Benefit Brow Bar at Sephora and Gimme Brow Review

Several weeks ago I had the chance to be at the opening of the Benefit Brow Bar at the Sephora in Quartier Dix30 in Brossard. This was one of the very first Brow Bars that opened in Canada, and Benefit threw a nice shin-dig (slightly less raucous than a hootenanny) to celebrate the event. There were delicious pink cupcakes and, perhaps more importantly, demonstrations of the services that are now being offered in select Sephoras across the country. :P

The Brow Bar station, right next to the Benefit gondola.

The services range from tweezing or waxing (eyebrows and lip) to eyebrow tinting, and are performed by a Sephora cast member that has been trained by Benefit in their system, and certified as an arch expert. During quiet periods, they can possibly accommodate walk-ins (assuming the specialist is in), but it's always best to book an appointment. 

This is a paid service, so of course there is no pressure to purchase anything. (Though what I love about Sephora is that the cast members - and many of the LVMH-owned brand reps - aren't beholden to quotas or commission, so it's the most enjoyable makeup consultation you're likely to have.)

A list of services, translated:
brow waxing 23$
brow tweezing 23$
brow tinting 20$
brow waxing and tinting 36$
lip waxing 14$
brow and lip waxing 32$
brow waxing and tinting, and lip waxing 45$

My eyebrows were actually in pretty good shape, so I had a "dry" run through of the process, as the expert explained the process she would use to find and define my natural brow shape and arch, and how she would then use either wax or tweezers to shape and refine it.

I really love that they offer brow tinting as well! One of the easiest things you can do to look more youthful and alive is to lightly darken your eyebrows. Hair colour fades with age (at the same time that skin becomes more dull) and it's that lack of contrast that can look particularly aging. And of course if you dye your hair a wildly different colour, a good brow tint helps sooooo in making the shade look more like your own.

They use a gentle brow dye that lasts a few weeks before fading gently away.

Prepping the brow dye.

The lovely and stunningly photogenic Cynthia Dulude from Maquillage Cynthia was the blogger guinea pig for the brow tinting process, which she pronounced a success! (And by the by, do check out her youtube channel - she is a pro MUA and has some fantastic tutorials and reviews.)

Cynthia Dulude, getting her brow on.

I didn't get my brows done, but I was indeed wowed by the bar. :P

I also had a chance to meet Rema Gouyez (the Benefit Digital Marketing Coordinator) in person, and she is indeed as sweet, funny and generous as you would imagine from her tweets and The Burgundy Book blog. And DEAR LORD can the woman wear a punchy lip, or what??

And what Montreal event would be complete without these ladies?? Gorgeous and fashionable as always: Chloé Dumont from The Fashion Red Fox and Katia from Lapiz of Luxury.

A fantastic time was had, and thank you again to Benefit and Rema for the evening!

Along with a first-hand experience of the Brow Bar, I also had the chance to try one of Benefit's star products: Gimme Brow.

Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Deep

This is essentially a lightweight fiber gel that adds both colour and volume to the brow hairs. Like a mascara, it builds on the hairs you already have to create a fuller, more filled-in effect. It also helps to groom them into place, but the texture is natural, not crunchy-stiff. If you have significant gaps, you will still need to fill with your choice of pen, pencil or powder, but otherwise this is a fast, easy way to add some fullness and definition. I love that the brush is small and pointed, which really gives a lot of control and precision, and that the gel isn't thick or stiff, which, again, helps to keep the effect natural looking.

Gimme Brow currently only comes in two shades (Light/Medium and Medium/Deep), and both lean a little ashy - which is excellent for most eyebrows.

My brows aren't especially wimpy, and they generally have a good shape. I am prone to some sparseness and "spikiness" at the inner corner, however, and Gimme Brow fills in and tames those hairs without ever looking overdone. The effect is clean and polished, though if your preference if for a thicker look, you can of course build it up a lot more than I do.

I find myself reaching for Gimme Brow with the same frequency I do mascara. Both are in the same business of making a face look more "done", with minimum effort. My laziness + high-performing product = AWESOMENESS. Well worth the 26$ CAD.

Natural brows, brushed more or less into place.
Other makeup: Lancome Teint Visionnaire foundation.

Gimme Brow applied lightly to the inner two thirds of the brows.
Other makeup: Lancome Teint Visionnaire foundation.

So! Have any of you tried out the Brow Bar services? Or Gimme Brow? 

Thoughts? Feelings? Haikus?

(Item provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. This post is not sponsored or compensated. All opinions are my own.)