Veracious Product Review: Chantecaille The Perfect Brow Set

So what does one do after getting the first paycheck from their new job? Buy a luxury eye brow kit, of course! I was casually perusing the counters at Holt Renfrew (always a dangerous pursuit) with no specific intention to splurge. The lovely ladies at the Chantecaille counter seriously twisted my arm, however, when they pulled out the brand new brow set that had just arrived in-store that day. As someone with seriously wimpy brows, I was obviously intrigued. As they began to pull out and demo the products inside the kit, I was a goner.

Chantecaille The Perfect Brow Set comes cozily housed in a silvery lilac faux croc makeup bag that is the perfect size to store brow products, mascaras, and liners and could easily double as an ultra chic pencil case.

It contains three full-sized products, perfectly coordinated to create the ideal arch. It includes a Waterproof Brow Definer in Ash Blonde (they also offer a kit in Oak Brown for those with darker hair), a Brow Lift Eclat highlighting pencil, and a Full Brow Perfecting Gel.

The Waterproof Brow Definer comes in a weighty metal dual-ended tube. On one end is a small, but solid spoolie that both grooms brows and combs out excess product and, on the other, is the triangle-tipped brow pencil. The formula is, as the name suggests, waterproof and contains a blend of waxes and powders for a natural-looking, long-wearing finish.

The Full Brow Perfecting Gel is actually the product that totally sold me on this kit. It's a clear brow gel that not only grooms and holds hairs in place, but also promises to promote brow growth while preventing hair loss. For someone with ultra sparse brows, this sounds like a dream come true! After over-plucking my brows in high school, they have remained nearly non-existent. I have totally abstained from plucking for over 5 years (except for the odd stray) to no avail. This gel features a blend of panthenol and growth peptide that I really hope will get things growing!

The brush offers longer bristles on one side and tiny bristles on the other, so you can really customize application.

Finally, the Brow Lift Eclat is a glowy highlighter pencil that not only adds light to the brow bone, but also touts ingredients that will lift and tighten the eye area. It features caffeine, which is an ingredient I've spotted in many eye products aimed at brightening and firming.

The texture of the Waterproof Brow Definer is quite perfect. It is pigmented without being too opaque and is neither too waxy nor too powdery. It glides over brows effortlessly and the triangle-shaped tip allows for both precision and wider application, as needed. Ash Blonde is a light-to-medium-toned brown with noticeably warm undertones. It is definitely warmer/more red-toned than my Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Ash Blonde. The Brow Lift Eclat has a creamy texture that glides easily over skin without any hint of greasiness. It doesn't crease and offers the most flattering ivory gold shade. It definitely glows and is neither frosty or glittery.

Here are swatches of both on my inner arm (MAC NC15 skin tone). I did not swatch the brow gel, as it is completely clear!

(L) Chantecaille Waterproof Brow Definer in Ash Blond and (R) Eye Lift Eclat Pencil
Now for some Before and After photos! Here's a shot of me with completely naked brows- eek! As you can see, they are patchy, sparse, and have little shape.

And here I am wearing all three products from the kit:

My brows are definitely sisters, not twins!

And in the context of a completed makeup look!

I do find that the Ash Blonde Pencil looks slightly too warm-toned against my skin and hair colour, so, as a final step, I've topped the Chantecaille pencil and gel with a light sweep of my Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Taupe. The difference is subtle, but I think it creates a more natural shade.

Here it is with the Anastasia Brow Powder over top:

And finally, a full list of the benefits and drawbacks of this kit:

Pros:

• The Waterproof Brow Definer applies smoothly, without any tugging or clumping
• Brow colour truly wears all day without any need for touch-ups
• Triangle-shaped tip allows for precise or wider application, where needed
• Included spoolie is quite handy- no other brow brushes required!
• The Full Brow Perfecting Gel applies completely invisibly without smudging brow colour underneath
• Brow gel does not get crispy or flaky as it dries
• The Brow Lift Eclat pencil gives the most beautiful glow to brow bones without frostiness or glitter
• Highlighter pencil provides a comfortable lifting feeling to the eye area and does not crease or smudge throughout the day
• Luxurious, sturdy packaging
• Makeup bag is a nice inclusion to the kit and would perfectly fit all liners, mascaras, and brow products
• Cruelty-free

Cons:

• As expected, the price. Even though this set is an excellent value (the Brow Lift Eclat and makeup bag are essentially free), this still tops $100
• I find that Ash Blonde pulls rather warm on me, which looks slightly stark/orange-toned against my neutral skin and cooler blonde hair
• The highlighting pencil will need to be sharpened; a twist-up mechanism would have been handier!

Overall, I am super pleased with this set! The formulas are elegant and long-wearing and really work in harmony to create some amazing-looking brows! I do wish that the brow pencil leaned a bit cooler/more taupe-toned, but luckily a touch of my Anastasia Brow Powder over top neutralizes things quite nicely! As for the brow gel, its hair-growing powers are yet to be seen. I will most definitely keep you posted over the weeks and will hopefully have some positive results to boast. Keep your fingers crossed that my paltry brows will have new life!

Do any of you deal with super sparse brows like mine? What are some of your favourite brow products?

Thanks for dropping by! xo