The Many Uses Of A Brow Pencil...

You may initially assume that something like a brow pencil would be pretty mono-functional - as a brow pencil, to bulk up and define your brows. I certainly used to, but over time I've come to realise how many different purposes they actually have so why not share some of them with you lovely lot today, eh? Let's jump right on in...

TO FILL IN YOUR BROWS - I know - the 'we all knew this would be in here' one - but I suppose I have to give it a mention, right? I personally love filling my brows in using a pencil - it's definitely my favourite way of beefing them up and adding some much-needed structure to my rather sparse natural shape and if you somehow haven't given one a go before - I'd certainly suggest you do so. It's quick, easy and relatively foolproof and with the right formula and colour for you - you'll surely be onto a winner...

... OR EVEN TO HELP FIND THE NATURAL SHAPE OF YOUR BROWS TOO - One way I really like using my brow pencil, without actually using the product inside at all - is as a stencil and almost a guideline. If you're new to filling in your brows, or just want to give them a little bit of an at-home reshape - try using your brow pencil to find the best shape for your face. Line up your brow pencil upwards against the side of your nose and you have where your brow should ideally start. Move it so it 'crosses' the centre of your iris and you have where your arch should be and place it so it lines up with the outer corner of your eye and you have where your brow should finish. Awesome, right?

TO DRAW IN SOME FAUX FRECKLES - Now, this isn't something that personally appeals to me, but I know that it most definitely does for some and so I figured I'd include it in this line-up. Fancy drawing in some lil' fake (or 'faux') freckles across your nose and onto your cheeks to complete that sun-kissed, 'natural' look you may be going for? Use your brow pencil to do so. The matching colour is certain to work for you and be far more likely to ensure a realistic finish and as brow pencils are typically formulated to have a certain 'hardness' to them and not disperse too much product at once - you should be able to lightly dot it onto your face, tap things in with your finger and not end up looking like Aunt Sally at the end of it all. Cause that's never a good look, is it?

AS A KOHL EYE PENCIL - Run out of brown eye pencil and want something to smudge into your upper or lower lashline - or even both - for some subtle definition, without reaching for a black liquid liner? Try using your brow pencil for doing just that. Again, the colour should in theory work perfectly well for you - with it being a good match for your brows and all that - and depending on how much pressure you apply, you can go in lightly, or build things up for a deeper, darker payoff.

TO LINE YOUR LIPS - Finally - probably the most bizarre-sounding offering of the lot - is using your brow pencil to line your lips. Now, I'm not talking the way you'd use a traditional lip liner per se, but more in designated areas to get the best effect. Most brow pencils, whatever colour, have as ashy, grey undertone to them and so I find them to work really well used in specific areas of the lips to help create shadows and in the process - make the lips look a slightly different shade and even much fuller and plumper too. I personally find it to work best at the very inner corners of the lips to give the illusion of a more 'pushed out', rounded pout and also taking a little underneath the bottom lip I find to really help give a slight plumping effect. Mwah!