Hello, friends! Is anyone actually up and about, and raring to go after that lovely long weekend we had here in Malaysia? LOL Well, even if you aren’t, there’s the coming long Christmas weekend to look forward to next week!
I was messing about during the weekend (as you do), and I had a thought – What is your preferred product to use when doing your brows?
You know me – things like this make me curious, because there are so many brow products out there! There are pencils that you sharpen, retractable pencils, angled pencils, brow mascara, brow pomade…. I honestly never thought there were that many!
I’ve been experimenting with the famed Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade recently, and I’ll share my thoughts on it, alongside telling you if it’s my favourite brow product … and if it isn’t, what is 🙂 Naturally, I’m curious what’s your pick!
Here are the brow products I’ve tried and what I think of them 🙂
Brow Pencils
I only really “got” doing my brows when I tried the Shu Uemura Hard Pencil 9. It’s so good, it’s appeared on my blog twice! Few products I’ve used share that honour. It was my go-to for years on end. At least 7 of my blogging years, till I got fed up LOL!
Oh yes, I got fed up with having to take my pencils to the store/counter to have it sharpened into the sword (angled) shape (it’s a service Shu Uemura offers) and I really got fed up with the crappy service and lip I was getting from counter staff. So, when my pencil got too short to use, I ditched it and strayed. It still is a very good pencil, and far more affordable than other types of brow products I’ve used, because it can last a long long time.
TIP: The Shu Uemura Hard Pencil 9 doesn’t give off a lot of colour nor mark skin, so it’s a good starter brow product, and you’d be able to practice getting your brows right before trying something stronger
Retractable Brow Pencils – Angled
The next product I tried and loved was the Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting pencil. SO GOOD! I actually declared it my Holy Grail. I loved it and I still do. It had all the convenience of a thickish, angled brow pencil, in a handy retractable mechanism that did away with all the faff and inconvenience of getting it sharpened. I loved it and it’s one of the few makeup products I actually used up to the very last itty-bitty bit before reluctantly tossing it into the bin.
I then moved on to the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Brow Pencil, which was quite similar to the Hourglass in construction. The difference was that I found the Bobbi Brown pencil a little softer in texture, and the deeper colour made my brows look more prominent. Good, if you like prominent brows. Bad, if you aren’t very good at doing your brows. But it stays put for hours, and I like that very much. Price-wise, it’s not very disparate from the Hourglass one. Both are expensive.
I’m most recently using the Burberry Brow Pencil, which is very reminiscent of the Hourglass and Bobbi Brown one. I took a while deciding if I liked it and I decided I am not as sold on it as I should be. The texture is a little hard, and the colour doesn’t come off on hair or skin easily. This is a good thing, if you’re still new to drawing in your brows. It’s a bad thing if you’re in a hurry and want to get the job done quickly. I also noticed that it fades very quickly. Usually by afternoon, my brows would be very faded. If I happen to rub at them, they rub off. So, I’m not a fan of that.
ZA Ever brow pencil is a very affordable budget pick that does the job as well as it should. I haven’t used it since I finished mine, but if you’re on a budget, I think it’s a good option. I went through a few (but I don’t know if it’s still available)
TIP: If you aren’t very good at drawing your brows, I find angled brow pencils the best way to go. The angle helps you get your brow shape drawn easily, and you get a better idea of shape and shade. Personally, my brow picks are the retractable angled brow pencils, because they make the job easier for a dodo like me who just isn’t very good at finer details like this. Also, if you make a mistake, it’s easy to rub off, and the attached spoolie brush makes it easy to brush out and soften the look. Perfect portable brush.
Retractable Brow Pencils – Non-angled
I only have 1 brow pencil that isn’t angled, and it’s the Diorshow Brow Styler. I picked it up when the makeup artist used it on me during a makeover once, and I loved the effect. Unlike most non-angled pencils, the nib is very very thin, so you can use this for a very precise look, and to fill in your brows, by drawing them in, if you have sparse brows like mine.
I enjoy using this Diorshow Brow Styler, but only when I’m not in a hurry, because the colour can go on a little strong if I’m not careful, and the thin nib can make strokes look a little too defined. I have to spend time to blend it out to soften the look. Also, the skinny pencil means that it takes a little longer for me to fill in my brows, because my brows are not very thick. However, it stays put all day, and I like the precise lines it gives me.
TIP: There are many brands that do a similar product. You may have to be fairly skilled, and not have a heavy hand, for it can then result in a very harsh, artificial look. If that happens, use the spoolie on the back of the pencil to brush through your hairs, and soften the look.
Matte Eyeshadow
Don’t want to invest in a brow pencil? You can use (and I have used) eyeshadow. Pick a deep shade of matte brown shadow and use an angled brow brush to fill in and shape your brows. I was using this method for a while when I first started doing my brows, just to get the hang of the idea. You save money not buying a separate product, but if you don’t get it right, it can look harsh and it may not last. Eyeshadow sticks best to skin and not hair. Your brows are hair, and a waxier formula usually helps it last longer. But it’s cost effective, if you already own a brow brush and spoolie 🙂
TIP: Don’t pick a shade that’s too deep (I used black once – don’t ever use black LOL!) and use a product that’s matte, not shimmery (Oh yes, been there LOL!) I use a brow pencil from one of those random brush sets you sometimes get. Make sure the tip is tapered, not thick and too stiff. It’s tricky. I’d prefer to get a proper brow product.
Brow Gel or Brow Pomade
I’ve only tried the one and that is the famed Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade. It’s a pomade, which is a waxy formula in a jar. Usually, pomades are used for hair-styling. In this case, it’s quite apt, for you’re using it to style your brows.
I’d read so much about it that I just HAD to try it. You know how it is right? Social media is a powerful tool 😛 I got mine in Medium Brown, after poring over hundreds of photos and swatches online, and reading lots of blogs.
The colour is fine by me. It’s not too dark, and neither is it too warm. It’s a good, natural colour because my natural hair colour isn’t a deep ravenswing black. It’s a dark brown, and so it matches. The texture is similar to a Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner – slightly waxy but easy to pick up with a brush.
And that is really the problem I faced. I’m not very good with using a brow brush, and I found I’d pick up a lot of product. So, the best way to pick up any product without caking it on, was to just tap the brush onto the surface of the pomade. You can see how the surface of mine looks churned up – I just dip, tap and draw and add as necessary.
The colour goes on smoothly and easily and a little goes a long way. You can quite easily shape your brows and draw in a nice, defined shape. However, I found that it also made it look quite harsh. I don’t follow brow trends (e.g. straight thick brows that are now in trend) and just draw my natural brow shape, which is medium thickness, slightly arched and tapered at the ends. The viscosity and pigment in the Dipbrow Pomade meant that I would end up each time with thick, very defined brows, and I’d spend the better part of the time brushing them out with a spoolie, so soften the effect.
However, I like how long they last. If I never wash my face, it’d last for days! But since that never happens, it basically stays put, looking fresh and unfaded all day long, from morning to night. I don’t have oily skin, but I reckon it should work for those with oily skin too. Don’t quote me though!
I therefore use the Dipbrow Pomade only when I have the time, and when I want my brows and makeup to stay put for hours on end. It takes ages for me to get my brows right, as I have to be very careful not to overdo them. So, I go quite slowly, dipping and drawing and shading as I go. With a pencil, I get the job done more quickly, as a pencil isn’t as deep in colour. But when I get it right (about 70% of the time) I’m always pleased with how it looks. It’s a sacrifice of time over speed.
TIP: While I like how longlasting and pigmented a brow pomade is, I find it less helpful for someone like me, who may not be very deft at drawing in your brows. I often find myself using too much product, and then having to use the spoolie to brush out most of it, for a softer, more natural effect. Personally, I think this is best for when you have time. Also, get a slightly thinner angled brow brush, with medium flex to get a more defined brow, and also have a spoolie on hand, because the odds are high you’d need it!
My brow product preference
My personal preference, as you can tell, lies with the retractable angled brow pencils. I like the portability, and also how the angled pencil helps you get the job done more quickly without too many mistakes. If I’m in a hurry, that’s what I reach for because I love how it looks. I also like those that have a slightly triangular design, because it really does make your job easier. Hourglass and Burberry both have this design, although I’d pick Hourglass because I think it looks better and stays on longer. Bobbi Brown has a flatter design that actually requires a little more work getting it right.
If I have the time then I break out the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade, because I like how it looks when I get it right, and it lasts the whole day without fading one bit. But when I get it wrong, I spend more time fixing my brows than anything else, so I really do need to allocate time for mistakes!
What is your preferred brow product?
I’m sure you too have your faves, so do share them with me, and what you’re using. It’s always interesting and helpful to know what works for others, because we all can learn from each other! This is more so, as you can see, I don’t use a brow mascara or those eyeliner type pens that the Japanese make. I never got the hang of them! Do you use those? 😀
Paris B
I’m currently using Wet N Wild Brow Palette and loving it, but I’ve tried In2it Retractable (both thin and triangle ones) and Essence brow pencil. I find brow pencil is a bit too waxy and uncomfortable. I like the In2it thin brown retractable but I think the 2nd I bought is a dud coz the colour payoff is bad unlike the 1st I bought.
Can’t afford the ABH pomade so I’m gonna the Essence brow gel and see if I can handle it.
I always find the more affordable brands a bit of a challenge when it comes to quality control. I used to use the retractable brow pencil from Daiso. 2 of them were very good. Then I got a dud with a weird shade and hard texture. I decided not to go back after that. Hope the essence brow gel works for you!
Like you I started doing my brows with angled retractable pencils and I agree that they give the best definition without going overboard or taking too long.
I have the ABH pomade as well and for awhile I liked it then I didn’t. Mostly because it would take me forever to get it to the right depth of definition. You are absolutely right that the pomade gives a very defined brow look.
These days though, I just use a clear brow gel to tame my eyebrow hairs and call it done! I’ve never seriously ‘shaped’ my brows so I still have a lot of eyebrow hairs (which I am forever thankful for) and it seems that just using brow gel is good enough!
I don’t really shape my brows, except to pluck the stray hairs, but I don’t have enough hair to just get away with brow gel haha! Cursed with poor lashes and brows. Sigh… I’ve semi given up on the ABH pomade for now. It’s just so much work just to get it to look right! When it does though, I like it because it stays looking perfect all day. But get it wrong,and it stays looking perfectly wrong all day too! 😛
My favourite is an old Inoui ID retractable eyebrow pencil from Shiseido – a neutral grey brown shade, not too pigmented. Great value! I also like the Japanese eyebrow pens and mascaras – so many reasonable drugstore options. Haven’t tried the angled pencils yet.
Inoui ID! I haven’t heard that name in a long time 😀 I used to have some of their palettes but discovered I was allergic to them, can you believe it?! Sigh… I tried one of the brow pens, but it felt a bit weird drawing on my brows with a felt tip marker haha! But I do like the effect when the makeup artist uses it on me though!
Heh, the Inoui ID palettes made my eyes itch a little bit too!
I haven’t used the felt tip versions – a lot of the Japanese brands are brush tips which I like better – the felt tip is too stiff for me.
I think I should first describe my brows, they have a really good beginning but the tail disappears in photos, because I have less hairs there. However they have a good natural shape and I just need to pluck a little.
Right now I’m using L’Oréal Brow stylist and Revlon Brow fantasy. The former is a wax and powder which I like because I feel the wax helps the powder to stay all day, however it can look harsh if I over apply the powder and I need to brush a lot. The latter is a pencil and gel, I just love it but I hate the need of sharpen the pencil and the gel can feel strange.
Both aren’t perfect but they work and are drugstore products so I can judge them as harsh as the high end ones. And I use them always without hesitation because I like the look of my polished brows.
In the high end spectrum I tried Benefit Goof proof pencil which I loved but I can’t justify the price, and Anastasia’s Pomade which the color is so on point but as you said needs to be worked carefully if you don’t want Instagram brows.
Hope it helps someone and also I hear some recs.
Thanks for sharing Efrain! 🙂 There are some recs bouncing around in the other comments but you’re lucky to have well shaped brows naturally. Not many of us have that luxury! 😀
You need to try the Makeup Forever Pro Sculpting Brow. I just used it today and it us da bomb. The spoolie is the softest I have ever used and soooo easy to draw. Love it!!!
Ooh is that a pencil type thing? I will take a look thank you Kim!
Retractable angled brow pencils! You are absolutely right – they are almost goof-proof and super speedy to get right 🙂
Absolutely! BB makes a good one but I run through them quickly enough that I’m happy to flit around the competition 😉
Oooh brows! I love talking about brows. 😛
I tried many over the years and have stuck to a few good ones. Shu Uemura’s retractable brow pencil was good. Then I moved on to Hourglass’ Arch Brow Pencil, which was even better. Tried the popular SUQQU brow pen brush thing that Lisa Eldridge raved a lot about, and while it’s good, it dried out too quickly for my liking (and the price isn’t attractive either). Soap and Glory’s Archery Brow Tint is very similar to SUQQU’s brow pen brush thing and it’s at a much better price.
These days, I alternate between Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Brow Wiz and Benefit’s Gimme Brow. In fact, I use the latter a lot more often, especially when I really don’t need my brows to look that done. Works a treat. I’ve lost count of how many Gimme Brows I’ve purchased! 😛
Haha brows are such a touchy topic for some! 😀 I haven’t tried the Shu retractable pencil, but I was told that it’s good (just incredibly expensive!) I didn’t know about Soap and Glory. I’ll go take a look and see if we get it here. Also, I’d heard a lot about the ABH Brow Wiz – it’s the skinny one right? Must remember to add that into any order I make online in future. I know Benefit does a plethora of brow products, but I have this thing against the brand so won’t even look at them LOL! 😛
I would say retractable angled brow pencils too! Though brow powder comes a close second for me- I use the nyx one and it comes with a spoolie so sheers out quickly and easily. But brow powder doesn’t last as long on me as brow pencils hence the slight preference. I actually picked up the Missha perfect eyebrow styler upon one of your readers’ recommendations (I think it was from the hourglass review!) and really loved it! Not too strong, lasts well and natural looking!
Ooh Nyx does a decent one? Always good to know where to find the affordable ones – never know when a brow emergency may crop up! 😀 And gosh I have to find out about Missha! I’m not sure where the local store is though, which is a bummer. I’m not about to travel halfway across the state just to buy a brow pencil! LOL
I really like the Shiseido retractable pencil one with a powder sponge on the other end- perfect combination of wax and softness of powder. There’s a similar one by Kate but I like the Shiseido colour better.
Thanks for the rec Mei! I wasn’t aware of this, but I’ll have to take a look the next time I pass by a Shiseido counter 😀
I’m on the ZA pencil thanks to you 😛
Super convenient as it’s just 1 thing to carry own (vs brush and pot), I dont need to sharpen.
Bonus points – CHEAP.
I’ll be VERY SAD IF THEY DISCONTINUED THIS.
That ZA pencil is very good! No harm sticking with it 😀 Problem is I have such a roving eye 😛
I started with Empro angled liner and loved it. Then, I switched Shiseido’s brow pencil to Shu Uemura’s H9 pencil and it was even better. I have the angled retractable one too. Angled ones are the easiest, I find. I tried the Dior brow pencil too, and the Anastasia browiz which also has a tiny nib. Great to draw believable individual hairs, but takes too much time. I also tried eye shadows and brow gels. I like the Clinique brow mousse (not good for those with minimal brow hair though). Oh, and I’m still loving Bobbi Brown brow gel. It gives such a natural finish.
I tried the ABH brow pomade and I don’t like it. I have the shade medium brown as well. It’s way too pigmented for my liking because I only need some shading and shape. My mom likes it, so it’s now hers, but it’s drying up in the pot already 🙁
I think there are so many more I tried and liked, and I know I’ll keep on trying. I haven’t tried the Bobbi Brown retractable brow pencil though. I’ll have to get it one day.
Incidentally, I’ve never tried the famed Empro brow pencil! LOL So many people told me about it and I’d keep seeing it in pharmacies, but I never bought one. I didn’t have a go at the BB Brow Gel – is it easy to manage? I think I got a little too scared off by the ABH Brow Pomade to try any other gel type things. That one is super scary if you aren’t careful!
I was using Shu Uemura Hard Pencil 9 for many years and got bored of it. I recently picked up Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz while I was in the US. I’m so in love with it that I had to go back to Sephora to get a backup the next day (Anastasia Beverly Hills is not available here in CZ).
I think I’ll have to give Brow Wiz a try! It looks rather similar to one by Dior that I have, so the learning curve wont’ be as steep.
When it comes to brows, it has to be pencils, twist up. Don’t care lah whether angled or pointed but not too waxy nor too creamy. Ahah! Found my HG in the NYX micro brows. Loved it more than the ABH ones. Enjoyed the ZA auto ones. But found a gem in the Cyber Colours from Sasa brow pencils! These are in the silver packaging and they knock my socks off!! I’m too malas to use eyeshadows and the pomades made me look so garang!! So pencil it is, but twist up ones lah. Kena sharpen all, I nicely put back at the display!!
LOL! You are right about the brow pomade making you look garang. Seriously, I was shocked the first time I used it. Wasn’t expecting how dark it was! So the NYX one is good eh? Maybe next time I’m in Sephora and want a cheap beauty fix, I’ll check it out! 😀
HI Paris,
I also started out with the Shu Uemura Hard Pencil 9. I loved it so much that I had 3 on rotation. But alas, I never turned back once I was introduced to the excel. It is a yellow retractable not-quite-a-pencil. It comes off abit waxy so I lasts all day but is mistake-proof and I can do it so fast.
My brows are dark with hairs and I can sometimes get away with just filling in. This has a spoolie at the end and a hidden brow shadow. It does give me the appearance of having embroidered brows and several people have asked me so. I use it maybe 3x a week and it has lasted me a year on my first one. That is probably a good thing since I only know that it is available in Japan from the drugstores.
Now, what will I ever do to the remainder of my Shu pencils? There is still plenty left of them.
Ah I’ve never heard of Excel brow pencil but it sounds like a gem! The Japanese sure know how to make their brow products 🙂 I’m not sure what else you can do with your shu pencils except to bury them in the deepest darkest recesses of your cupboard and forget about them? LOL! Or you could just use them till you’re through 🙂