Perfect brows can change your entire look and it’s worth going that extra beauty mile to get them right! Behold, our ultimate cheat sheet on how to get perfect brows.

Work with your face shape

Brows aren’t a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. The perfect brows have to work with your own face shape and we’ve got a few quick pointers on how to get it right!

• Round face - Create a high arch following a straight line to the peak of the brow as this will help open up your face. Avoid a rounded / curved eyebrow shape.
• Square face -  Square faces can pull off a curved or more angled brow but steer clear of thin brows and elongate the line to avoid a ‘short’ brow.
• Heart shaped face - A lower arch works with heart shapes. Don’t go too high with the arch or you’ll really lengthen the face. For perfect brows keep the curves of the arch soft.
• Oval face - If you have this balanced face shape, lucky you! You can pull off the classic full, softly angled brow beautifully.

Follow the 3 universal brow rules

No matter the shape of your face, there are 3 golden rules to follow when defining your perfect eyebrows.

• Rule 1 - The arch of your brow - whether it be angular or more curved and soft - should be around two thirds of the way along your brow line, never in the centre.
• Rule 2 - Find the right place to start your brow. Lay an eyebrow pencil vertical along your nose - the point where it reaches the bridge of your nose is where the brow should begin.
• Rule 3 -  Get the tail right. Place an eyebrow pencil in a line that runs from the outer side of your nostril to the corner of your eye. This is the ideal ending point for your brow.

Brush your brows upwards

Using a clean, dry spoolie your brows upward as it makes them look fuller and gives them more texture. You create a ‘feathered’ appearance - natural looking, fine hair strokes that you can’t achieve if you brush sideways.

Eyebrows are also easier to fill in afterwards when they’re brushed upwards.

Choose your eyebrow makeup

Powder, creme or pencil? Or a mix ‘n’ match combination? The eyebrow makeup you choose is crucial for nailing a flawless arch.

• Eyebrow pencils are great for beginners and perfect for natural looking brows with softly defined arches that aren’t overly done or sharp-looking. Eyebrow pencil also makes a great base for brow powder to be applied over the top.
• Eyebrow power does a brilliant job at filling in those sparse areas. If your brows are in pretty great shape naturally aside from a few thin spots, you might just need a little eyebrow powder to fill those areas in. Using powder also adds volume to your natural hair and works over the top of eyebrow pencil to add texture.
• Eyebrow creme is a quick way to fill in sparse brows for a natural look. If you’re already rocking a set of thick brows, creme will create a bolder, glam look. Use a brow brush for a precise creme application.

Use a natural looking shade

If you've chosen a brow creme or powder, go for a color that is the same shade as your brows or a little darker.

If a brow pencil is your tool of choice, opt for one shade lighter than your hair for a softer look; unless you’re really fair. In that case, go a little deeper with the shade as slightly darker brows will frame your face enhance your eyes more than a really light brow.

Still stressed about finding the shade for your perfect brows? Our Brow Magic is a universal brow pencil solves all your colour uncertainties - one colour suits all. Bingo.

Start in the centre

Perfect eyebrows aren’t one monotone block of colour, so when it comes to hue, aim for a gradient effect.

Begin applying your brow product at the arch, and build the colour there. Move along to the front and then finish up at the end, where the colour should taper off. Our Brow Duo Powder will help you nail that natural looking gradient.

Add a little highlighter

If you love a clean, shapely brow use a little highlighter under the brow bone. A soft tone with a subtle shimmer will help define the brow line without looking over the top. Our PONi Unicorn Champagne Highlighter works beautifully when you apply with the angled end of our Pro Brow Brush.

Set with a clear brow gel

Finally, lock those perfect brows in place with a clear brow gel. Gently brush the brow gel spoolie over the hairs to set your arches and keep them looking perfection all day long!

Stand back

After you get up close and personal with the mirror to create your brow, take a big step back (at  least a few feet) and survey your brow handiwork. This will give you some perspective on how your brows fit in with your entire face and the rest of your makeup look.

Finally...thicken your brows naturally

If you weren’t exactly blessed by the brow gods we’ve got good news. Our Lash And Brow Growth Serum boosts brow thickness and darkness naturally to fill in those sparse patches and barely there hairs that drive you crazy.

Disappearing foundation, caking powder, and concealer that makes things look worse.

We’ve got some tricks and easy fixes to solve the biggest beauty woes of your everyday makeup routine.

Problem #1 -  Your foundation disappears or looks caked on

Your base sets the tone for the rest of your everyday makeup look, so it’s important to get it right! This anti-caking tip is loved by many makeup gurus and may actually change your life.

Mix two to three drops of oil with your foundation before you apply it. Cold-pressed Moroccan argan oil or cold-pressed rosehip are great options.

Why? It adds extra hydration to the skin and makes it appear more luminous, avoiding that caked on look. Adding oil won’t change the formulation of your foundation and powder applied later will look flawless, not clumpy.

You might already know it’s a bit of a crime not to prime when it comes to giving your foundation real, long-lasting staying power. But even with a primer, are you finding that foundation slides off areas like your nose, chin, upper lip, and centre forehead?

Try using an eyeshadow primer in these areas instead and your usual primer everywhere else.

An eyeshadow primer that dries down to a matte finish will lock in your foundation in areas it usually slides off.

Problem #2 - You’ve chosen the wrong colours

When you pick the colour of your foundation, you need to think about 2 things, tone, and undertone.

The tone is light, medium, dark while the undertone is actually the ‘hidden’ colour. A big problem with your everyday makeup routine is choosing a foundation with the right tone, but the wrong undertone.

You can tell what colour your undertone is by taking a look at the colour of the veins on your wrist. If they have a greenish hue, you have a yellow undertone and a bluish hue means you have more of a cool tone. If you can’t really tell, you’re likely to have a neutral undertone, which is a combination of both.

When it comes to eyeshadow colour, here’s a quick guide to nailing the right hue for everyday makeup.

Blue eyes: Purple and lavender can make your eyes look grey /blue. Rust with teal or brown colours is also a good choice to make blue eyes pop.

Green eyes: A mustard or peach colour will make your eyes look brighter. Team with chocolate, taupe or gold shadow for a nighttime look.

Brown eyes: A gorgeous choice is a rich brown or burgundy. You can take your pick of navy or midnight blue too.

Problem #3 - You’re stuck in a makeup rut

Giving your everyday makeup look an overhaul can really be quite intimidating. It might seem safer to stick with the everyday makeup routine you’ve had for years...but are you missing out?

Updating your look can be fun, confidence boosting and it doesn’t have to be as overwhelming! It’s also important if you’ve had a dramatic change in hair colour.

One of your best resources to update your everyday makeup routine is YouTube. There are a gazillion video tutorials for every look you can think of. Search YouTube for a look you’d like to try, like ‘smokey eye’ or ‘simple makeup for everyday’ and pick a video - and a YouTuber - that resonates with you.

Spend some time practicing new techniques and as your old makeup runs update it with new colours or brands. This is also a good opportunity to make the swap to cruelty free options! 

Problem #4 - Your highlighting, not hiding, fine lines

Are you applying a lot of concealer  really close to the lash line of your eye? This isn’t helping your wrinkle hiding efforts.

The majority of fine lines and wrinkles appear around our eyes but it's an area that has a lot of movement.

The more product you apply there, the more it will crease and make those fine lines even more prominent. Instead, taper off the concealer application a little before the lash line.

This will also make your eyes appear a little bigger whereas taking the concealer right up to the edge can close them up.

Problem #5 -  You’re not cleaning your makeup tools regularly

Using dirty makeup tools in your  everyday makeup routine  is a big problem. Let’s be honest...how often do you clean yours?

Avoiding breakouts and acne  is the biggest reason to keep tools clean. Bacteria and dead skin cells get caught up in the bristles and foams of your makeup applicators. Using dirty brushes on clean skin will clog your pores, spread bacteria and bring those breakouts on.

Colour application of eyeshadows, blush, and highlighters is also better with clean tools. Shades become muddied with all different colours if you don’t wash your brushes frequently.

Wash your sponge applicators as part of  everyday makeup routine and brushes on a weekly basis.

Problem #6 - Forgetting your brows 

A great pair of brows does wonders for your face and if you don’t believe us just Google ‘celebrities without brows’.

Don’t forget to show your brows some love! Even if you do very little else with your face get your brows right and you’ll nail a simple everyday makeup look that is polished yet natural. Check out our brow dos and don’ts right here.

Having easy to use brow tools with epic staying power in your makeup arsenal will make nailing the perfect brow effortless!

What area or product do you struggle with most in your everyday makeup routine?

Makeup: Expectations vs Reality

Makeup an art form. Whether you’re creating a bold or natural look, it takes practice to nail it. No matter how many YouTube tutorials or Pinterest boards you’ve stalked, sometimes the new look you try won’t exactly hit the mark. Here’s a few common makeup fails when it comes to expectations versus reality….. and their fixes!

The Bold Lip

Expectation: Bold, beautiful lips Reality: Bobo the clown

TIPS TO GET IT RIGHT

Always prep your lips first. Buff away any dry flaky skin with a tissue and apply lip balm. Leave enough time for the balm to absorb and blot excess away. Never apply lipstick straight on top of balm. 

• Don’t apply lip liner first. Apply lipstick with a brush, really working the colour in, then tidy the outer edges with liner.
• Do blot your lips with a tissue then reapply the lip colour for a bold lip that lasts. Don’t underestimate the power of blotting!
• Do use an angle brush to blend concealer around your lip line to ‘clean’ up any edges and colour bleeding.

Choosing the right lip colour

Knowing your skin’s undertone is key to choosing the right colours to meet your bold lip expectations. Orange based reds work well for warm coloured skin tones. For cool skin tones, opt for reds with a blue base for a truly flattering effect.

Winged Eyeliner

Expectation: The purrfect cat eye with a polished flick Reality: Uneven, sloppy wings

TIPS TO GET IT RIGHT

• Avoid applying eyeliner to a bare, unprepped eye. The liner will mix with the natural oils of your skin and smudge into your upper lid. Use an eyeshadow primer first followed by a translucent powder to set the area.
• Shakey hands? The ‘tape’ technique is a foolproof way to create a wobble-free wing.
• Use a small piece of scotch tape as a stencil and place it on the skin around the eye the eye where you’d like the wing to go. Then draw along the tape. Even if it’s a little wobbly, it will end up as a staight line once the tape is removed. Note to self: Avoid sticking the tape down hard, your eye area is delicate!
• Don’t raise your eyebrow while applying winged eyeliner. You’ll only end up lining an area that will be hidden or creased once the eyebrow is relaxed. Result? An unflattering, droopy wing shape.

Choosing the right eyeliner

We LOVE eyeliner but choosing the right one isn’t always easy! For beginners, liquid eyeliners are a great option because the product is dispersed evenly across the eyes, easy to hold and they come in felt, sponge or brush tip.

Brows

Expectation: Beautifully defined, natural looking  Reality: Harsh, fake looking

TIPS TO GET IT RIGHT

• Don’t draw on your brows in a hard straight line. This look is super harsh. It’s better to feather the brows, make smaller, shorter strokes in the natural shape of your brow.
• Avoid ‘squaring’ off your brows when filling them in. It doesn’t look natural. Instead, follow the shape of your brow.
• Don’t brush your eyebrows downward, this drags the eye down. Brush them upwards to lift up the eye and the brow. 
• Try not to smother your brows in too much makeup. Allow your natural hairs to pop up, creating a more natural look. Using a tinted brow gel or a soft  brow powder are great options to enhance your natural shape without flooding the brow with makeup.

Choosing the right brow colour

The colour of your brow makeup is so important. It can mean the difference between nailing a Cara Delevingne’esque look or a brows gone bad Pinterest board.

For natural looking but defined brows, if you have dark brown or black hair, select a colour one or two shades lighter. On the flip side, if you have blonde or light brown hair, opt for a colour one or two shades darker. Or, try our universal Brow Magic; one colour suits all!

When It’s Hot Outside

Expectation: A beautiful bronzed glow. Reality: A face that’s more slick than shimmer.

TIPS TO GET IT RIGHT

• Do choose a non-greasy sunscreen to apply under makeup because….sunscreen ALWAYS matters.
• Don’t skip the primer. When you’re a little sweaty, things can get creasy real quick! Primer takes just a moment to apply and will keep your look in place all day.
• Opt for a brow powder, rather than pencil, for maximum staying power in the heat.
• Don’t cover every inch of your face with bronzer. You’ll end up faked baked, not bronzed goddess. Instead, apply bronzer to the areas the sun hits naturally: cheekbones, forehead, chin, and nose.

Choosing heat proof makeup shades

The right makeup product matters in the heat. Switch to more sheer versions of your favourite lip and eye colours. A lighter look suits warmer weather more than those rich, dark colours.

Contouring

Expectation: Highlight your natural bone structure. Reality: You’ve drawn an actual skull line on your face.

TIPS TO GET IT RIGHT

• The golden rule of contouring? Blending is your best friend. We’ll say it again, blend, blend, blend.
• Be selective. Choose just one area to contour; jaws, nose, cheekbones etc, rather than trying to do it all. 
• Save it for a special event. Unless you’re part of the Kardashian clan, contouring isn’t necessarily a look you’d rock for on a grocery trip to the supermarket.

Choosing the right contour shade

Your choice of contour makeup product will make or break your look. Your contour shade is most believable when it’s a shade or two darker than your actual foundation.

Do any of those Reality vs Expectations makeup fails sound familiar!?

Love animals and your brows? Choose cruelty free eyebrow makeup to ethically lift your beauty game.

Nasty things go on in laboratories when cosmetic ingredients are tested on animals. Our gentle friends are put through hideous experiments and live short, painful lives trapped in cages. Let’s end their suffering and give them a voice by choosing cruelty free beauty.  

Cruelty Free Eyebrow Makeup

We never test our eyebrow makeup or any of the PONi range on animals. There are safe, MORE effective ways to test the formulations of everything from your mascara to your brow makeup.

If you’re obsessed with having the perfect brow (ps - we think you should be!) get obsessed with finding the perfect cruelty free eyebrow makeup too. Our new Brow Magic Pencil keeps brows WOW and bunnies safe. Winning. 

Cruelty free cosmetics are changing the way we do beauty. Ethical babes are rocking looks with everything from cruelty free mascara to brow powder and bronzers to make the world a safer place for our sweet animal friends. It’s clear we care more than ever how our products are made and who they’ve been tested on. Here’s how you can level up to a more compassionate, cruelty free beauty routine and why you should!

What are cruelty free cosmetics?

Animals go through some seriously torturous stuff all in the name of beauty. Choosing cruelty free cosmetics can help save bunnies, mice and other animals from miserable laboratory lives. A beauty product is cruelty free if it hasn’t been tested on animals at any stage during the production or manufacturing process.

So, how are cruelty free cosmetics created safely?

There are a bunch of alternative methods to animal testing and yep, they can actually be more effective. Cruelty free cosmetics are tested using options like in-vitro method, or on real life humans who volunteer to trial ingredients used in the season's boldest brow powder.

When coming up with their latest and greatest product formulations, brands also have their pick of literally thousands of ingredients already approved as safe for human use. Crafting new cosmetic formulas with ingredients on the ‘This Stuff Is Ok For Humans!’ list means no further testing is required.

It’s happening. The cruelty free beauty revolution

The cruelty free beauty revolution is happening in a #major way. Conscious beauties are purchasing with their hearts, not just their dollars. Research tells us almost half of Aussie women who use cosmetics cared whether a product was cruelty free or not.

Social media has played a massive role in raising awareness about the plight of millions of animals trapped in labs. Global petitions and campaigns like #ForeverAgainstAnimalTesting have challenged us to raise our compassion vibe and live a little more thoughtfully.

Cruelty free mascara, lip gloss, foundation, brow powder, lipstick and pretty much every other cosmetic beauty product are now offered by cruelty free brands.

Some online retailers have made it even easier to find cruelty free products by introducing filters to help you search for animal-friendly products.

We’re animals lovers here at PONi Cosmetics. Our range is cruelty free so you can rock that bold look with a clear conscious.

PONi Cosmetics White Knight Tubing Mascara - $30 - Buy Here.

Transition to compassionate beauty with cruelty free mascara

A guilt-free glow? Always on trend. Overhauling your current cosmetics stash for a cruelty free swag might feel a little overwhelming but don’t stress, it doesn’t need to be. Start with one product! Why not begin with mascara? Smudge proof and waterproof mascara do exist! Get your hands on the perfect cruelty free mascara to lengthen, darken, curl, and deliver serious lash volume.

Our White Knight Tubing Mascara is adored by PONi Cosmetics fans. Smudge proof and waterproof, it’s cruelty free mascara that lengthens and thickens without clumping. No panda eyes ever, just your new, compassionate lashes! Now you’ve taken the first step and bagged yourself a cruelty free mascara, here are a few more tips for your ethical makeup makeover.

One product at a time

Want to switch to cruelty free? Continue to update your beauty stash one product at a time as you finish each item. That bold red lipstick you love? Why not try searching for its equal in a cruelty free range. Making small changes reduces overwhelm! It’s also really wasteful to bin half-used products because they’re made by an animal testing brand, use it up then make the swap.

Do your research

Making ethical choices at the supermarket (think free range eggs) is easy. Doing the same for your makeup can be a little trickier. Google is your best friend when it comes to finding out everything you need to know about cruelty free beauty. Discover the brands that still test on animals (you’ll be surprised!) and those who take a firm cruelty free stance.

Find your cruelty free beauty crowd online

Check out Facebook groups and Insta feeds dedicated to cruelty free beauty related finds, hints, tips and advice. Follow Poni Cosmetics too, we’re always sharing beauty inspo and tutorials on Facebook and Instagram!

Use the apps

Found an amazing smudge proof mascara but not sure if it’s cruelty free? There’s a bunch of handy apps that can tell you everything you need to know by scanning the barcode.

Don’t forget your makeup brushes

While you’re trading up your cosmetics for cruelty free choices why not swap your beauty tools for vegan options? You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to makeup brushes and brow grooming tools that aren’t made from any animal hair.

Have you made the switch to cruelty free cosmetics? What product was the hardest to replace?