Lancome Sourcils Gel eyebrow gel: REVIEW!

Well it's another Lancome product review! I find myself becoming quite the fan. Lancome is a ubiquitous beauty hall staple, and as such, does get picked on for being "bland". True, their packaging and products don't call for much drama, and when they do try drama (cf. that rose petal highlighter or the big glitter palettes Lisa Eldridge designed) it never convinces. What I like about Lancome is that when they have a good product, it sticks around (no impetuous limited edition games with their staples) and it works. I have always had their effarcernes concealer on hand - and their Bifacil makeup remover, and their eyeliners and lipliners are always reliable too. Previously, indeed, I liked their Crayon poudre for eyebrows, in the shade Taupe. This review is for their latest eyebrow product, a gel pot, called a waterproof gel-cream or by its proper name, "Sourcils Gel". At the same price as their pencils but containing a generous 5g of product, it's a great buy. Let's look at the shade 04 Chatain (French for chestnut). I picked this up going by google images from blog posts, and I'm thrilled with it.

My favourite product for brows is still probably Billion Dollar Brows powder in Taupe. I find the shade so lovely and I like the soft powder retro look. It's long wearing and creamy and it seems to last in its pot too. Having said that, it's 2g and I've already hit pan twice - there's no denying this Lancome will outlast it. And it's a very similar shade:

 

It's got the same minky richness that is so hard to find in a cool brown (they often tend to be greyed or flat yellowed tones, this seems almost mauveish if that can be). The Lancome Chatain is denser/ more concentrated than my Billion Dollar Brows Taupe. Compared to MAC brow gel it's less creamy, but similar in concept. The shade I have in MAC is beautiful, but it's a far more simple and rich darker brown - shade: Deep Dark Brunette.

 
I love the MAC one, but for every day I favour a more blonde look overall. As brunettes with highlights know, if you pick a deeper brow you look more brunette, and if you pick a lighter one your highlights stand out more...Such is the science here at Ooglemakeup blog Towers. 🤓

I also have another much-enjoyed pencil which is more in line with the darker MAC gel, though a softer effect. I believe it's discontinued but it's the Dior sourcils poudre in the shade Sable. (They seem to be renamed...?)

 

Swatches: Dior powder eyeborw pencil in Sable, Lancome powder eyebrow pencil in Taupe, Billion Dollar Brows powder in Taupe, Lancome Sourcils Gel in 04 Chatain and MAC Deep Dark Brunette brow gel

 

Swatches as above, with Illamasqua Wolf eyeshadow at top for colour reference

At £19.50 I really think the Lancome gel is a brilliant and worthwhile alternative to powder pencils and powders which do run out fairly quickly with everyday use. I use an angled brush and only need a touch. The best thing about this is the shade which is very soft and natural, yet it adds impact to the brow. It also applies well over both the brow hairs and the skin itself. Sometimes I do think that a dark true brown suits me best as it makes my brown eyes stand out, but in surroundings where most around me don't wear much makeup, I find myself reaching for natural tones and effects instead. One of my favourite eye shadow shades is Wolf by Illamasqua. It has that - yes, wolfy - rich brown. Illamasqua Wolf, Lancome Taupe crayon sourcils poudre and this Sourcils gel in Chatain, all have that true, vivid cool brown that so often isn't translated into makeup properly. One thing which is strange about the Lancome gel and it's even more intense in other shades, is the presence of glitter. One never thinks of it, but brow hairs do have a gloss to them. Anyway, I've not noticed any glitter once it's on, only when I swatch it. I'm sure that if anything, paradoxically, it adds to the natural effect.

This lasts all day and really is waterproof (workouts, rain, humidity). In fact the only negative is that it's harder to take off than my standard brow powders. A small drawback - more than compensated by its performance.

Top marks

...Have you tried this?