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If eyes are the windows to the soul, eyebrows are the window dressings: Full, well-shaped arches can instantly make your eyes look defined and face more polished, with or without other makeup. Not born with perfectly lush brows? No problem. There are myriad types of eyebrow products on the market to enhance what you have:
- Eyebrow pencils are great for drawing a specific brow shape or sketching in individual "hairs" onto sparse brows.
- Eyebrow gels help tame and shape brow hairs, and come in versions that are clear or tinted. Some also contain fibers to mimic the look of brow hair.
- Eyebrow powders are pressed powder pigments that can be brushed over brows for a softer, more natural look.
- Eyebrow waxes are thicker formulas that can be clear or tinted and help tame and set coarse brow hairs.
- Eyebrow mousses and pomades have a creamy texture that can help add bulk to thin brows.
- Eyebrow tints are longwear liquids that temporarily color brows and are often waterproof or water-resistant.
When shopping for an eyebrow product, use your preferred application method (pencil, pen, brush, compact, etc.) and desired benefits (added fullness, taming, tinting, longwear, etc.) as your guide. Here, Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab experts share the best eyebrow makeup products you can buy, whether you have full brows, sparse brows, no brows, or something in between, including drugstore bargains and makeup artist picks:
Pros
- Easy to use
- Adds fullness and fills gaps in brows
- Tames, shapes, and sets brow hairs
- Large shade range
Cons
Both GH's beauty director and beauty editor swear by Benefit's tinted eyebrow gel, which is infused with tiny fibers to make brows instantly look more lush. "One swipe fills in gaps, shapes and tames hairs, and defines brows with a natural-looking tint," GH's beauty director says. And the formula is "completely foolproof," beauty editor Dori Price says. "It’s the easiest way to groom your brows in seconds and make them look fuller." Bonus: It comes in a huge range of 10 shades, from light blonde to gray and black.
Pros
- Waterproof and long-lasting
- Defines, shapes, and fills brows
- Boosts thickness
Cons
To fake full, well-shaped brows that stay put, look no further than L’Oréal Paris’s water-resistant tinted eyebrow gel, which is backed by the Good Housekeeping Seal. In a test of 100 women, 85% said their brows looked thicker and 93% said it wore well for a full day, GH Beauty Lab data evaluation found. It comes in five shades and includes a dual-sided application and blending brush.
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Pros
- Easy, precise application
- No sharpening needed
- Large shade range
- Spoolie blending brush included
This cult classic eyebrow pencil comes from the eyebrow queen, Anastasia Beverly Hills, who created the wax formula to mimic brow hairs (so it can work even if you have little to no eyebrows). "This is one product I cannot live without and I haven’t found a brow pencil that compares," says GH Beauty Lab chemist Danusia Wnek. "The formula has the right consistency that's not too hard, soft, or waxy and has a fine tip that doesn’t require sharpening." And that's not all: "It is insanely easy to use and there are so many colors so you can find what works best for you," she says. "Apply to eyebrows and brush out with the spoolie end for a natural look."
Pros
- Fills in and defines brows
- Tames and sets brow hairs
Cons
- Small shade range
Glossier's tinted eyebrow pomade can be dotted on sparse spots to fill them or swept through brows to add fullness all over. "This is my holy grail product – no other brow product that I’ve tried gives me the same results," raves GH beauty assistant Katie Berohn. "It's like no-makeup makeup: It just makes me look like I naturally have filled-in, defined brows."
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Pros
- Softer look
- Defines brows and fills in gaps
- Built-in applicator
Cons
- Doesn't tame or set brows
Not your average brow powder, this affordable CoverGirl formula glides onto arches with no separate applicator needed. "This defines brows but with a soft, diffused effect, rather than a harsh or overly heavy look," GH's beauty director says. Even better, it can also be used as eyeliner or shadow!
Pros
- Contains eight products and tools
- Shapes, tints, and sets brows
Cons
The ultimate eyebrow makeup multitasker, this Clarins kit contains everything you need to shape, tint, set, and highlight your brows, all in one portable compact. It houses brow powders in black, brown, and blonde to customize your shade, setting wax, and brow highlighter, plus applicator tools and mini tweezers. Bonus: The brow powders and highlighter double as eye shadows!
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Pros
- Comes in clear or tinted versions
- Tames, shapes, and sets brows
- Easy application
Cons
Brush Maybelline's bargain-priced clear brow gel through arches to tame, shape, and set hairs for a no-makeup look, or choose from one of seven tinted shades to help fill gaps and boost fullness. "The mascara-like wand couldn't be easier to use and really covers brows in a single swipe," GH's beauty director says.
Pros
- Waterproof formula
- Fine point for precise application
- Includes spoolie blending brush
Cons
- Doesn't tame brows or provide hold
You can even go swimming in Hourglass's eyebrow pencil without worry, thanks to its waterproof formula. "I love how thin it is, comfortable to hold, and easy to use," Wizemann notes. "The pencil is ultra-fine so I can achieve excellent precision with it and I like the color it delivers."
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Pros
- Very fine-point tip to draw realistic hairs
- Waterproof formula
Cons
- Takes practice and time to master
If your brows are so sparse they're barely there (or totally gone), this ultra-fine point tipped pen will be your new BFF. The micro point tip makes it easy to feign super realistic hair strokes and the waterproof formula stays put for totally believable and natural-looking brows through anything.
Pros
- Adds fullness to brows
- Shapes and tints
Cons
Like a styling mousse but for your eyebrows, Clinique's tinted formula boosts the body of your brows while lightly shaping. "This really does make brows look fuller, yet not like you're wearing an eyebrow product," GH's beauty director says.
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Pros
- Blends well
- Natural-looking results
- Includes spoolie brush for blending
Cons
- Doesn't tame or set brows
GH Beauty Lab experts love this classic-style L’Oréal Paris brow pencil for the effortless look it creates at a great value. "The shades match real eyebrow color well and look natural," Wizemann reports. "It blends nicely into brows and the pencil is very soft, so there are no noticeable lines."
Pros
- Precision tip
- Retractable pencil doesn't require sharpening
- Spoolie blending brush included
Cons
- Doesn't tame brows or provide hold
With its sleek look and super-slim tip, Dior's twist-up eyebrow pencil is a makeup artist and GH Beauty Lab expert go-to. "One of my favorites — it's very pigmented and the thin retractable pencil allows for fine application,” says GH Beauty Lab senior chemist Sabina Wizemann. “It glides well and disappears among the brow hairs, giving them a natural finish." Plus, “the brush spoolie on the other end is compact and dense, so it blends the pigment in one swoop,” she says.
April Franzino
Beauty Director
April (she/her) is the beauty director at Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Woman's Day, where she oversees all beauty content. She has over 15 years of experience under her belt, starting her career as an assistant beauty editor at GH in 2007, and working in the beauty departments of SELF and Fitness magazines.