe and medium brown.
From there, look to your hair colour. Blondes should stick with taupe, while brunettes can get away with light and medium browns. Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil in Shade 01, 02, or 03 would be ideal for fair skin.
For medium to deep skin tones, your brows can range anywhere from a medium, cool brown to a deep, warm brown. If your hair is naturally black, a soft black or charcoal brow colour may work, but you can't go wrong by playing it safe with dark brown.
Benefit Gimme Brow in Shade 03 or 05 works beautifully for medium and deep skin tones. These browns add depth and drama to help your brows frame your face rather than blending in to the skin or looking fake.
For dark skin tones, the same basic rules for medium to deep complexions apply to you as well. Stick to a deep, warm, rich brown rather than black unless your hair is naturally black and your skin tone very dark. You want a natural, multi-dimensional look, not a permanent-marker swipe.
Black pigments can often appear too heavy regardless of the darkness of your skin. Black also makes the hairs appear monochromatic, which is far from a natural look for your brows. Benefit Ka-Brow! pomade in Shade 04 or 05 is ideal for shaping and filling in brows on darker skin tones.
Tried any of these looks and loved them? Have some suggestions for your fellow readers? Let us know. In the meantime, follow these brow guidelines to look less Groucho Marx and more gorgeous!
