The $44 Duo Sarah Michelle Gellar Uses to Rectify '90s Brows

published 30 July 2024

Let's talk about eyebrows. The humble yet hotly contested feature is basically a visual reflection of the era we live in. In 2013, we yearned for big, fluffy brows. In 2016, we collectively embraced "Instagram eyebrows." Sometime circa 2022, we were all obsessed with soap brows. You get it.

With ever-changing aesthetics, it's only natural to look back on your previous looks and think, Yikes. We do. And apparently, so does Sarah Michelle Gellar. The Cruel Intentions and Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor recently filmed a GRWM video with beauty brand Merit. In it, she reflects on her personal beauty evolution, opening up about her '90s beauty blunders, including what she calls "sperm brows." Yep. Keep scrolling for her hilarious and relatable reflections.

Nineties kids will surely remember Gellar as Kathryn in Cruel Intentions. It was one of her most iconic roles, yet despite the cult status of the film, she cringes when she thinks back to the era because of one thing—yep, her eyebrows. "Do you ever look back at your old pictures and think, 'What was I thinking?'" she asks. "My biggest mistake from the '90s that I think everybody can agree with would be my sperm brows. That's right. I said it. My brows looked like sperm."

Hilarious? Yes. Relatable? Definitely. Thanks to some accompanying throwback photos that are provided on-screen, it's clear Gellar is referring to the thin, tapered brows that were omnipresent in the '90s. This picture of Gellar, taken in 1994, is a good example.

While we think she's being hard on herself (those brows were on-trend at the time!), we get the sentiment, especially now that fluffy, structured brows are the moment. These days, she uses a $44 brow duo to rectify her brow regrets.

MERIT Beauty

Brow Duo

"I finally figured out my eyebrows," Gellar says. She uses the Merit Brow Duo. It combines the brand's Brow 1980 Volumizing Eyebrow Gel-Pomade ($24) with the brand's new Brow 1990 Ultra Fine Eyebrow Gel Pencil ($24). The former is a nod to the soft, fluffy brow looks of the '80s. It delivers a light hold with zero flakes or crunchiness. The latter is a nod to the sleek brows of the '90s. It delivers natural-looking fullness and definition. When used together, these products polish and perfect the brows. And take it from us—they're virtually foolproof.

Oh, and as for her other '90s beauty regrets? She dishes on the disaster of bleached brows during her Buffy the Vampire Slayer days when her brows actually disintegrated from damage. Then, there was the time she dyed her hair a dark chestnut color and matched her eyebrows along with it. Finally, she can't forget how she "destroyed" her hair by dyeing it too often, which accidentally led to her "baby bangs" era.

She can rest assured that she's not the only one who's had a beauty mishap. We've had many. And even her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., isn't excluded. "He had to dye his hair blonde for Scooby-Doo," she says, "and they dyed his eyebrows."

She ends the video with a swipe of Merit's Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil in Beet ($24). "If you learn anything from my mistakes," she says, "less is always more."

5 More Editor-Loved Merit Products

MERIT

Flush Balm Cream Blush in Rouge

This balm-like blush deposits sheer color that lets the skin show through.

MERIT

Great Skin Instant Glow Serum

This niacinamide and hyaluronic acid serum hydrates, plumps, and brightens the skin. Thanks to it's oil-and-water bi-phase formula, it delivers instantly glowy skin.

MERIT

The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick

This foundation-and-concealer stick couldn't be easier to use (or blend).

MERIT

Solo Shadow Cream-to-Powder Soft Matte Eyeshadow

These soft matte eye shadow pots are foolproof and deliver a pretty wash of color.

MERIT

Signature Lip Lightweight Satin Lipstick

The Who What Wear beauty team loves Merit's lipstick formulas.

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Kaitlyn McLintock is an Associate Beauty Editor at Who What Wear. Although she covers a wide range of topics across a variety of categories, she specializes in celebrity interviews and skincare and wellness content. Having lived in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, she recently relocated back to her home state of Michigan where she works remotely. Prior to Who What Wear, she freelanced for a variety of industry-leading digital publications, including InStyle, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Hello Giggles, and Coveteur. Before that, she held a long-term internship and subsequent contributor position at Byrdie. When she's not writing, researching, or testing the latest and greatest beauty products, she's working her way through an ever-growing book collection, swimming in the Great Lakes, or spending time with family.