The 8 Best Brow Pomades to Use for Any Type of Brow Look

When it comes time to do your eyebrows, there are plenty of brow products you might choose to use. So many, in fact, that it can be hard to figure out which one will work best for you. Should you sculpt Insta-worthy brows using a cult classic brow gel like GLOSSIER's Boy Brow? Or keep it simple with a tinted brow pencil? Both are solid options, but it turns out there is a third choice that can actually do the work of multiple brow products combined. Say hello to brow pomade.

But first, what is brow pomade? 

"A [brow] pomade can create looks normally best created using two or three products at a time," says makeup artist and brow expert Maribeth Madron. "For example, you would normally create structure with a pencil, add a brow powder for color and staying power, then finish with gel for hold and to enhance hair texture. A pomade can do all of this on its own."

Another benefit? Pomades are also often waterproof and smudge-proof making them great for warmer weather or active days. According to Madron, pomades tend to be a great choice for almost everyone. However, she does say those with very fine textured brows may have some trouble with this brow product. "Pomade can be a bit heavy on fine brows and can make it hard to create a natural look," she says.

How do you apply brow pomade?

When applying a brow pomade, Madron says you'll need an angled brush with synthetic bristles. You'll also want to grab a spoolie to blend and a cotton swab dipped in micellar water to easily clean up any mistakes. After dipping the brush in the pomade, Madron recommends tapping it on the back of your hand to desaturate the brush slightly so that the pomade creates a natural look when applied. When sculpting your brows, Madron suggests keeping a neutral expression. "Raising your brows will create a rounded, mature look," she says. 

Rather than applying from the inner edge to the tail, Madron says, "Begin in the center of the brow where brows are naturally more full and use upward, outward strokes with light pressure in the direction of brow growth. Blend with a spoolie to soften the edges and clean up with a cotton swab before the pomade dries."

Ready to find the best brow pomade for you? Discover eight of our favorite formulas below. 

1. Best Eyebrow Pomade for Any Type of Brow Look:

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS DipBrow® Pomade

There are few brow pomades more famous than this one. This award-winning brow product is beloved by beauty buffs and makeup artists alike for its highly pigmented, totally waterproof formula (absolutely no budging or smudging here). It's also super versatile. Use it to create bold, statement-making brows, or use just a touch to subtly define your brow's natural shape.

2. Best Longwear Brow Pomade:

TARTE Frameworker™ Brow Pomade

This pomade offers the best of both worlds: It's packed with nourishing ingredients and it's designed to last for up to a full 24 hours. The highly pigmented, super creamy formula is made with vitamin E and babassu oil to gently condition your brow hair while you wear it. Amazonian clay is also infused into the formula to control oil around the hair follicle so that the pigment stays firmly in place.

3. Most Versatile Brow Pomade:

KVD VEGAN BEAUTY Super Pomade

KVD refers to this do-it-all makeup product as a "one-pot wonder"—and for good reason. The pigmented pomade can be used as a brow product, an eyeliner, or an eye shadow. The pigment is deposited in a base of kaolin mineral clay to give it a smooth, creamy texture and ultra-long-wearing benefits. It also comes in 17 different colors so you can find an exact match for your hair color (and even your hair color's undertone).

4. Easiest to Use:

BENEFIT COSMETICS Ka-BROW! Eyebrow Cream-Gel Color

If you're put off by the idea of having to dig up an angled brush every time you use a brow pomade, try this brow gel-pomade hybrid from BENEFIT which has a hard-angled brush built into the packaging. The formula features buildable color, so it's also a good choice if you've found that other pomades deliver a bit too much pigment in a single flick.

5. Best for Bold Brows:

FULL BROW COSMETICS Brow Clay

If you love dark, bold, Cara Delevingne-type brows, try this brow pomade from FULL BROW COSMETICS. The highly pigmented formula has a huge color payoff to create bold brows in a fraction of the time—no need to build color here. Soft, natural-looking brows, this pomade does not make. However, if a dramatic brow look is what you're looking for, this pomade makes it oh-so-easy.

6. Best for Creating Lift:

SURRATT BEAUTY Expressioniste Brow Pomade

Love the look of laminated brows? Get a similar effect with this flexible, matte eyebrow pomade. The secret is in the applicator: a brush with two rows of bristles that evenly apply pigment while also adding lift to each and every brow hair for sky-high arches. The longwear formula keeps brows looking lifted all day without ever leaving them feeling crunchy or stiff.

7. Best for Sparse Brows:

MILANI Stay Put® Brow Pomade Pencil

Is it a brow pencil or a pomade? It's a bit of both. This hybrid brow product offers the longwear abilities of a pomade and the control of a pencil. Use the fine point of the eyebrow pencil to delicately fill in any over-plucked or sparse areas with hair-like strokes. Then, flip it around and use the spoolie side to subtly blend the pigment for full, natural-looking brows.

8. Best for Shaping Brows:

IT COSMETICS Brow Power Filler Eyebrow Gel

If your brow hairs tend to go every which way, this pomade-gel formula will get them to align once and for all thanks to an innovative brow brush that features molded bristles (which essentially make this brush look like a teeny-tiny paddle brush). When the bristles are dipped in the pigment, they'll instantly fill, fluff, lift, tint, and set your brows for up to 16 hours of wear. The color in this formula is also buildable–apply one quick coat for a natural look or a few more for bold, Insta-worthy brows.

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