These are the best products for defined brows (2024)

These are the best products for defined brows (1)

Every so often, a new brow trend takes the world by storm – from the barely-there brows of the noughties (that are trying ever so hard to make a comeback) to the extra-fluffy laminated brows of the past few years, and even a recent bout of brow bleaching.

We know from past mistakes (hello, over-plucking) that the aftershock of such fads can be long-lasting. So, if you’re looking to fill in the gaps of a beauty blunder gone by, trying to bolster a thinning arch, or simply keen to cultivate a killer set, a good eyebrow pencil or gel is a makeup bag essential.

With the help of our panel of testers, the Good Housekeeping Institute set out to find the best gels and pencils to help define your brows. Read on for our detailed reviews but if you’re in a hurry for brow-perfection, here a quick list of our winners:

The best eyebrow gels and pencils

How do I use a brow gel?

Brow gels are a great option for creating a natural, fluffy look. You can choose between a tinted or clear gel, but both can create a thickening effect, as well as helping to tint and tame.

To help you get the most out of your gel, we asked beauty editor Lynne Hyland, who has two decades of experience in testing and reviewing the top products, to share some insider tips for application.

“Brow gels work brilliantly for both adding fullness and keeping hairs in place,” she explains. “Use a spoolie brush and start at the front of the brow, working your way down toward the end. Play around with the style of brow you like best. Setting the hairs slightly upward helps to fill empty space and gives the eyes a more lifted look.”

How do I use a brow pencil?

“A brow pencil is particularly great for sparser eyebrows, and for those who would like to fill in any gaps,” says Lynne.

“Pencils that have a micro-fine nib, like our winner, work best for this. Identify any areas in the brow that require a little more definition (usually the arch or the tail), and, using a light hand, apply gentle, upward strokes. It mimics individual hairs and is the most natural-looking way to create an illusion of fullness.” says Lynne.

How we test brow gels and brow pencils

The GHI recruited a panel of at-home testers to try out a range of market-leading brow gels and eyebrow pencils, and give their honest feedback.

Each tester reported back on a range of factors, including ease of application, blendability, how comfortable the product was to use, how long it lasted, the colour pay-off and the general look and feel. In the lab, we conducted tests to assess each product’s resistance to smudging.

These are our top-rated buys for your brows.

Best brow gels

These are the best products for defined brows (11)

Joint best brow gel

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze Sculpting Wax

These are the best products for defined brows (12)

These are the best products for defined brows (13)

Score: 89/100

This clear gel impressed our testers with its ability to define and hold brows in place all day long. Differing slightly from your typical brow gel (which usually comes in a tube with a spoolie applicator), this one comes in a pot.

Simply dip a spoolie brush into the gel and apply in upward strokes to feather out the brow. Note that you will need to buy a brush separately – the brand recommends its Brush 12.

All our panellists agreed that it was easy to use and were impressed with the extreme-hold formula. In fact, one self-proclaimed “Benefit brow girl” among our testers said the glue-like hold may have convinced her to switch...

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Joint best brow gel

Refy Brow Sculpt

These are the best products for defined brows (14)

These are the best products for defined brows (15)

Score: 89/100

This product tames brows with a triple-pronged approach: an applicator spoolie, a fine comb and thick, fluffy brush tucked away in the lid.

The thin comb-like brush helps achieve a natural looking brow, or you can use the thicker option for a bolder, more defined look. Testers praised the multitasking design, saying it made application easier, as well as helping them achieve their desired look.

Best brow gel for easy application

UK Lash Brow Gel Sculpt

These are the best products for defined brows (16)

These are the best products for defined brows (17)

Score: 88/100

Once you’ve achieved gorgeous brows using UK Lash’s famous serum, you use the brand’s clear gel to hold them in place all day.

It’s a medium hold option, which is great for flexibility, and means no restrictions on the frowning front. Yet all our testers still found the product long-wearing, with one telling us it was the most effective brow gel they’d ever used.

The dual-ended applicator was also a hit with our panel, with one commenting on how it made doing their eyebrows “a whole lot easier.” And don’t panic – although the product dispensed is initially white, it dries down clear.

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Best anti-flaking gel

ILIA In Frame Brow Gel

These are the best products for defined brows (18)

These are the best products for defined brows (19)

Score: 84/100

Like the UK Lash option above, this clear gel offers medium hold that isn’t too firm but claims to set brows for up to eight hours. The formula was also developed with anti-flaking properties, so you can say goodbye to bitty brows, with our testers saying it didn’t leave any “dry and crunchy” residue like some other gels they’d tried.

The extra-strong hold did mean it was a little difficult to remove for some, but this could be eased by the help of a cleansing balm

Best brow pencils

These are the best products for defined brows (20)

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Best brow pencil

Benefit Precisely My Brow

These are the best products for defined brows (21)

These are the best products for defined brows (22)

Score: 92/100

Our winning eyebrow pencil takes precision seriously (as the name suggests). The pencil’s fine tip means you can fill in thinner areas by drawing with small, hair-like strokes for a natural finish. The super creamy formula also means you don’t need to go to heavy on application, which our panel said added to the ease of use.

The pencil has a spoolie end, which is handy for achieving a softened, more natural look. It can also be used to brush brows into place and fill in any sparser areas before gel application.

Best felt-tip eyebrow pencil

Soap & Glory Archery Brow Tint & Pencil

These are the best products for defined brows (23)

These are the best products for defined brows (24)

Now 33% Off

Score: 90/100

This product combines an eyebrow pencil and a felt tip-like tinted end. Use the latter to fill in gaps with small, fine strokes, before adding shape with the pencil end. All our testers liked this dual design, with many praising the high-quality feel, too.

It helped our panel achieve their desired definition, which also lasted all day. Many praised the colour matching of the four shades available as well – choose from blonde, brown, dark brown and black brown. One tester liked that the blonde pencil wasn’t ginger, which they said was a common flaw in other pencils, while another said it was an “excellent colour match” that lasted all day.

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Best brow pen

ICONIC London Triple Precision Brow Definer

These are the best products for defined brows (25)

These are the best products for defined brows (26)

Now 10% Off

Score: 83/100

This ICONIC brow definer provides the holy trinity of tools: a felt-tip pen, a pencil and a spoolie.

The all-in-one option went down well with our testers, with the majority agreeing it helped them achieve a natural, fluffed up brow, which they were then able to further define if they wanted to.

One tester said the brow pen was “one of the best products” they’d used.

Best for a natural look

No7 Eyebrow Microfilling Pen

These are the best products for defined brows (27)

These are the best products for defined brows (28)

Pros
  • These are the best products for defined brows (29)
Cons

    Score: 74/100

    With the help of a fine, four-pronged angled tip, this pen delivers natural-looking hair-like strokes for a fuller brow, creating a subtle microblading effect that will have your friends asking which salon you went to.

    The thin strokes stayed in place for our testers all day, with the majority agreeing it was smudge-proof and one person praising the “fantastic definition”.

    This pen is good for filling in thinning areas of the brow, but it's also a great option for those with no eyebrows due to its natural-looking finish. However, some testers did note that it dried very quickly, which made it tricky to smudge out any mistakes.

    These are the best products for defined brows (30)

    Tested byDenny Daily

    Beauty and Grooming Tester

    Denny is our Beauty and Grooming Tester and has an in-depth knowledge and background in beauty and PR. She has spoken on panels with Cosmetics Executive Women (CEW) and has worked with many beauty brands as a commercial model. Since joining in October 2022, she has worked on numerous testing categories including over 18 different brands for vitamin C serums, scalp scrubs, shampoos for dry hair and many more. She has over 20k followers on TikTok where she shares beauty and fashion tips otherwise better known as Denny Daily.

    These are the best products for defined brows (2024)

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