ROADTEST: I tried the 'golden ratio' technique to see if it really achieves perfect brows.

Out of every step in my makeup routine, I personally find brows the hardest to get right.

One inevitably ends up darker than the other and they are never, ever even. And I know, we've been taught that brows are meant to be sisters, not twins, but if there was a way to make them as symmetrical as possible, I'd be all over it.

Side note... here's how to create a non-black smokey eye. Post continues below.

In 1997, Anastasia Soare, founder of makeup brand Anastasia Beverly Hills, came up with the 'golden ratio' brow technique. It's designed to find balance and symmetry depending on an individual's face shape and ultimately, accentuate our best features.

Now, in 2022, the technique is going viral on TikTok, after a user created a clever golden ratio filter that thousands of others are now trialling themselves.

@gracemchoi New filter to help you draw your perfect #goldenratio #eyebrows ! ✍🏻🤨——————————— #brows #eyebrowtutorial #eyebrowchallenge #eyebrow ♬ original sound - gracemchoi

But is the brow technique really that simple?

I spoke to Talia Cich, the Executive Director of Education and Artistry at Anastasia Beverly Hills to learn what the golden ratio technique is, the products needed to achieve it and the exact steps to follow, then I tried it out for myself.

What is the golden ratio?

"The golden ratio is our signature, patented eyebrow shaping method that was created by our founder Anastasia Soare," Talia told Mamamia.

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A post shared by Anastasia Soare (@anastasiasoare) on Jan 31, 2020 at 9:48am PST

"The idea was inspired by the ancient principle of the golden ratio; and while it sounds super intricate, it's actually quite simple. We use key points of the face to accurately measure where an individual’s brows should begin, end and arch to enhance and accentuate the facial features.  

"To put it into three simple steps:

1. Your brows should begin directly above the centre of your nostrils.

2. Your brows should end where the corners of the nostrils align with the outer corners of the eyes.

3. The highest point of the arch should align the tip of the nose with the centre of the iris.

"Anastasia is behind some of the world’s best brows like Oprah, Kendall Jenner and Victoria Beckham, so she knows what she is talking about – her first client was Cindy Crawford. And this is the method she has used on them all," Talia said.

What products should I be using to achieve the golden ratio brow?

According to Talia, you should use the following products from the Anastasia Beverly Hills collection, or something similar that you already own, to achieve this method.

• Brush 7B
• ABH Brow Primer
• Brow Powder Duo
• Brow Wiz
• Pro Pencil 
• Brush 20
• Clear Brow Gel

Image: Supplied.

OK, I've got my products ready. Now what?

Talia explained exactly which order to use your products to achieve the perfect brow. Of course, the Anastasia Beverly Hills products are ace but they're also not vital - see what you already have that's similar and go from there.

Step one: mark out your perfect ratio.

The first step is to "mark the start, end and highest points out," as they will be your guide to create the brow shape. I went ahead and used their skinniest brow pencil (Brow Wiz) to create some markings.

I used the Brow Wiz to mark it out. Image: Supplied.

Step two: prime brows.

Next up, you add one swipe of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Primer. I found that by placing this product down first, it makes the brow hairs a bit tacky and ready for powder to sit nicely on top.

After that's placed on, Talia suggested brushing the product through with a spoolie so the product is evenly spread across the brow.

Image: Supplied.

Step three: fill them in.

Next, it's time to fill in your brows. Talia explained the best method to apply the powder.

"Start at the middle of your brow, so where the arch is and work down towards the tail using the deeper shade of your Brow Powder Duo – we want the end to be slightly heavier in colour," she said.

"Then, very gently fill the front part of the brow using the lighter shade of the Brow Powder Duo. We’re essentially filling this in, so the effect will make your brow look fuller. Remember, we are trying to fill according to your golden ratio markings."

After that's all done, brush it through with a spoolie again to make sure everything is even.

Image: Supplied.

Step four: add detail.

After adding the powder, I found there were still some areas that were quite sparse. So Talia suggested taking a thin brow pencil to mimic hair-like strokes. 

I used the Brow Wiz and added small, thin strokes to the areas that needed it and blended it through as I went, to make the brow as natural-looking as possible.

Talia's tip for this step: "I recommend you choose a shade that is deeper (by one shade) than the fill product to create dimension," she said.

Image: Supplied.

Step five: define your brow.

After we've created the brow itself, we want to make it stand out. Talia explained that the best way to do that is by taking a highlighting pencil (she suggested the Anastasia Beverly Hills Pro Pencil) and a flat brush to define the brow.

"Place the Pro Pencil in areas you want to accentuate. Think underneath the lower arch and above the arch to lift, then blend the edges using Brush 20 followed by the spoolie end for a natural finish," she said.

Image: Supplied.

Step six: apply clear gel.

FINALLY: set everything in place.

Talia recommended the Clear Brow Gel to set the brow in place and create a feathered look. Any brow gel you own will definitely do the trick.

Image: Supplied.

And there you have it, a golden ratio Anastasia Beverly Hills brow.

Done! Image: Supplied.

My final thoughts.

I've tried plenty of different ways to do my brows. Seriously, plenty. And despite taking my time and going carefully, one brow always looks a lot better than the other.

After following the golden ratio method, I noticed that it was by far the easiest technique to follow, took barely any time and my brows actually look very similar. And because of the markings I started with, my brows really do make sense with my facial features.

I now understand why this technique is so popular and sought after: it really does work.

Feature image: Supplied.