Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray is hailed by many Filipinos as one of the most stunning faces today.
Long before her iconic victory, Catriona faced a common beauty challenge—her eyebrows.
Like many of us, she didn’t wake up with perfectly shaped brows. In her younger years, she experienced what she describes as "broken brows."
Her natural brows lacked the tail end, resulting in incomplete arches—a beauty quirk that many can relate to.
"I think when I was younger, hindi ako aware na putol yung kilay ko pala," the beauty queen recalls in an interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) and other members of the press on February 24, 2025.
The interview takes place during the grand launch of Strokes Cosmetics' Brown Artist Collection at Uma Nota in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Catriona continues, "When I look back in the pictures, I'm like, 'Oh my god, oo nga!'
Kasi wala akong tail part ng brow. Well, naturally, I just don't have the shape."
Over time, Catriona discovers various cosmetic techniques.
She says, "Being able to play around with my brow shape through the years, as I got to do make-up, as I got to love make-up, it's been a really fun journey.
"There's been a lot of ups and downs kasi talagang pasaway talaga ng kilay ko.
"But Strokes has been such a mainstay of my brow routine.
"Even from getting micro-bladed before competing to even trying out brow laminations at Strokes.
"And of course, using their products from Strokes.
"That makes my everyday brow routine. So I know and I love these products a lot."
CATRIONA GRAY'S BROW TECHNIQUE
Now here's how the beauty queen achieves her perfectly shaped brows.
She begins by ensuring her brows are clean.
"I like to make sure that there's no product there. If I have done foundation first, I will make sure that the brow area is clean of all products.
"And then I can just go in with foundation or concealer afterwards. Because I just find that it allows the product to lay better."
Next, Catriona shapes her brows using a brow pencil, followed by creating hair-like strokes with Strokes Beauty's Microblade Pen Perfector Hybrid, which costs PHP648 on Lazada and Shopee.
"I'll usually go in with the pencil. Which is because I don't have any base on the tail of my brow. So I really need to draw.
"So I put the foundation of color there. And then I'll go in with a hybrid brow microblade perfector. To start simulating those hair-like strokes. To make buo yung brow."
Catriona adds, "This is when I'll also take into consideration, 'Do I want to do a straight brow today? Do I want to do my usual brow shape? Do I want to do a higher arch?'
"Because really, brows can change your expression. They can make you mas fierce, mas pa-sweet. So it's a little bit of an intentional choice."
Sharing a technique she learned from Momoi Supe, the founder of Strokes, Catriona uses light hands with the microblade hybrid perfector to recreate hair-like features.
She notes that applying more pressure can make the strokes appear larger and less natural.
Catriona said, "It's really about duplicating or recreating those hair-like strokes. And using the pen to your advantage.
"Because with the felt applicator, the more pressure you put on it, the more heavier the application, the thicker and darker the stroke.
"The lighter hand you go in, you can really make lighter strokes. And so you can really combine the two to make a natural-looking brow.
"It's like getting a micro-bladed effect at home."
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