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Unfortunately for some of us, we’ve not been blessed with fluffy, beautifully defined eyebrows.
If you’re in the same boat as me, you’ll know how difficult, expensive and time-consuming it can be to carefully fill them in every time you do your makeup, or hunt down the perfect shade match in your local Boots.
There’s a million ways an eyebrow tool can let you down – get the shade wrong, and it’ll leave you looking clownish, fork out a small fortune and end up with something that lasts all of two weeks – honestly, it’s a minefield out here.
As a blonde with mousy brown brows and little patience for products that don’t deliver, cost the earth or are a messy faff, I’ve narrowed down years of product testing to my top six picks of what actually works.
I’ve compiled them all below, spanning brow gels for less than a fiver that have amazing hold, to clever dual-ended pens that add natural-looking fullness. Rest assured, you’ll find something that works for you and your budget.
Whether you love a high-glam laminated style or prefer a fluffier finish, I’ve got you covered.
Browaid The Brow Blueprint
This is an underrated gem, if you want natural-looking, fluffy brows but don’t have enough ahir to work with.
It’s a dual-ended pen, one side has two prongs, the other a cluster of felt-tip like brushes, which mimic natural hair strands.
It immediately adds realistic hair strokes, but allows you all the control to decide where you want definition and fullness.
It’s especially good if you don’t want to rely on multiple brow products, as it fills in hairs, adds fullness and shape, and has impressively long staying power without the need for brow gel.
I’ve worn it for well over 12 hours at a time, and not a single bit has ever smudged.
Maybelline Express Brow Ultra Slim Eyebrow Pencil
If you prefer the precision of a pencil, Maybelline’s Express Brow pencil is a brilliant budget-friendly option.
It has a spoolie brush on one end to smooth hairs, and a pinpoint slim tip for drawing on hairs and filling in gaps.
It has worked well with every brow gel I’ve paired it with, and has a great shade range for all hair colours, from light blondes to dark brown or black.
Plus, eyebrow pencils typically don’t last that long, so for less than a tenner, it won’t break the bank every time you run out.
essence Brow Lifting Gel Set
If you love the laminated brow look, but don’t have the budget to splurge on a professional treatment every few months, this affordable clear brow gel is the next best thing.
It comes with a mini spoolie brush and has the longest-lasting hold of any brow gel I’ve ever tried.
It has a very tacky texture when first applied, so I’d recommend working quickly to shape your brows to avoid any stickiness, then wait for them to dry before filling in any gaps with a pencil.
For less than a fiver, you can’t go wrong.
Merit Brow 1990 Sheer Gel Pencil
This is one of the only brow pencils I’ve found that doesn’t run red in its paler shade range.
I love using the shade Taupe on my mousy brown brow hairs, and often struggle to find the perfect match, but this is a cool-toned brown that’s great if you’re a blonde like me.
It has a soft, natural finish, but a pencil point so fine that it never leaves your hair looking clownish or harsh.
Miya Lash Brow Lamination Kit
Speaking of brow lamination, I discovered this at-home kit a year ago, and it’s completely replaced my usual appointments at a salon.
It comes with a complete setup to perfect your own brow lamination from the comfort of your home, including; a eyebrow adhesive, lifting lotion, setting lotion, nutrition serum, cleanser, 10 micro brushes, 3 brow combs, 5 mascara brush and 5 lip applicators.
The manual is very simple to follow, and in less than 30 minutes, you can manipulate sparse brows to look fuller, making your makeup routine quicker.
It’s fool-proof and well worth the upfront cost.
Just for Men Ultra Hair Colour Dye
This may sound rogue, but stick with me here.
If like me, you haven’t been blessed with full, bushy brows, dying them can help add the illusion of fullness, and save the need to painstakingly fill in every inch.
This men’s hair dry comes in a tube that will last you well over a year, and can be easily applied using a clean spoolie brush.
Leave it on for five to 10 minutes, and you’ll see the colour develop into a darker hue.
Wash it off with a cotton pad and gentle cleanser, et voila, refreshed brows!
The longer you leave it on, the darker it will become, so start with setting a timer for a couple of minutes and see how you get on – I find dyeing mine every eight weeks to be the perfect balance.
My top tip to avoid staining the skin around your eyebrows is to apply a layer of Vaseline around them, and it will wipe cleanly off when you wash the dye out.
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