Navigating the world of eyebrow products in a bid to achieve flawless, Zendaya-worthy arches before you step out of your home is no easy job. From precision pencils and pomades to revolutionary techniques such as lamination and microblading, the options available to achieve your perfect look are plenty.
But if you ask us, there’s no better product to get your best eyebrows yet than the humble gel. Whether it’s a clear formula that’s used simply to set unruly hairs in place, or a tinted product to give your brows a deeper, bolder colour, eyebrow gels are among the most versatile and easy-to-use makeup products around.
We’ve decided to put the best through their paces, assessing everything from ease of application and removal, to how well they style brows, keep hairs in place, their depth of colour and whether or not they’re smudge-proof.
So, before we reveal our pick of the best brow gels available right now, read our guide on how you should go about choosing the right product for you.
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While formulas might vary, brow gel is essentially like a mascara for your eyebrows. A clear brow gel is designed to define and keep hairs in place, without changing the colour or shape. These are perfect for those who have been blessed with naturally full, dark brows, or if you want to set brows that have been filled in with pencil. Other formulas might be tinted or contain hair-like microfibres, the latter helping to build your brows in a natural-looking way.
In most cases, any tinted brow gel worth its salt will make brows look fuller with just a single coat. The best products also contain conditioning and growth-boosting ingredients such as peptides and vitamin B5.
When applying any brow product, the key is to start by grooming what mother nature gave you. Most brow gels will come with a mascara-like wand for easy application, but you might first want to give them a brush with a dry spoolie to achieve the look you want and pluck any strays. Then, according to makeup artist Georgie Murtagh, the best way to apply the gel is to desaturate the brush of extra product and brush it in the opposite direction of the hair growth. “This will coat the hairs in the product effectively,” she says.
“Then brush the brows in the direction of hair growth – I like to brush upwards to give a fuller effect – and once you have the shape you want, lightly press down on the hairs using your fingers to flatten them, so they stay in place.”
While most brow gels sit within the £10 to £20 price bracket, you’ll find plenty of budget-friendly options on the high street that do just as good a job as their more expensive counterparts – it all depends on what you’re looking for. Basic, transparent gels tend to be more affordable than those that contain brow-enhancing microfibres and conditioning ingredients, although that isn’t always the case. Despite there being a huge number of pricier cult products out there, too, this is one makeup purchase you certainly don’t need to spend a fortune on to achieve a well-groomed look.
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Price: £15 | Buy now from Look Fantastic
If you want a clear formula that will help you style your brows and maintain their shape, this new, travel-friendly pot of wonder stands head and shoulders above the majority on the market right now. West Barn Co is known for its cult Soap Brows product – a favourite of many a beauty editor – and this is the brand’s latest launch. It glides on beautifully without feeling greasy or sticky, and dries without leaving behind any white residue or flakiness. Plus, a little goes a long way – our tester barely made a dent in the pot following a couple of weeks of use. It’s water-resistant and holds up well in the heat, too, meaning you can wear it on the beach or by the pool with confidence, knowing your brows won’t budge.
Key specs – Formula: Gel; Colour range: Clear
Buy now from Look Fantastic
Price: £32 | Buy now from La Perla Beauty
We tried both the transparent and dark brown versions of this gel from La Perla Beauty, and both were excellent. The tinted formula became a firm favourite early on, thanks to its smudge-resistant colour and super-light texture. The spoolie here is slightly chunkier over those found accompanying some of the other tinted gels we tried, and using the back-brushing technique, it was possible to achieve a seamless, even coating of each strand. The product fluffed up our tester’s brows beautifully and delivered a long-lasting, rub-resistant hold.
Key specs – Formula: Gel; Colour range: Clear, light brown, dark brown
Buy now from La Perla Beauty
Price: £7.50 | Buy now from Boots
For expert-level hold, NYX’s pro Brow Glue (don’t worry, although it isn’t technically a glue, its hairspray-like grip says otherwise) is what brow lamination dreams are made of. The non-sticky, transparent gel dries quickly – sans residue – and keeps brow hairs styled in place all day long. The small brush for application is made up of extra-thin bristles, which allow you to coat each and every strand. Use with a pen, pencil, or powder for filling in sparse areas or adding dimension; but if you’ve had your brows laminated and just want some serious hold, this product is the way to go.
Key specs – Formula: Gel; Colour range: Clear
Price: £16 | Buy now from Feel Unique
Our tester loved how this gel went on – leaving the finest hair-like fibres in its wake for a truly feathery finish. The spoolie is ultra-thin, which allows for precise, buildable application on even the tiniest of hairs, and the colour is so bold, it instantly gives the appearance of naturally fuller and more dense brows. There was no clumping, smudging, or patchiness, and our tester was happy with how well the gel lasted throughout the day. Note, too, that the formula contains a combination of hair-loving ingredients, including coconut oil, castor oil and vitamin E. Plus, with eight colours to choose from, you’re sure to find a shade that works for you.
Key specs – Formula: Microfibre gel; Colour range: Warm blonde, neutral blonde, caramel blonde, light brown, medium brown, rich brown, black-brown, soft black
Buy now from Feel Unique
Price: £18 | Buy now from Boots
For particularly unruly brows, nothing beats a good wax, and this clear formula from Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty perfectly sculpts and locks-in hairs for a flawless finish. The danger of wax is that it’s prone to clumping or leaving behind a white, sticky residue – this product did neither. It comes with a unique built-in brush that makes it easy to style your brows just the way you like them, while the wax on the smart-angled tip effectively grips to hairs to fluff them up and keep them in place. It works well when paired with a pencil, or use it solo for everyday low-maintenance grooming.
Key specs – Formula: wax; Colour range: clear
Price: £6 | Buy now from Superdrug
If you’re looking for a highly affordable microfibre option, this is by far the best drugstore option we have found. One common complaint about highly pigmented brow gels is how messy they can be to apply, particularly around the brow line where the colour can smudge and transfer on to the skin. But thanks to the super-precise brush that accompanies this product, application is a breeze. The Wow Brow Gel can be used as a topcoat over e.l.f’s brow powders or pencils; however, the buildable colour is so good, our tester found it delivered fuller-looking brows even when used alone, and after just a single coat. Hold, too, is excellent (without being stiff), and there’s a good range of shades to suit a wide range of hair colours and skin tones.
Key specs – Formula: Gel-wax microfibre hybrid; Colour range: taupe, brunette, brown, deep brown, black
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