Whether it’s the brand’s roller mascara (£27, Boots.com), signature hoola bronzer (£29.70, Boots.com) or porefessional primer (£28.80, Boots.com), make-up products from Benefit have become much-loved beauty staples – but perhaps none more so than its brow heroes. From pencils that carve, define and polish, to waxes that sculpt and hold an arch in place, odds are you’ve had a Benefit eyebrow tool (or three) in your arsenal at some point.
Founded in 1976 by sisters Jean and Jane Ford (both were successful models and make-up artists at the time), Benefit Cosmetics has always been at the forefront of a pioneering, but playful, approach to beauty.
Take, for example, its hoola bronzer – this was the first shimmer-free matte bronzer on the market when it launched 20 years ago, while the brand’s 10-year-old roller lash curling mascara was inspired by hair rollers, capturing and curling every lash, for a dramatic flutter. Some of the brand’s bestsellers can even be traced right back to the Seventies – see the rose-tinted lip and cheek stain (£22.50, Boots.com), which was originally created for dancers as a nipple tint.
But it’s the beauty brand’s brow roster for which Benefit is most loved and lauded. From the tinted and clear gel to the precisely brow pencil, the brand is the gold standard for creating salon-quality brows at home.
When I first got into make-up as a young teenager, my mum took me straight to the Benefit counter, and I’ve been in a committed relationship with the brand’s beauty products ever since – chiefly the precisely brow pencil. Helping you create the illusion of fuller brows, the precise tip lets you draw individual hairs while the brush tool buffs the formula, for extra volume.
How I tested
I’ve been using the precisely pencil for years and have stayed loyal to the formula despite testing dozens of the best eyebrow pencils. When trying a brow pencil, I consider the below criteria.
- Application: I look for a brow formula that glide on for a light, feathery effect, rather than something leaden and clunky.
- Formula: When it comes to formulation, I look for ingredients that soften brows rather than drying them out (think beeswax or aloe vera).
- Pigment: The finish is important – whether you want a bold, defined look or a more natural, soft-focused finish, the best brow pencils should come in a wide range of colours for women of different hair colours, ages, and ethnicities.
- Blending: Brow pencils should glide on effortlessly and blend seamlessly for a natural look. A built-in spoolie is a big plus, helping to brush and buff the product in.
- Staying power: To test the longevity of Benefit’s brow pencil, I’ve worn it during long days in the office, evenings out, on holiday in the heat and even on runs and during pilates classes, to test out the brand’s smudgeproof, waterproof and sweatproof claims.
- Setting the look: Adding the final flourish to any brow look, I apply a brow gel to set the look.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Daisy Lester is The Independent’s senior shopping writer and has been covering beauty here at IndyBest for years, from expert guides on fake tan to lip oils and lip liners. Brow pencils have been a staple of her daily make-up routine for more than a decade, and she’s tried more formulas than she can count for IndyBest’s guide. Plus, she’s assessed Benefit’s hero products before, to bring our readers the ones she thinks are worth buying. Sitting at the top of that list is the Benefit precisely my brow pencil.
Benefit precisely, my brow pencil
Shades: 12
Shade tested : Warm deep brown
Why we love it
- Precise tip
- Impressive staying power
- Great shade range
- Takes 10 seconds to get desired look
Not too thin to be fiddly but precise enough for definition, Benefit’s bestselling brow pencil boasts an ultra-fine tip for a natural-looking effect. The tip can be used to draw hair-like strokes, to create a fuller and volumious brow. The pencil has a twist-up retractable design, which means there’s no need for sharpening, while the spoolie brush on the oppostite tip helps to blend and buff out the product, for a softer effect.
Filling in any sparseness but also creating a more defined arch, I use it to even out my brows (mine are certainly not twins, but odd sisters) before feathering out the arches.
I opt for a colour one shade darker than my natural brows, for a bolder look, but there are 12 shades to choose from. The pigment is rich, while the colour lasts a good 12 hours (my brows look just as defined on the morning commute as they do in a late-night bar). Other formulas on the market tend to fade or smudge towards the end of the day but Benefit’s formula impressively stays put.
What’s more, the full look takes me less than 10 seconds, and there’s little room for error, thanks to the foolproof spoolie and well-formulated pencil.
Buy now £26.00, Boots.com
The verdict: Benefit precisely, my brow pencil
You really can’t go wrong with Benefit’s precisely brow pencil. Whether you’re looking for a subtle, soft look or want to go full Lily Collins, the brow pencil boasts a precise tip that lets you create your perfect eyebrows. Complete with a spoolie for blending, the pigment lasts all day, without the need to top up. A true make-up bag staple.
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