In Spenny vs Penny we compare the products we love, with those following in their (sometimes pricey) footsteps. I compared Glossier’s Boy Brow to Barry M’s Brow Wand.
I have no eyebrows – well, they’re so blonde you can’t really see them – and when the Cara Delevingne-era hit, I longed for big slug-like brows.
Which is how I got into the habit of spending about £15 each month getting my eyebrows dyed. And yes, I resent paying it, but I also don’t think it does that good a job. The colour fades gradually after a week or so, and filling in the gaps with pencil leaves me with unnatural looking lines.
So eyebrow gels – essentially just mascara for your brows – seem like a potentially perfect product. Could a tinted gel replace my expensive monthly habit?
Glossier’s Boy Brow is touted as the best – but how would a cheaper version compare? I put two to the test.
I’m pleasantly surprised trying this product for the first time. Quite a lot of gel comes out on the brush, which makes for impactful brows. (Yes, I, did just describe my brows as impactful – what of it?)
The issue with copious amounts of gel, however, is the excess on the end, which can lead to big old splurges. Tricky if, like me, you apply your makeup while on public transport to maximise time in bed.
It’s quite difficult to apply and takes some getting used to – especially on my left eyebrow (being right-handed and all) – and my right brow ends up looking far superior.
Boy Brow is more than just a device to colour your brows – it also works as an “eyebrow fluffer”, which makes them appear thicker. There’s a clear gel for those already content with their eyebrow shade (lucky things), or you can choose from blonde, brown or black. I go for brown and like the natural look.
The first thing to say is this is less than half the price of the Glossier product –and you also get an angled pencil on the other end to fill in any gaps.
Barry M comes in three shades: light, medium and dark. I use medium and it’s darker than the Glossier gel – important for blondilocks over here.
Less gel comes out on this wand, which is better if you’re as shit as application as I am, but it takes more strokes to apply to get my desired effect which leads to a bit of stickiness. It’s worth saying, though, that many of my issues here could be down to weak application skills.
Despite liking the shade, I definitely prefer the texture of the Glossier gel, which feels creamier and applies with less faff.
Both gels last the same amount of time, but if I had to choose I’d go for Barry M – it’s cheaper, there’s not much difference between them, and I like the pencil, which is handy when you need a touch up.
Will I continue to use eyebrow gel? Absolutely. It’s far better than using a pencil and a good option in between dying my brows. Whether I’ll ditch dying them completely – on that, I’m yet to decide.
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