This year’s best paired-back brow gels

I’M not usually one for make-up trends, but this year’s paired-back brow is right up my street.

So, this week, I’ve tried three of the best brow gels.

Budget

E.L.F. Brow Lift, 8.8g (£6, elfcosmetics.co.uk): E.L.F. has brought out some seriously impressive products over the past year, and this is up there with my favourites.

I was sceptical at first – the pot of gel requires a separate spoolie (E.L.F. Brow Lift Applicator, £4, works great, or you can buy multi-packs of regular spoolies on Amazon) and is slightly messier than using a wax that comes in a tube with a brush attached.

But it means you can decide how much product you use, so there’s less chance of overloading your brows and wasting the excess.

The process is a bit tricky to start with but soon gets easier and the super-lifted results are worth the extra effort.

It makes my brow hairs look much longer than they are, so if you have short hairs and want the separated finish, look no further.

Mid-range

REFY Brow Sculpt, 8.5ml (£16, refybeauty.com): I really wanted to love this.

I’ve seen countless glowing reviews and it was all over my Instagram feed for the majority of the pandemic.

Brand founder Jess Hunt has some of the best brows in beauty, so I trust she knows what she’s doing.

The design includes a separate comb and brush, which is one too many steps for my daily make-up but helps create the picture- perfect finish for special occasions.

However, I found the formula itself slightly too sticky, which makes getting the feathery, zero-effort look that’s all over the catwalks this season difficult to achieve.

But if you want the straight, separated, almost laminated look for a much more affordable price, this is the one for you.

Luxury

CHARLOTTE TILBURY Brow Fix, 6g (£24, cultbeauty.co.uk): For me, this is the best transparent brow gel.

Firstly, I like that the brush is slightly longer than most.

It makes slicking the hairs into place faster, and gives a more natural finish that I love.

It doesn’t go gummy or change colour over time, and nor does it cause dandruff-like flakes in my brows as with some other gels.

The best part, however, is the hold.

The product description says it lasts 24 hours, and for once I believe it.

I recently used it on an afternoon spa trip and it stayed put through the pool, sauna and a shower.

So there’s no chance oily skin or sweat are going to cause it to fail, yet it doesn’t feel heavy or crispy on my skin.

I can’t imagine using anything else.

Pick of the week

THE cost-of-living crisis is forcing us all to tighten our purse strings, but thanks to Boots you can still get a self-care fix without breaking the bank.

The High Street staple has added 60 new products to its Boots everyday range, including a selection of Boots brand vitamins at just 99p, skincare lines, including face wash and moisturiser, at £1.50 and new organic cotton wool pads, balls and tips from 60p.

Plus, the retailer’s Price Lock Promise means the cost of more than 400 products have been frozen until April, including essential products selected in partnership with Boots charity partner The Hygiene Bank. Shop in store and at boots.com.