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The 15 Best Eyebrow Pencils for Flawless Brows Every Time

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Photo by Caroline Tompkins / Refinery29 for Getty Images/Getty Images

Beautiful natural brows will always be style—but that doesn't mean we don't like to experiment with our brow looks. We’ve experienced our fair share of eyebrow threading, waxing, tinting, and plucking, and gone through a myriad of brow styles—from precisely defined arches to full and uplifted laminated brows. Over the years, we’ve come to one conclusion: Whether you're a brow wiz or a beginner, a great eyebrow pencil is a daily must-have for any type of brow look. After all, eyebrow pencils are one of the best (and easiest) ways to define and shape your eyebrows, whether you want to create the appearance of full, thick brows or just make sure your natural brows get a subtle boost.

We’ve rounded up 15 of the best eyebrow pencils to use to fill in sparse spots, smooth out unruly hairs, and create beautiful brows every time—plus, some of these are Glam Bag favorites that Ipsters swear by. Continue reading to find your new holy grail brow product.

1. Best for All Brow Shades:

IT COSMETICS Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil

IT COSMETICS Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil

If you're after natural-looking, feathery brows, this is the pencil to use. This beginner-friendly pencil has a soft, oval tip that's perfect for quickly defining and shaping. Not sure what shade you are? Don't even worry about it. This pencil features a universal taupe shade that adjusts to the natural color of virtually every brow hair shade. The secret: The depth of the color changes based on how much pressure is applied. "I didn't think the shade would work for me seeing as I have very dark brown hair but it does," writes Ipster ashleigh086. "I love that the product isn't waxy and despite it not being a super-fine tip, it makes filling the brows very easy. Great product."

2. Best Foolproof Brow Pencil:

WANDER BEAUTY Frame Your Face Micro Brow Pencil

WANDER BEAUTY Frame Your Face Micro Brow Pencil

Are you a brow pencil newbie? Allow us to introduce you to our favorite two-in-one, goof-proof brow pencil. Perfect for building and shaping a face-framing arch, this pencil is smear-resistant, buildable, blendable, and oh-so-precise—no sharpener necessary. Made with an ultra-thin, ultra-long applicator, this eyebrow pencil features a super-fine tip on one end and a built-in spoolie brush on the other. Simply swipe your brow hair up with the spoolie, then use the pencil to create your most natural hair-like strokes ever. One Ipster raves, “Love how it comes with the spoolie. Great shade and looks natural, not too bold or drawn/painted on...like some brow products can look.” Ipster @m_hayden94 agrees writing, “One of my favorite new brow tools!"

3. Best for Blondes:

CHELLA Eyebrow Pencil with Spoolie

CHELLA Eyebrow Pencil with Spoolie

If you're a blonde beauty with naturally light eyebrow hairs, it can be hard to find an eyebrow pencil that softly blends in with your brows. This light brown shade works seamlessly on everyone from blondes to medium brunettes. "I was pleasantly surprised by the lighter color and how much more natural-looking my brows appeared compared to using darker and medium browns," writes Ipster Ipster tekkie3. “At first, I was hesitant to try a blonde shade thinking it wouldn’t provide enough definition and shape, but I was pleasantly proven wrong.”

4. Best for Thin Brows:

REALHER Eye Am Strong Brow Pencil

REALHER Eye Am Strong Brow Pencil

If you have fine hair or naturally thin brows, some pencils might create strokes that look thick and unnatural on you. The solution: This pencil with a micro-fine tip. The extremely precise pencil allows you to create fine strokes that mimic the look of your natural hairs exactly where you want them. Bonus: This pencil is also waterproof, so feel free to make a splash—they won’t smudge or fade!

"Love the shade, application, and long-wear of this brow pencil," one Ipster writes. "I don't have much experience with brows, but this product makes it easy and natural-looking."

5. Best Pomade Brow Pencil:

BILLION DOLLAR BROWS Universal Brow Pencil

BILLION DOLLAR BROWS Universal Brow Pencil

If you're searching for an eyebrow pencil that works with your skin tone and hair color, you’re in luck. This brow pencil is made from a pomade formula that's buildable and blends seamlessly with any skin tone, so you’ll have your perfect brow color every time. Use this pencil on an array of brow colors, from blonde to dark brown, and top with brow powder ultimate staying power. If you’re looking for a no-fuss brow pencil, this is the one you’ll reach for on repeat.

Ipster @mustloveducks writes, “Love it! Use it every day! Fills in my light brows nicely!" Ipster @aureliac adds, “I love the shade and the smoothness of the pencil.”

6. Best Multitasking Brow Pencil:

TRÈSTIQUE Brow Pencil

TRÈSTIQUE Brow Pencil

If you're all about functionality, give this two-in-one brow pencil a try. In one fell swoop, it can sculpt, shape, and define for swoon-worthy brows in a matter of minutes. On one end, you'll find a precise triangular tip pencil that helps you easily fill in and shape brows. On the other end, you’ll find the hidden tinted brow gel that can be used to set everything in place and create an illusion of fullness and depth.

"This replaced all of my other brow pencils and it will be hard to ever find another one better than this one," writes one Ipster. The color is perfect for my dark brown (almost black) hair and the color stays put until I wash it off!"

7. Best Longwear Brow Pencil:

BOBBI BROWN Perfectly Defined Long-Wear Brow Pencil

BOBBI BROWN Perfectly Defined Long-Wear Brow Pencil
Courtesy of BOBBI BROWN

This classic product is one of our favorite long-wearing brow pencils. The unique slanted tip helps you define your brows with ease and the waterproof, sweat-resistant formula is made with a luscious combo of waxes and emollients so it never feels heavy or dry on your brows. Use the flat side of the pencil to shape the beginning of your brow and the pointed tip to define your brow shape. The accompanying spoolie brush will help find sparse spots and brush everything into place.

8. Best for Soft, Natural Brows:

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Perfect Brow Pencil

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Perfect Brow Pencil
Courtesy of ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS

The old-school style of this classic wooden eyebrow pencil allows for subtle, soft, natural-looking brows. After applying the powder-like formula, flip this pencil around and diffuse those strokes with a custom spoolie. This easy-to-use pencil is perfect for no-makeup makeup looks; it will define and fill in your brows without having them take center stage.

9. Best for a Perfect Color Match:

FENTY BEAUTY Brow MVP Ultra Fine Brow Pencil

FENTY BEAUTY Brow MVP Ultra Fine Brow Pencil
Courtesy of FENTY BEAUTY

This ultra-fine pencil from Rihanna's beauty brand comes in 14 (!!!) different shades. There's a shade here to match not only your hair color but its undertone as well. There are even options for often overlooked hair colors like red and strawberry blonde. The longwear formula is smudge-resistant, super creamy, and comes with a unique paddle styling brush so that you can effortlessly define and shape.

10. Best for Defined Brows:

HOURGLASS COSMETICS Arch™ Brow Sculpting Pencil

HOURGLASS COSMETICS Arch™ Brow Sculpting Pencil
Courtesy of HOURGLASS COSMETICS

If you like a sharper brow with crisp lines, try this sculpting brow pencil for clean, defined arches. This twist-up pencil has a triangular shape that allows you to create a couple of different techniques to craft pristine brows: Use the flat edge of the pencil to sculpt with longer outline lines and use the pointed tip to create fine lines and fill in any sparse spots.

11. Best Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil:

SMASHBOX Brow Tech To Go

SMASHBOX Brow Tech To Go
Courtesy of SMASHBOX

Need a pencil that will hold strong no matter what you throw at it? This waterproof eyebrow pencil can stand up against sweat, humidity, and even a mid-day swim. Use the pencil side to fill in and shape, then flip it over to lock everything in place with a quick swipe of clear gel. This vegan formula is also one you can feel good about wearing for hours on end. It's formulated without parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, phthalates, silicone, fragrance, or talc.

12. Best Eyebrow Pencil for Brows That Look Microbladed:

URBAN DECAY Brow Blade Ink Stain + Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil

URBAN DECAY Brow Blade Ink Stain + Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil
Courtesy of URBAN DECAY

Love the look of microbladed brows but scared of the commitment? This innovative brow product offers a smart solution. The double-ended pencil features an ink stain and a waterproof brow pencil to create brows that look microbladed without the need for needles. Start by using the pencil side to shape, shade, and fill in any sparse areas. Then, use the staining pen to create long-lasting, hair-like strokes for added depth and dimension.

13. Best for Contoured Brows:

BENEFIT Brow Contour Pro 4-in-1 Defining & Highlighting Brow Pencil

BENEFIT Brow Contour Pro 4-in-1 Defining & Highlighting Brow Pencil
Courtesy of BENEFIT

Remember those clicky pens that contained every color of the rainbow? Think of this brow pencil as the beauty version of that. The 4-in-1 brow pencil contains everything you need to create highly defined, contoured brows. Use the lighter shade on the inner half of your brow, then blend in the darker shader toward the tail to create a smooth, gradient effect. After you've filled in your brows, click over to the edge-definer (essentially a super-thin matte concealer) to create a super-defined line under them. Finally, use the highlighter under arches to emphasize lift and make your eye area look bigger and brighter.

14. Best for Makeup Minimalist:

GLOSSIER Brow Flick

GLOSSIER Brow Flick
Courtesy of GLOSSIER

The BENEFIT Brow Contour pencil is admittedly best for someone who loves to spend a fair amount of time carving out a sharp, defined eyebrow. If you're more of a five-minute makeup type of person, you'll love the ease and convenience of this eyebrow pen from GLOSSIER. The fine-tipped pen creates light, feathery strokes that look deceptively like real brow hairs. Use it to quickly define your arches, fill in sparse spots, and add depth. While this formula doesn't have the hold of some wax-based pencils on this list, it is smudge-resistant and long-wearing. If you're looking for a little bit of lift, try pairing this with the iconic eyebrow gel GLOSSIER Boy Brow.

15. Best for Filling in Sparse Areas:

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Brow Wiz®

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Brow Wiz®
Courtesy of ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS

Here's another go-to from the beauty brand that specializes in making top-notch brow products. This retractable brow pencil is super slim to give you maximum control when outlining and detailing brows. It's perfect for delicately filling in sparse areas, too. The formula is a mix of pigment and wax so that it both provides color and natural-looking texture. If you're after those bushy, full brows that makeup artists are totally digging right now, this product will definitely get you there.

Want to discover all the best brow products? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started. Already an Ipster? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.

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About the author
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Cortney Clift
Cortney is a New York-based freelance writer who has written about beauty and wellness for more than six years. She was previously the senior writer and special projects editor at Brit + Co where she covered a wide range of news and lifestyle topics.
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Article Last Updated April 16, 2021 12:00 AM