The 5 Best Brow Gels to Whip Your Eyebrows Into Shape, According to Makeup Experts
It's amazing what a difference these tested picks make.
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Take it from the pros — brow gel is a must-have product for creating a snatched look, but also for low-key beauty days. “I find the product absolutely essential to a makeup brow routine or I’ll even use brow gel with a bare face. Most people’s eyebrows need to be brushed up and held in the desired shape,” says celebrity makeup artist Emily Gray. She notes that brow gel helps create a youthful snatched look that’s trending at the moment.
Best of all, brow gels are essential for everyone with brow hair. “Every brow shape, both full and sparse, needs to be shaped and held up. I do not think I know of anyone who just wakes up and has a perfect eyebrow!” She notes there are different kinds of brow gels that can help you achieve a certain look, but I’ll jump into that shortly. In the meantime, know that brow gels are a beauty workhorse that can enhance your natural beauty or transform you into someone else for an evening.
Best Brow Gels
- Best Overall: Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel
- Best Budget Buy: Catrice Clear & Fix Transparent Brow Gel Mascara
- Best For Sparse Eyebrows: Milk Makeup KUSH Fiber Eyebrow Gel
- Best New Release: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze Gel Clear
- Most Iconic Brow Gel: Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Eyebrow Gel
What to Consider
When shopping for a brow gel, Gray advises you to consider what kind of brows you want to create and if you are using any other products with the brow gel. Other determining factors include:
Pros and Cons of Clear and Tinted Brow Gels
There are two types of brow gels: clear and tinted. Gray, who works with Maren Morris, Lily Aldridge, and Kristin Cavallari, shares a quick overview of the benefits and limitations of each type.
Clear Brow Gels
- Pros: Everyone can use a clear brow gel. Since they’re typically the strongest formulas, they’re incredible for grooming thick, stubborn, brow hair. They’re also Gray’s go-to for glamorous looks because they’re more versatile than tinted brow gels.
- Cons: A clear brow gel will not fill in any sparse areas, nor is it going to tint your brows. Sometimes, clear brow gels can even leave behind a white cast if you use too much product.
Tinted Brow Gels
- Pros: “Tinted brow gels are great for those who love a low maintenance brow. It can be a one stop shop for brows,” says Gray. She notes tinted brow gels are also ideal for changing the color of your brows. For example, if a client wants a faux bleached brow look then Gray will use a blonde brow gel, such as the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel in the shade Blonde. Those looking to cover up gray or white brow hairs can also use tinted brow gels.
- Cons: As for the cons, tinted formulations are messier than their clear counterparts and you’ll likely need to clear up the eyebrow area after applying the spoolie through your brow hairs. Also, not every color is universally flattering, so it may take a little trial and error to determine which color suits your beauty vibe for the day best.
Your Natural Brow Shape and Thickness
Fiber-building tinted brow gels are ideal for someone who has sparse brows, while someone with full brows will prefer a clear, strong-hold brow gel.
Your Beauty Vibe
Gray likes using a tinted brow gel with some fiber-building for daily use to maintain her natural, low-maintenance brows. This method helps her fill in the sparse areas in the best and most natural-looking way possible.
She prefers a clear brow gel when she does a full glam look for her clients on the carpet. “I’m already applying other brow products such as brow pencil, pomade, or powder. Those kinds of products are already giving the brow structure and filling in any sparse areas, so I wouldn’t necessarily need a fiber-building or tinted brow gel,” she says.
Your Most Flattering Color
Are you keen on using tinted brow gels? When shopping for tinted brow gels, Gray advises choosing a color closest to your natural brow hair unless you want to try a darkened or lightened brow. Someone with black hair like myself, might prefer a dark brown because black can look harsh and make you angry even if you’re in the sunniest mood.
How We Chose
At Best Products, we're all about putting you onto the latest and greatest releases to bring you the best gift ideas for your loved one and yourself. For this story, I personally tested several brow gels but only fell in love with two products that happen to be from cult-favorite brands, Benefit and Anatasia Beverly Hills. Since Gray is such an incredibly knowledgeable source, I just had to ask her for a few recommendations. Her suggestions are functional for achieving various brow looks, like fuller and more hydrated brow hairs, with the help of a CBD-infused brow gel. Even better news for my fellow budget-friendly shoppers: our most affordable option is only $5, and Gray considers it a must-have for every single beauty she creates — talk about a seal of approval!
Nicole Saunders is the beauty editor at Best Products with over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content. She specializes in breaking down complicated topics, like high-frequency wands and microcurrent devices, into easy-to-understand guides. She takes great pride in heavily researching and testing featured beauty products, — such as hairdryers and foundations — on our site, and spotlights her all-time seasonal favorites in her quarterly column Best New Beauty. And she tests quite literally thousands of launches for our Beauty Awards package.
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