Benefit’s NEW Brow Pen Will Give You Flawless Natural Brows In Seconds

There was a time not too long ago when a meticulously carved-out brow was absolute goals, but in the last year at least, a fluffy, natural brow is the look de rigueur. The only problem is that for a lot of us, getting this effortless, natural-looking brow can be a bit of a B, and time-consuming too. Naturally, when we saw that our fave brow brand, Benefit Cosmetics, had hopped on board the 3-pronged brow pen train, we were excited – L’Oreal, Ciate, and Milk Makeup also have 3-pronged brow pen tools.

Wondering what we’re talking about? Benefit’s new Brow Microfilling Pen has three tips in one, which allows you to create multiple hair-like strokes in seconds. The idea is that it gives you the same effect as microbladed brows, but instead of forking out major dollars, you can achieve it for just $25. We put it to the test to see how it worked and if it really would give the microbladed-brow look that it promised to.

What it is: A firm-yet-flexible 3-pronged pen that delivers clean and controlled ultra-fine strokes.

What it does: The ink brow pen instantly fills in gaps to create the illusion of brow hairs for a natural-looking brow. The formula is also designed to last for 24 hours.

The shades: Considering Benefit has one of the most impressive brow collections, often with huge shade ranges, we were actually quite surprised that this only came in four shades: Blonde, Light Brown, Medium Brown, and Deep Brown.

Blonde is a great shade for fair skin tones with fair hair while the other three shades also work for a multitude of skin tones and hair colors. It’s interesting to note that because the formula is a little sheer, the shades adapt to different skin tones, so the deeper your complexion, the deeper the shade looks. However, we do wish they had a true black shade, as even though the Medium Brown and Deep Brown shades gave a really nice and natural-looking brow on richer skin, for a more defined brow, we found ourselves topping up with a true black shade.

Swatching the shade Medium Brown:

What we thought: As soon as we ripped open our package we swatched the 3-pronged pen on the back of our hand. Our immediate response was that it didn’t seem super pigmented. However, although the ink isn’t super-rich or opaque, this makes it perfect for achieving natural-looking brow hairs (see exhibit A below)! If you prefer a more dramatic brow look, you can go over the same areas to add depth, however, if the area your topping up isn’t dense in hair, repeating on the same area does start to blur the effect of individual hair strokes. Alternatively, if you know you love a well-defined brow, choose a deeper shade.

Using shade Medium Brown

Probably the thing that shook us the most is just how quick and easy it is to achieve a very natural-looking brow. Literally, this brow look took approximately 7 seconds to achieve; and that’s no exaggeration! Because it’s not a single-tip applicator, the stability of having three prongs against the skin means that it’s easier to use and so much faster. If you have quite sparse brows, you may want to take more care with filling in, particularly on almost bare areas.

Did it last 24 hours? Well, let’s be real, who’s wearing makeup for 24 hours these days? What we can say is that they lasted all day and didn’t smudge or budge for 12 hours.

Tip: Start at the front of your brows, with the longest prong closest to your nose, and pull the tip directly up, using light pressure. As you work your way along the brow, follow the direction of hair growth, gradually slanting the brush more horizontally. When you come to the tail of the brow, you can turn the brush on its side so that you’re using only the longest prong to achieve individual strokes.

The verdict: Overall this is the kind of product that once you try it, you prob won’t want to live without. It’s easy enough for any beginner to use and looks so natural that even the most experienced brow lovers might put aside their fave product for it. We hope to see them add a couple more shades, but other than that, we’re big fans! We love how easy it is to quickly fill in the brow; for a bushier look, just add a light coat of your fave brow gel and you’re good to go!

Check out the Benefit Brow Microfilling Pen, $25.

Disclaimer: Every product we review has been independently selected and tested without bias by our editorial team. We never take payment to review products, however, some brands allow affiliate links, so we may earn a commission if you purchase a product by clicking on one of our links.