Do you - or did you - suffer from eyebrow blindness? I'm sure I have done in the past, until I discovered the best eyebrow pencils to make my brows fuller, and natural-looking, without looking too OTT. It's not been an easy feat to find the perfect eyebrow pencil for my eyebrows, in both pencil shape and colour, but I've done it. As has some of the HELLO! team, who I polled to ask what their favourite eyebrow pencil is.
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There's so many eyebrow makeup products available these days, it can be hard to know where to start. Brow gels, powders, pomades - they've all got their place, but for many of us - including me - it all starts with an eyebrow pencil. And as everyone knows, eyebrows should be sisters, not twins, and getting to grips with how to apply eyebrow pencil can take time and patience. Whether you've had your brows laminated, microbladed, or left au naturel, an eyebrow pencil is an essential part of your makeup kit because we all know they can do with a little help at times.
I use my eyebrow pencil to fill in the gaps from an over-enthusiastic eyebrow threader, who years ago over-threaded the arches of mine. Others might use an eyebrow pencil for darkening brows, thickening out thin brows or simply to add a little definition.
As someone who has written about beauty products for years, I know that makeup is personal and I've called in the help of the HELLO! Shopping Team to test out some of the top-rated eyebrow pencils available, to help you find your perfect one, plus celebrity makeup artist Olivia Todd for her expertise.
Experts in this article
Olivia Todd: International makeup artist Olivia Todd is renowned for her classic, clean girl makeup aesthetic, with an onus on highlighting her client's eyes, cheekbones and lips. Her clients include celebrities and reality stars, plus TV and commercial brands. Olivia also specialises in luxury bridal makeup, creating the most naturally stunning looks on brides for their big day.
What colour eyebrow pencil should I use?
"When it comes to choosing the right brow pencil shade, I always suggest staying within two shades of your hair colour," says Olivia. "It doesn't always have to be the exact shade, but a shade or two lighter or darker will always look the most natural."
How I chose the best eyebrow pencils
- Personal reviews: The eyebrow pencils featured have all been tested by me and the HELLO! team. If we haven't personally tried it, I've only included those with five-star reviews.
- Price: I'm here to prove that price doesn't always equal the best beauty product. Yes, this edit includes some higher end brands and products, but you'll find plenty of drugstore options in there too.
- Variety: There are many different types of eyebrow pencils, from angled to those with a brush, natural-finish, and pen-like too. I've included many different varieties so you'll find the eyebrow makeup you're looking for.
The best brow pencils to shop
1/12
MAC Eyebrow Styler Eyebrow Pencil
Why We Love It:
- 11 shades
- Smudge-proof
- Buildable
- Water-resistant
A constant bestseller, this MAC eyebrow pencil is one of those that everyone needs in their makeup bag - its great for defining brows, creating the illusion of thicker eyebrows and filling in those gaps.
There's 11 shades available, spanning light blonde to dark brown, and comes with its own spoolie.
2/12
Laura Mercier Eye Brow Pencil
Why We Love It:
- Six shades
- Wax-powder texture
- Dual-ended
- Comes with sharpener and built-in spoolie
- Good for sparse brows
HELLO! Tried & Tested
"This is my go-to, the fallback eyebrow pencil I return to again and again. It's a true pencil (so needs to be sharpened) but super lightweight - the almost waxy, powdery texture is unlike others I've tried and great for building coverage. I use the built-in spoolie after pencil to run through the colour, which fades a little to leave a really natural finish."
Carla Challis, Commerce Partnerships Editor
3/12
Charlotte Tilbury Brow Lift
Why We Love It:
- Eight shades
- Waterproof
- Pure pigments
- Easy to use
- Refillable
- Good for making brows appear thicker
Charlotte Tilbury's Brow Lift eyebrow pencil is has an expertly angled tip, for easy application, and comes in eight flattering shades to suit all skin tones.
Smudge-proof and water resistant, it's said to not budge for 16 hours.
4/12
NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil
Why We Love It:
- 12 shades, including grey
- Natural-looking finish
- Great for "no makeup makeup" looks
- Thin, crayon like pencil
HELLO Tried & Tested
"I've been using the NYX Professional Eyebrow Pencil for years and it's my absolute go-to. It has a spoolie brush on one side and the crayon-style pencil on the other, which winds down so there's no need for sharpening. The pencil is super thin so you can create a really precise shape, and I love that any sharp lines can be softened out with the shaping brush. I don't like my brows looking too harsh, and the NYX pencil gives such a natural finish that can be built on for a more dramatic look."
Sophie Bates, Commerce Writer
5/12
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz®
Why We Love It:
- 12 shades
- Ultra-slim
- Retractable pencil
- Highly pigmented
- Loved by celebrities including JLo
Anastasia Beverly Hills is known as the queen of brows, having started her makeup line only focusing on brows. Her celebrity clients reads like a who's who, including Jennifer Lopez who apparently uses the Brow Wiz pencil for her natural, groomed brows.
6/12
Refy Brow Pencil
Why We Love It:
- Three shades
- Highly pigmented
- Ultra-fine tip
- Great for creating fluffy brows
HELLO Tried & Tested
"As a girl who was content using brown eyeshadow and an eyeliner brush to get her fluffy brows for more than five years, it was going to take something pretty special to replace my habitual brow routine. REFY's brow pencil is so pigmented, it only takes a few ultra-light strokes to build up volume in my brows, and the fine tip allows for a precision no eyeshadow brush could ever offer me. The formula is creamy, weightless and stays on all day. I usually finish my brow routine with REFY's brow sculpt to hold them in place. With this combo of products, my brows are bulletproof."
Georgia Brown, Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
7/12
e.l.f. Instant Lift Waterproof Brow Pencil
Why We Love It:
- Six shades
- Waterproof
- Precision tip
- Dual-ended with spoolie
Designed for precision application, e.l.f's eyebrow pencil delivers a rich colour on a precision tip, so you can make even the smallest of hair-like strokes to fill in your brows. Great for those on a budget.
8/12
Merit Brow 1990
Why We Love It:
- Four shades
- Microfine gel pencil
- Rich in ingredients to soften and condition brow hair
HELLO! Tried & Tested
"Some eyebrow pencils can feel pretty stiff and the nib can be a bit severe, which is why I'm really enjoying Merit's Brow 1990. The pencil itself is so soft, but you can still get really precise strokes on application. The tip is ultra fine; in fact it's one of the thinnest you can buy right now and great for getting your brows looking tip top when you're in a rush." Laura Sutcliffe, Fashion and Beauty News Editor
9/12
benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Eyebrow Pencil
Why We Love It:
- 12 shades
- Fibre-infused
- Natural finish
Thick, Cara Delevingne-style brows your goal? benefit's Volumizing eyebrow pencil is raved by reviewers for helping to achieve that. The pencil is fibre-infused, for even more natural looking strokes, and the 12 shades available make it a great buy for those struggling to find the right eyebrow pencil shade - benefit's brow pencil should have one for you.
10/12
Victoria Beckham BabyBlade Eyebrow Pencil
Why We Love It:
- Six shades
- Microfine pencil
- Natural finish
- Draws fine strokes
HELLO Tried & Tested
"I'm totally obsessed with the BabyBlade by Victoria Beckham Beauty. The nib is super soft so it's so easy to lightly define brows. It's almost impossible to be heavy handed or make a mistake. Once I've applied it, I don't have to worry about touch-ups as it just stays on all day. Plus, I'm a sucker for elite packaging and I really love the luxurious white finish of the tube. Totally chic." Laura Sutcliffe, Fashion & Beauty News Editor
11/12
Blink Brow Bar London Eyebrow Pencil
Why We Love It:
- Seven shades
- Soft finish
- Dual-ended with kabuki blender brush
HELLO Tried & Tested
"I've been visiting Blink Brow Bar for years for my eyebrow threading - I won't go anywhere else. My therapist used their eyebrow pencil on me post-threading, and I immediately bought one! The pencil itself has a triangular shaped nib, so I can choose whether to use a thinner or wider stroke depending on my brow needs and the added kabuki brush is a gamechanger. I run it through my brows after pencilling them, and it almost blurs the pencil to look incredibly natural. It also lasted for ages, who doesn't love that?" Carla Challis, Commerce Partnership Editor
12/12
Jones Road The Eyebrow Pencil
Why We Love It:
- Six shades, including grey
- Clean/cruelty free
- Long-lasting
Jones Road's eyebrow pencil not only looks like a great all-rounder, but they've introduced a new shade to the family, Grey. The cool grey brown colour is designed to compliment eyebrows, rather than trying to cover with a darker tone.
A smooth, controllable pencil designed to add dimension and fullness.
How to use an eyebrow pencil - expert tips
Olivia recommends: "Apply in the same direction your brow hairs grow to mimic more hair and create the impression of fuller brows.
"Each brush stroke counts and could be a game-changer to creating your dream brow look and so a waterproof, or wax-proof formula, is ideal as you know it won't budge all day once applied. It is also crucial that your brow pencil has a soft and creamy formula, not too hard. This allows you to brush through and blend the brows evenly without tugging on your brow hairs."
She adds: "I always suggest finding an eyebrow pencil that is narrow and slanted for precision. This shape allows the pencil to glide seamlessly through any gaps in your eyebrows to create a natural-looking, yet fuller finish."
What are the different types of eyebrow pencils?
There's a number of types of eyebrow pencil, ranging from the size and shape of the nib to pomade eyebrow pencils, crayon-wax pencils and those that give a fibre-like finish. Many come dual-ended, with a brush or spoolie, and many are designed for application on the go with retractable elements.
