I tried the new Merit Beauty eyebrow range and they look better-than-realistic – there’s a way you can save extra cash

MERIT Beauty has launched new eyebrow products: its Brow 1980 pomade has been given an update and there’s a new brow pencil available, too.

I was hugely impressed by these two new launches and they’re now essentials for my make-up bag – and there’s a way you can save cash on both of these drops.

Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade, £26

Merit’s Brow 1980 and the Brow 1990 pencil both retail for £26, and while they can be purchased separately you can also buy them together in Merit’s Brow Duo set for £48, down from £52.

That’s a minor saving of £4 – but hey, every little counts. And trust me, they’re worthy buys.

My brows are super low-maintenance – so low-maintenance, in fact, that they never seem to grow and haven’t done for years (why, I don’t know).

So I tried both Merit’s new Brow 1980 formulation and Brow 1990 pencil to add extra length and volume to my brows, fill in the gaps, and encourage brow growth – yes, the brand claims they do that!

Merit first came on my radar when it launched Stateside in 2021, only for the UK launch to follow a few years later, much to my delight.

Over the years Merit Beauty has not only expanded across locations, but with the collection too, as the beauty brand has recently released a few new additions, and formula changes, to the capsule, including the new Volumizing Pomade.

Merit’s Brow 1980 brow pomade is one product that has been given an update as it is now available to buy in more colours, the formulation has been tweaked, and it contains more product too, but for the same price.

The Brow 1980 product comes in four shades including, taupe, which is the new shade that has dropped and suited to cool blonde hair, light brown (formerly Blonde), dark brown – described as a warm brown and formerly Brown – and brown black that is a soft black, to suit all hair colours.

I tried the Light Brown and Dark Brown shades as my brows are fairly dark, and both matched my hair colour perfectly without looking too dark or obvious.

This volumizing pomade definitely added definition by enhancing the colour of my brows, yet still maintained a natural fluffy look, and added volume by brushing them up.

The pomade is fitted with a fluffy spoolie, which is tapered at the end to help sweep through the thick and fine eyebrow hairs, while evenly distributing the pomade on the brows simultaneously.

The coned end helped to get into tight or sparse areas at the end of my brow, but also sweep through the body seamlessly without flicking extra product on my forehead or eyelid.

The brush easily swept through my brows, which can be quite dense in parts before thinning out at the ends, while the gel added volume and didn’t leave any excess on my brows like other brow products I have used.

This product filled in the gaps perfectly, but its holding power is maybe not as strong as a brow glue or gel I typically use.

The vitamin B5-infused formula aims to nourish and condition the brow hairs for healthy hair growth, while the inclusion of carnauba wax and kaolin clay work to enhance the shine of your brows and thicken the facial features without clumping or leaving caterpillars on your face.

Yes, it is still early days to notice any growth, I am praying this formula does help to thicken the sparse ends.

However, what I did notice immediately is how soft and gentle the formula is on my brows, and it didn’t leave a crispy finish, which is a pet peeve of mine, but kept them silky soft and natural. It’s giving my natural brows, but better.

I mentioned the new shade, and the tweaked the formula, but Merit has also filled the tubes with more product.

Now, it contains almost double the fill weight. It used to contain 2.5g but now it is 4.5g, yet still the same price. So you won’t be running out any time soon, and it is still compact enough to keep in my bag or take travelling.

If shoppers loved the pomade before, they are bound to love it even more with these refinements.

Merit shoppers have claimed the Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade is set to be as good (if not better) than Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Gel that fetches £19, though I have yet to compare the two.

My eyebrow make-up routine has changed in recent months, so I rely more on brow gels to add the desired volume. Having said that I have had a turbulent ride with eyebrow pencils, which I find smudge easily, so I was keen to try Merit’s 1990 version.

The Brow 1990 is also described as a sheer gel pencil, and from the description I was unsure what the product, texture and design would look like – I anticipated a liquid eyeliner in eyebrow form, but I was hugely mistaken.

This sheer gel pencil is the most precise, lightweight, and easy to use eyebrow pencil I have ever come across, and I love it.

Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade, £26

The double ended pencil features a large spoolie on one end to comb through my hybrid brows, which have thick and thin areas, and a super fine pencil that is perfectly pigmented and glides on the skin on the opposite end.

With pencils I have found they need a while to warm up to show any colour, or they can be too dark or thick, but Merit has nailed the combination.

In just one stroke it created a perfect faux eyebrow hair – and I’m no MUA, so I was impressed.

It is available in four shades, but I sampled the light brown, which I prefer as it is more of a subtle finish to fill in any sparse areas.

It is formulated with nourishing ingredients, including sunflower oil, vitamin E, safflower extract and hibiscus flower, which combine to moisturise, soothe and condition the hair.

Again, the jury is out on the hair growth benefits of this make-up essential, but it is early days, and I know hair growth has different cycles.

Merit is known for being a clean, cruelty-free and vegan beauty brand, plus it’s female founded, as it was created by Katherine Power, who is the brains behind other major labels, which is another reason why I love about the brand as I know it is gentle on my skin.

I alternated between using the pencil on its own, the Brow Pomade separately, as well as the two combined for a more defined and long-lasting look, and would strongly recommend.

Brow Duo, £46 (Was £52), Merit Beauty

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