Benefit Gimme Brow+ Review: The Fiber Brow Gel, Full Ingredients & Honest Drawbacks
· Amazed by MN
Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Eyebrow Gel is a tinted brow gel that contains tiny fibers designed to cling to your brow hairs and skin, so brows look fuller without drawing anything on. It is one of the best-known prestige brow gels. Here is what is inside, who it suits, and where it falls short.
How we put this guide together: this review is based on Benefit Cosmetics’ official product page, the complete ingredient list the brand publishes, and the brand’s answers to customer questions. No brand paid for this placement.
Quick Verdict
A quick, buildable fiber gel that tints, thickens, and tames in one step, with one of the widest shade ranges for a brow gel. It is a strong pick if your brows are thin or patchy and you want them to look fuller in seconds. It is a weaker pick if you are on a budget or need a truly waterproof product.
What It Is
- Format: tinted fiber gel in a tube with a small, tapered brush.
- Size: 0.1 oz (3 g) for the standard size. Mini and jumbo sizes also exist.
- Price: $27 on Benefit’s US site at the time of writing.
- Shades: ten, numbered 1, 2, 3, 3.5, 3.75, 4, 4.5, 5, and 6, plus Grey.
- Wear: the brand lists it as water-resistant, volumizing, longwear, and smudge-proof.
The Full Ingredient List
Aqua (Water), Mica, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Cellulose, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Sodium Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Laureth-7, Panthenol, Glycerin, Ceteareth-20, Calcium Chloride, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate.
Benefit has updated this formula over time, and older lists published by retailers differ slightly. Check your own packaging. Here is what the key ingredients do:
- Cellulose: a plant-derived fiber. This is the fullness-boosting part of the gel that adds visible bulk to each hair.
- Mica: a mineral that carries color and gives a soft, natural finish.
- Panthenol: pro-vitamin B5, a conditioning ingredient.
- Glycerin: a humectant that helps keep the gel from feeling dry or stiff.
- Althaea officinalis root extract: marshmallow root extract, a plant extract used in cosmetics for its soothing properties.
What Benefit Claims
Benefit says 94% of users said their brows looked visibly thicker. That figure comes from a self-evaluation by 66 women after one week, so it reflects user opinion from a small brand-run panel rather than an independent measurement. The brand also cites sales data to describe it as a top seller in prestige brow makeup.
Is It Waterproof?
No. Benefit’s own customer service answers are clear on this point: Gimme Brow+ is water-resistant, not waterproof. In the brand’s words, that means it can withstand some exposure to water, such as light rain or sweat. Do not expect it to survive swimming.
How to Use It
- Stroke the tip of the brush along the brow to define the shape.
- Brush through the brow to blend and build fullness.
- Use the precision tip on the narrow parts of the brow, such as the arch and tail.
Who It’s Best For
- Thin, fine, or patchy brows that need visible volume
- People who want a one-step routine with no pencil skills required
- Anyone who struggles to find a shade match, thanks to ten options including Grey
Honest Drawbacks
- The price. At $27 for 3 g, it costs far more per gram than drugstore fiber gels such as the essence Make Me Brow or the e.l.f. Wow Brow Gel.
- Small tube. Three grams does not last long with daily use.
- Water-resistant only. See above.
- Fibers need hair to hold on to. On completely bare patches a gel cannot replace a pencil. Benefit itself suggests starting with a brow pencil for a fully defined look.
How It Compares
Its closest prestige rival is the Glossier Boy Brow, which uses a creamy wax for flexible hold instead of fibers. If you want the fiber-gel effect for less money, the drugstore options linked above are the ones most often compared with it.
The Bottom Line
Gimme Brow+ is a fast way to make thin brows look fuller, with a shade for almost everyone. The trade-off is a high price for a small tube and wear that is water-resistant rather than waterproof.
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