For this Trend & Tested edit we’ve decided to try out the latest trend that all beauty lovers will wish they discovered sooner: backcombing.
Thin brows are out and fuller and fluffier brows are in! And according to Vogue, backcombing is the quickest way to try the trend. From tattoo, tint, microblading, threading, waxing to more recently brow lamination, there is no brow grooming trend we won’t try on the quest for the perfect brow. Scroll for our results…
What Is Eyebrow Backcombing?
Brow backcombing is how it sounds; you brush back against the direction your brow hairs grow to add fullness. (Just as you would zhuzh your roots to create volume in your hair).
For brows, you do this with a spoolie and soap or eyebrow gel. Kristie Streicher a LA’s natural brow expert describes it as “basically the ‘flip-your-head-over-and-shake-it-out’ move, but for your brows!” for Vogue.
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How Do You Backcomb Your Eyebrows?
Tip: backcomb your brows with Boy Brow. Here’s how 👇
→ https://t.co/I2ZtV33MMd pic.twitter.com/P3IkJIYcdC— Glossier (@glossier) April 2, 2018
- First off, you need to get a clean spoolie, soap or an eyebrow gel (clear or tinted, depending on your brow thickness).
- Gently comb it against the direction your natural brows become more defined and full.
- For anyone who fills in their brows, you can go in after with a pencil or gel to create even more depth and dimension to your brows.
We Tried The Backcombing Brow Trend
We are never one to pass on a new beauty trend, so naturally, we had to try it. From straight, full to thick brows, our Beauty Team has the perfect variety of brow shapes and thicknesses to put this brow trend through its paces. See our brows before and after images trying the backcombing technique and whether we’ll continue using it. Scroll to find your brow type below…
1. Trend Tested On Thick Brows
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Name: Keavy
Brow product used:
The GIVENCHY Mister Brow Groom clear gel!
What type of eyebrows do you have?
I have arched thick brows.
Have you ever tried any trends to increase the fullness of your brows?
I’ve always been tempted by brow lamination but have always been scared of the permanence of it; when I saw this trend I had to try it as it’s the next best thing. In general, all I do to my brows is trim and pluck them every so often.
Describe how your brows look after trying the backcombing…
Really fluffy and fuller.
Do you have any tips?
Use the edge of your brow to brush any unruly hairs back into place if they’ve gone ferrule!
Would you use the backcombing technique again?
Yes absolutely! I’ve been using it every day. I love how it gives my eyebrows extra definition and shape and it only takes a few seconds. I think the video and pictures speak for themselves!
2. Trend Tested On Thin Brows
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Name: Hannah
Brow product used:
Pears soap, but you can use any soap.
What type of eyebrows do you have?
Fine straight brows.
Have you ever tried any trends to increase the fullness of your brows?
No, I just fill them in with tinted brow products, and in the past, I’ve also had them threaded.
Describe how your brows look after trying the backcombing…
I prefer the uniformness of laminated brow look as backcombing my brows made them look a bit wild! But, I do love how natural, full and fluffy this made my brows look.
Do you have any tips?
Let your brows dry a few seconds after backcombing before finishing the shape to make the hold last longer.
Would you use the backcombing technique again?
Yes I would just only on the front of my brows, but not the tail – it looked too messy, so it’s maybe not the best for straight brows.
3. Trend Tested On Sparse Brows
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Name: Kate
Brow product used:
I used a Clear Brow Gel with a spoolie. I’m making my way through a bareMinerals one we don’t have, but our team love the GIVENCHY Brow Gel and Benefit Brow Setter..
What type of eyebrows do you have?
Straight brows with sparse patches.
Have you ever tried any trends to increase the fullness of your brows?
No, they’re au naturelle.
Describe how your brows look after trying the backcombing…
My brows definitely looked fuller and more fluffy after trying out the backcombing trend. I think it worked well to mask slight areas of sparseness, although I think it worked better on my one eyebrow which tends to be more even.
Do you have any tips?
I liked this trend in terms of the volume it gave my brows. Personally, I think it’s worth trimming your brows into shape after backcombing them to ensure each hair is an even length. I also think it might be worth revisiting your brows with a powder, pencil or tinted gel after as it did reveal a sparser area on my right brow.
Would you use the backcombing technique again?
I definitely think I’ll try this trend again. I’ll probably put a little bit of a spin on it though, and brush the ends of my brows back into place.
We challenge you to try it too!
Tag us @Escentual on Instagram and show us your best-backcombed brows! We can’t wait to see what you think.
