Maybelline Browdrama

I have a bit of a love hate relationship with brow products. I need them for my professional work and then I'm quite picky about what I use, but I don't really need them myself and therefore don't spend a lot of time trying and testing them. I also really don't like the latest trend that seems to be overtaking Instagram for very strong, very obviously drawn on brows that are all you can look at and this makes me a little adverse to looking at any brow products on the high st.

I do however like to have a bit of good brow gel in my personal make-up collection to really make my make-up look polished if I'm going out and to set any brow pencil I've used to fill in the gaps. I've been happily using Benefit's Speed Brow but just because that's what I had and it used to be available near my house. Not any more so I thought I would try Maybelline's Browdrama as I've heard some really mixed reviews and that always makes me want to check something out for myself.

This product is perfect for what I want. I have quite dark brows with a few scars that sometimes I fill and sometimes I don't. I want to set them and define a bit but not make them look anything other than natural brows. I picked up the Browdrama in light brown and it's absolutely fine for my colouring. Available in three colours and transparent for those who want it and for only £4.99 for 12mls (compared to £13 for the Benefit Speed Brow which is more like 10ml) this is a great product as long as you don't expect too much from it.

It will give slight definition and enhancement to your brows by coating the hairs. It will also help set any pencil or powder you have used to add shape but it is not enough on it's own if you want to draw your brows on. This seems to be the main problem people have with it. If you want to draw your brows on then you need a good pencil (Anastasia Beverly Hill are the ones I have in my kit, L'Oreal do nice ones and Shu Uemura are apparently very good too though I haven't tried these personally), you can use powders (I have a made up quad or MAC eyeshadows - if you ask in store someone can help you choose the right colours, or HD Brow palettes are good) or you can now get brow pomades that you can use with a brush (again Anastasia Beverly Hills do this but I've yet to try). It is completely up to you what you need and like - my personal brow pencils are from L'Oreal and Laura Mercier. Brow gels that come in a tube like the Maybelline Browdrama are really only going to be good for finishing off the brows and setting them and the other products used. You won't ever get the precision needed using a spooly brush.

Which brings me to the brush. I love it, a lot of people don't. I love it because I find it very easy to use as you can angle it however you need depending on what part of the brow you are doing - it's incredibly quick. I don't see how you'd ever really be able to use the lower straight part of the brush without running the risk of blotting the gel on other parts of your face but please feel free to enlighten me on that. It is long lasting, the colour is great and on the ashy rather than red side of brown which is exactly what you want in a brow product.

What You Need to Know - Maybelline Brow Drama

• £4.99-£6
• Available in Deep Blonde, Medium Brown, Dark Brown and Transparent
•  Globe shaped applicator
• Get it in the UK from Boots, Superdrug, Feel Unique, Look Fantastic