I’m quite proud of my eyebrows. Since using brow growth serums religiously over the last few years, any consequences of over-plucking in my teenage years have disappeared and my eyebrows are now fairly big and full. However, they are still a little patchy in places, which is why I reach for the best eyebrow pens every day to perfect their shape and fill in any gaps.
Nowadays there are loads of different make-up products on the beauty shelves to help you to groom, define and colour your eyebrows, from the best brow pencils and pomades to gels and waxes. Brow pens are perhaps the best for drawing on individual hairs for a natural look, and can last longer on the skin than other brow products.
“If you want to create that 'microbladed' brow effect then use an eyebrow pen over a brow pencil,” says make-up artist and head of make-up artistry at THG Studios Zoey Stirrett. “A pen will help to define your brow in sparse areas by creating natural hair-like strokes.
“Eyebrow pens are also very buildable, allowing you to create subtle, natural arches or big, bold, bushy brows.”
Best eyebrow pens for 2024: Quick links
- Best make-up artist-favourite eyebrow pen: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pen, £23 | Lookfantastic
- Best eyebrow pen and gel in one: Maybelline Build-A-Brow 2-In-1 Brow Pen, £11.99 | Lookfantastic
- Best eyebrow pen for a microbladed look: Ciaté London Microblade Brow, £14 | Sephora
- Best eyebrow pen and pencil in one: Urban Decay Brow Blade Waterproof Pencil + Ink Stain, £23 | Cult Beauty
- Best eyebrow pen for a natural look: Glossier Brow Flick, £18 | Sephora
- Best luxury eyebrow pen: SUQQU Framing Eyebrow Liquid Pen, £23 | Cult Beauty
- Best drugstore eyebrow pen: NYX Professional Makeup Lift & Snatch! Brow Tint Pen, £11.99 | Lookfantastic
- Best eyebrow pen under £10: Revolution Makeup Revolution Hair Stroke Brow Pen, £4.20 (was £6) | Lookfantastic
- Best eyebrow pen with a spoolie: Rodial Brow Pen, £28 | Lookfantastic
- Best eyebrow pen for beginners: Benefit Brow Microfilling Pen, £26 | Lookfantastic
How to use an eyebrow pen
“The technique I always use to create a good shape is to first brush brows up using a spoolie then set with brow gel,” says Zoey. “I then fill in the sparse areas with the brow pen using light, feathery, hair-like strokes. Concentrate on defining the arch to lift your brow.”
After doing the opposite (pen then gel) for the longest time, after following Zoey’s advice I can confirm that this is far more effective–the pen ink doesn’t smudge, and you can really see the exact spots that you need to apply it.
How to choose the right shade of eyebrow pen
“Always choose a shade lighter than the colour of your natural brow hair, otherwise it will look too dark and unnatural,” says Zoey. “And always go for a brow pen with cooler brown tones rather than warmer tones.”
As a beauty editor and brow obsessive, I’ve tried most of the brow pens on the market—and these are the very best…
Best eyebrow pens for 2024
1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pen
Zoey's favourite brow pen, and one she always keeps in her kit—and we'd expect nothing less than a great product from Hollywood's eyebrow queen, Anastasia Soare. Like all of ABH's brow make-up, it comes in an extensive range of shades, not just covering different colours but skin and hair undertones too.
This really feels like a quality products when you use it. It glides on smoothly but not too heavily, and my shade Taupe is the perfect cool-toned light brown.
2. Maybelline Build-A-Brow 2-In-1 Brow Pen
Save time and space with this nifty double-ended brow product from Maybelline, which has a felt-tip pen at one end and a clear gel at the other to seal it in underneath a waterproof coating—this mean that you'll need to apply the gel after the pen.
I love the idea of this, and the teeny tiny nib is perfect for drawing on really realistic-looking hairs. My one complaint is that the gel, while nicely non-crunchy, isn't strong enough to hold up my heavy brow hairs (I still find myself reaching for my favourite REFY Brow Sculpt).
3. Benefit Brow Microfilling Pen
We couldn't do a brow round-up without including market leaders Benefit, and if you like these multi-nib type of pens, this is one of the best: it gives clear, defined lines, has good colour payoff that still looks natural, and lasts well. My one tip is to let the ink dry completely before touching your brows, as it can move before it's properly set.
4. Urban Decay Brow Blade Waterproof Pencil + Ink Stain
Can't decide between a brow pen and a brow pencil? Snap up this handy product and you won't have to, as it contains both. The pen is super-fine whereas the pencil lead is thicker and more blendable—perfect for filling in larger areas of your brow. Like a lot of Urban Decay make-up, it's made to stay put, and is also waterproof.
This really appeals to someone as indecisive as me. The pigment in the pen is actually quite light, but when paired with the pencil it can be built up to a nice effect. I love a good taupe colour too, and this one is just that.
5. Glossier Brow Flick
Perhaps one of the most famous brow pens, this is ideal for creating the Glossier aesthetic: natural-looking, your-face-but-better make-up. We'd love to see it come out on a few more shades, as there's currently only three: blond, brown and black.
This was probably the first brow pen I ever tried, and it's still a good'un. My shade is probably blond, but I found this a bit too wishy-washy, so I've gone up to brown.
6. SUQQU Framing Eyebrow Liquid Pen
Another make-up artist favourite and a regular backstage at fashion weeks, this SUQQU brow pen draws on the lightest little brow baby hairs. The shades look a bit unusual at first (khaki is actually a great cool-toned colour for blonde or brown hair) but there's one to suit most.
This brow pen feels really high quality, from the perfect-length handle to the non-fraying nib, and the ink glides on smoothly. If you like a bold brow this probably isn't the one for you, as the effect is quite subtle.
7. NYX Professional Makeup Lift & Snatch! Brow Tint Pen
This is the teeniest felt tip nib I've ever seen. This does create very natural looking strokes, although the nib is also quite flexible, so I found I had to press a little harder to get it through my thick brow hairs. I love that the nine shades cater for all skin tones and hair colours, including redheads (Auburn) and those with grey hair (go for Taupe or Blonde).
8. Revolution Makeup Revolution Hair Stroke Brow Pen
Despite its limited shade range (only three and not always always readily available), this is a great option for the price. The shade match isn't perfect (I tried Light Brown), but I think the quality of the pen and the pigment is much higher than its £6 price. It goes on so smoothly, with only the lightest tough needed, and really lasts.
9. Rodial Brow Pen
Make-up experts advise brushing the brow hairs up before using a brow pen, and you'll never be without your spoolie again with this pen, as there's one on the end, with a lid to keep it clean when not in use. Rodial is an expensive brand, but I think this brow pen is worth the money. The chunky pen is really easy to grip, the nib draws on the smoothest strokes, and the spoolie at the other end is a godsend. If the one shade (a medium brown) works for you, it's worth trying out.
10. Ciaté London Microblade Brow
One of several brow pens to feature a pronged tip—this one has four prongs—claiming to mimic the effect of salon microblading, making it great for anyone who likes that glam, super-defined look.
This is quick to use (four strokes in one) and long-lasting, staying smudge-proof all day, although I found it a little tricky to avoid it looking like blocks of four lines. Although arguably the two most popular shades—Soft Brown and Deep Brown— are widely available, the other two are only available from the Ciaté website.
