If you want to add a little shape and definition to your brows, just grab a trusty eyebrow pencil. These beauty products come in handy for filling in sparse sections of your brow to create an even and flawless appearance. Depending on how you use it, an eyebrow pencil can also draw attention to your eyes and frame out your face. Whether you like a natural or more dramatic look, one of the best eyebrow pencils is an essential item for your makeup bag.
Eyebrow pencils are versatile tools designed to enhance and define the natural shape of one’s eyebrows. They come in various shades, allowing individuals to match or slightly darken their brow color for a more polished appearance. These pencils are typically formulated with a smooth and blendable texture, making it easy to create precise strokes that mimic the look of real brow hairs. With their fine tips, eyebrow pencils enable precise application, allowing for both subtle enhancements and bold, sculpted brows. Whether filling in sparse areas, reshaping the arch, or adding depth and dimension, eyebrow pencils offer a quick and effective way to achieve well-groomed, expressive eyebrows that beautifully frame the eyes.
When you look in the mirror, do you like what you see? Results from a study by researchers at Osaka University shows that the image of one’s face — even subconsciously — can activate reward pathways in the brain. It uncovers new understanding about how our brain enables us to distinguish our own face from those of others, even when the information is presented subliminally. In the study, a central element of the dopamine reward pathway in the brain was activated when study participants were subliminally shown images of their face. They say their findings provide new clues regarding the underlying processes of the brain involved in self-facial recognition.
StudyFinds wants to help you put your best face forward. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the five best eyebrow pencils from ten expert websites to add to your makeup routine. As always, we’d like to see your own recommendations in the comments below!
The List: Best Eyebrow Pencils, According to Reviews
1. NYX Cosmetics
Cosmopolitan highlights NYX’s Micro Brow Pencil, noting “the ultra-fine point pencil means you can easily draw on individual hairs to give the appearance of a thicker, fuller arch. Plus it’s great if you have fine brows and need precision when it comes to filling in sparse spots.”
If you are concerned about matching your brow shade while volumizing, don’t be. “Available in 6 matte shades, this NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil provides a highly pigmented finish as well as a smooth, waxy texture. Perfect for building controllable volume,” adds Glamour.
Beautyheaven points out NYX’s Precision Brow Pencil, “comes with a flat tip to outline eyebrow arches and to create depth with hair-like strokes. While the spoolie blends and softens, marrying your real eyebrows with the pencil.”
2. Maybelline
Maybelline has been a trusted makeup brand for over a century. So, it’s not surprising to hear good reviews on its eyebrow pencils. Stylecraze calls Maybelline’s Total Temptation Eyebrow Definer Pencil ‘Best Overall’, adding its “spoolie brush, along with a teardrop tip pencil, helps blend properly and offers a softly defined, natural-looking brow. The pencil is available in four different shades designed explicitly for pure indulgence.”
Available in various hues, the brand’s brow pencils are affordable and in stock at most drug stores. Oprah Daily suggests Maybelline’s Brow Ultra Slim Defining Eyebrow Pencil’s “ultra-smooth and break resistant formula ensures it will glide right on and stay put no matter what your day has in store.”
However, there’s a potential drawback to the Ultra Slim. The Independent notes, “although we do really like this pencil, we’ve had to drop a couple of points for the fact it only caters to brunettes – if you’re a blonde or redhead, this one won’t be for you.”
3. e.l.f. Cosmetics
The Aesthetic Edge heaps high praise on this brand’s Instant Lift Brow Pencil, adding, “the size of the tip is perfect! While it is too thick to be called mini or micro, it is still small enough to get a perfect fill and hair-like strokes, all while staying ‘in the lines’ and keeping your look clean. Really, the size helps you get the job done faster than with a micro pencil.”
“A creamy formula makes the e.l.f. Cosmetics Instant Lift Brow Pencil a dream to apply and blend, and brushing up your brows or softening the look is easy since this pencil comes with a spoolie on its end. Despite its creamy texture, it’s smudge-proof, and it has some nourishing benefits as well. It contains grapeseed oil and vitamin E to help to condition eyebrows,” notes Glam.
Coming in multiple shades, this brow pencil is also a wallet-friendly option. Although The Independent points out, “we noticed a tiny bit of smudging after we’d been to the gym. But for such a low price, we’ll forgive.”
4. Charlotte Tilbury
After a more natural brow look? Then check out this brand’s eyebrow pencils. “If you like a wider-tip pencil to create full, fluffy brows à la Cara Delevingne, this refillable pencil expertly fills in, shapes, and defines with a cream-wax formulation that glides on skin,” suggests Oprah Daily of Charlotte Tilbury Brow Lift. They gave it the ‘Best Refillable Brow Pencil’ crown.
Another popular refillable is Charlotte Tilbury’s Brow Cheat, which comes in multiple colors. “Light brown, ash brown, dark brown, medium brown, auburn, taupe… This refillable eyebrow pencil from Charlotte Tilbury will suit virtually any brow hairs. Made with vitamin E and carnauba wax,” according to Glamour.
Brow Cheat is also great for thinner brows. “The pointed, slightly angled tip made it easy to draw on the tiniest hairs, and the small spoolie allowed us to smooth everything out afterwards. The end result had a similar effect to microblading — at a fraction of the cost,” notes InStyle.
However, some reviewers did mention the tip can sometimes fall out of the pencil.
5. Anastasia Beverly Hills
Rounding out our top five, is the crowd-pleasing Brow Wiz Ultra-Slim Precision Brow Pencil from Anastasia Beverly Hills. “It has a fine tip that makes it easy to fill in sparse areas and it glides on smoothly—no skipping or tugging,” according to Essence Magazine.
“This pencil tames brows that are over-tweezed and way too sparse. The smudge-proof formula is guaranteed to blow your mind. You can also choose your color from its range of 10 shades,” adds Stylecraze.
InStyle highlights Anastasia’s Brow Definer, noting “while not as thin as the Brow Wiz, we found that the slanted triangular tip of this pencil was extremely versatile. Beyond seamlessly drawing on soft, hairlike strokes, we were also able to use this to shade in sparse areas of our brows with minimal effort. Because of the duality, we consider this pencil ideal for all types of brows, including thin and patchy arches.”
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Sources:
- Cosmopolitan
- Glamour
- Beautyheaven
- Stylecraze
- Oprah Daily
- The Independent
- The Aesthetic Edge
- Glam
- InStyle
- Essence Magazine
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This post may contain affiliate links.