Hey everyone!
Today I wanted to talk about Colourpop Brow Boss Gel. Colourpop has been expanding their brow range over the years, coming out with different brow pencils and brow pomades but they only had a clear brow gel for the longest time. Now they finally listened to consumers and released colored versions of their Brow Boss Gel. I love a good brow gel and given that they made one in the shade Soft Black, I was down to try it.
Given that the original Brow Boss Gel sounded like a dupe to Glossier's Boy Brow, I decided to compare it to the Boy Brow in Black and see how similar it really was.
I've been a pretty dedicated user of the Boy Brow and repurchased it several times (and have a few backups...). I've loved Boy Brow because it's one of the only cooler toned greyish black brow gels on the market when most brow gels are warm toned or only go so far as dark brown. It's quite flattering for people with black hair and sheer enough that it doesn't deposit so much pigment for that groucho marx look. Boy Brow has been excellent for trying to achieve the fluffy brow look but not everyone loves the price tag. Here's how both compare.
Price/Size Comparison: Brow Boss Gel, available at ULTA is $6.00 for 3.10 grams/0.11 oz. vs Boy Brow is $16.00 for 3.12 grams/0.11 oz. You "technically" get .02 grams more with Boy Brow but the difference is negligible compared to the price. Brow Boss Gel is $10.00 cheaper or 37.5% of the price of Glossier's.
Shade Options: Colourpop comes in Clear, Blonde, Light Brown, Dark Brown, and Black. Glossier comes in Clear, Blond, Brown, and Black.
Packaging Comparison: The packaging is identical except the colors are switched on the outer packaging. Colourpop's is a silver tube with white cap while Glossier's is a white tube with a silver cap. The tube are the same size and the brush wand is the exact same on both. Both have a tendency to have excess product at the end of the applicator so it's important to wipe off the tip before using.
Left is Colourpop Brow Boss in Soft Black, Right is Glossier Boy Brow.
Color Comparison: This is where Colourpop Brow Boss Gel is a bit of a let down. Colourpop described the shade as Soft Black but in reality it's a dark charcoal brown. The Glossier Boy Brow in Black is actually soft grayish black. The difference is minor when it's actually worn but there is a difference that you can see in the swatch photos later.
Colourpop says: "Perfect for taming and grooming brows of all shapes and sizes. Get all day, flexible, lightweight hold that tames without getting flaky! Add definition and dimension, and slicks those babies back without ever looking crunchy". "Brush product through brows using upward strokes, following the direction that the hairs naturally grow"
Glossier says: "All brow needs have been considered to create THE brow product: one to thicken, fill in, and groom brows into place. The creamy wax formula is inspired by traditional hair pomade for soft, flexible hold that doesn’t stiffen or flake". "Apply in short, upward strokes to fluff and shape brows into place."
I bolded the overlapping words so you can see they make similar claims.
To start, Glossier Boy Brow is like a mix between a brow gel and a pomade in consistency and pigment; it's thicker than a clear brow gel with some pigment to add color. It also builds upon itself really well to add the fluff but the sheer pigments prevent a blocky effect. I've loved it for the "my brows but fluffier" look. I loved it before I got my eyebrows micro bladed and I still enjoy it now.
Colourpop in comparison is still a brow gel but it's a little thicker than the Boy Brow, like a gel-cream hybrid. It looks more pigmented because it's thicker in consistency but it ends up having about the same pigment level as Boy Brow. Though Colourpop didn't explicitly state it in the claims, there is definitely a fluffing effect you can get with the Brow Boss Gel.
Performance-wise, both did an excellent job with fluffing the brow hairs to make them look fuller but Glossier Boy Brow had better hold keeping the hairs at the end of my brows in place. Colourpop Brow Boss does a decent job but not as good as Glossier Boy Brow does. Glossier's is a moderate hold vs. Colourpop is light to moderate hold. Both leave my brows feeling soft, longevity is all day, and no flaking at all. Keep in mind that the application method (applying in upward strokes) can result in product catching on the fine hairs on the top of your brows so you may want to keep that area neatly groomed. I suspect if you have especially thick or unruly brows that both brow gels won't provide as much hold as you need but I think that's the downside to a brow gel that leaves your eyebrow with a softer (less crunchy) feel.
I conducted a not so clinical trial with one participant (my fiancé), I asked him which brow looked better and if he noticed a color difference. He stated he preferred the Glossier brow over the Colourpop brow. He did notice that one brow was slightly lighter than the other, though I suspect I was leading him towards that answer given the question. I suspect most people won't notice a major difference but I personally prefer the grey-black tone of Glossier Boy Brow.
Swatches:
Hopefully these swatches will help you see the differences between the Colourpop Brow Boss and Glossier Boy Brow. I think the color difference is more discernible when you're looking far away. Personally I can tell that Colourpop Soft Black is more dark brown than soft black and Glossier Boy Brow is a grey-black.
Conclusion:
If you're someone on a budget who needs a slightly lighter hold brow gel, I think you'll be happy with the Colourpop Brow Boss. I don't consider the Colourpop Brow Boss Gel to be a perfect dupe of the Glossier Boy Brow but I suspect many people will overlook it for the price. There are more colors of the Colourpop Brow Boss if you think that the Glossier shade options aren't right for you. I still prefer the better hold, color, and look of the Glossier Boy Brow and that's what I'll continue to use.
What are you currently using in your brows?
Disclaimer: I purchased the Colourpop Brow Boss myself and purchased the Glossier Boy Brow with referral credit. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated to post this review. The post contains affiliate links which provide me with commission if you make a purchase.
The color is a deal breaker for me. I want cool black, no brown tones.
ReplyDeleteI need more coverage for my brows but I considered both of these. I like the Glossier better on you.
ReplyDeleteI like the Glossier one better on you as well. Because I'm warm toned, I don't mind brown tones, but not if they pull reddish-brown.
ReplyDeleteI might try the colourpop only because I’ve never used brow gel before!
ReplyDeleteThey are excellent price wise, none of the colors really work for me tho, plus I'm not huge into the bold brow but good to know there are some good options!
ReplyDeleteI have been using Boy Brow for a good year and a half and I adore it. I won't stray and have no interest in trying anything else!!
ReplyDeleteI like the look of the Glossier better, but I love the Colourpop price!
ReplyDeleteI do like the Glossier better on you. I don't understand all the warmer red toned browns on the market in brow gels. People, myself included, seem to prefer a cooler toned brown. I wish more companies would listen. You made an excellent thorough investigation, which i really appreciate when it comes to looking for my brow color and texture preference.
ReplyDeleteI hate it Colourpop Brow Boss Gel didn't work out. The Glossier certainly has a more finished look.
ReplyDeleteGreat comparison! I haven't tried both
ReplyDeleteI have black hair just like you and I was considering to purchase the CP Brow boss gel as a backup of Boy brow. They are a huge difference for me in your swatch. The CP one is literally a brown/dark brown but not black! Also reminded me of some asian cosmetics brand said the reason for never selling brow gel in black is that brown looks more natural on asian even it is not matching hair colour. Such a bullshit.
ReplyDeleteI have been using colourpop but have been eyeing glossier. I typed in a comparison of both and was stunned to find you had done exactly that! I had that (Cool toned) Black Irish hair that is now half white - And believe me when i tell you that, as hard as it is to find the perfect color for Asian black hair, it is even harder for grey hair! Your review was just what i needed to make a decision. Thanks!
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