Brows are bigger than ever this year—and we aren't just talking about Cara Delevingne and Kim Kardashian's bold arches. Though brow makeup was once considered an afterthought, this year, pencils, pomades, gels, and powders have amassed almost $164.4 million dollars worldwide, WWD reports. In a survey conducted by The NPD Group, the number has risen by 32% over it's previous ranking, and the brow category even beat out skin care, which came in at $31.4 million dollars, and the cool $88.2 million spent on prestige hair care.
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"Power brows are now an essential makeup look," says June Jensen, director of UK beauty for NPD. "Cara Delevingne is the trend-setting brow icon of our age. She embodies the look and is the defining personality for the beauty press. However, a more exaggerated brow look has become prevalent on the high street, popularised by reality television stars."
Benefit Cosmetic's Brow Zings Kit ($32; sephora.com) came out on top as one of the most-purchased brow products, and we're also loving the brand's Gimme Brow gel ($24; sephora.com) to keep our arches looking polished. Pencils like Zoey Van Jones's ($22; zoeyvanjones.com) are easy for brow beginners to work with, and we also love Anastasia's Brow Powder Duo ($23; sephora.com) to achieve a gradual fade in color, or NYX's Tame & Frame Brow Pomade ($7; ulta.com) as a sweat-resistant option.
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