The best eyebrow products to define and emphasise your arches
Take your brows from fine to full in a matter of seconds
Take your brows from fine to full in a matter of seconds
Our brow preferences couldn’t have changed more over the last decade. Gone are the super-sparse brows of the nineties; now it's all about accentuating them with the best eyebrow products money can buy.
But not everyone was blessed with thick, full, Delevingne-esque eyebrows and, sadly, the majority of us have to fake it in the brow department.
Although treatments like microblading have gained huge popularity over the last few years, we wouldn't blame you if you're reluctant to spend a few hundred quid on your brows. The best eyebrow makeup is a much cheaper solution when searching for how to get thicker eyebrows.
From velvety soft pencils that'll fill your eyebrows in stroke-by-stroke, to thickening pomades and growth-enhancing serums, the world's your oyster when it comes to formulas and shades.
So where do you start when choosing the best brow makeup?
If you like a thick, dark and defined brow shape, choose a pomade like Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade. It's a bestseller for a reason, it's long lasting and gives you perfectly shaped arches.
If you prefer a more natural look, try a clear brow gel (we, like the rest of the world, love Glossier's). These will fix your brows in place without it looking like your wearing any product at all.
When choosing a colour, the key is to always go for a duskier, earthier shade of your hair colour – very warm or orange-toned brows look too 'done' and unnatural-looking. And ideally, stay within a two shade range – no more than one shade lighter or darker than your current hair colour.
Once you're clued up on the best eyebrow shapes for your face shape, read on for the Marie Claire approved eyebrow products you can find on UK beauty shelves.
How to fill eyebrows in
Brow beginners may be unsure of how to fill in your eyebrows without them looking too obvious. 'I map out the brows with three dots and then fill in to create the perfect shape,' says Tonya Crookes, celebrity brow artist and founder of The Browgal.
'To find the point at which your brows should start, draw an imaginary line from the corner of your nose, directly upwards.
'Next, draw a line from the corner of the nose, through the pupil to find the highest point of the brow. The end of the brow should fall in line with the corner of the nose and the outside edge of the eye. Your pencil should be sharp to create hair-like strokes.'
Best drugstore eyebrow gel
NYX Professional Tinted Eyebrow Mascara, Boots
There's also a clear one available, 'Control Freak', if you prefer an un-tinted version.
Buy now
Best clear eyebrow gel
Bobbi Brown Waterproof Brow Shaper, Fabled
Sometimes you want a little something to groom your brows into place without overloading them with product. Enter this waterproof brow gel that'll emphasise your brows a little and stay in place all day. It can also be used over the top of other eyebrow make-up to set in place – genius.
Buy now
Best eyebrow kit
Clarins Perfect Eyes & Brows Palette, John Lewis
This kit has everything you could need for perfectly perky brows – three different shades, so that the colour won't look flat, a wax for shaping, a highlighting powder for the brow bone, a brush, a spoolie and that all important pair of mini tweezers.
Buy now
Best eyebrow growth products
RapidBrow Eye Brow Enhancing Serum, Amazon
Sparse eyebrows getting you down? You need a growth serum in your life. Apply twice a day and you'll have noticeably fuller, grown out brows in just two short months.
Buy now
Best eyebrow pencil
Tom Ford Brow Sculptor, House of Fraser
There's a reason so many people love this brow pencil; the formula is slightly waxy so not only does it fill in colour, but the angled tip shapes brows as you draw. Comes in four colours that suit all hair colours.
Buy now
Best eyebrow powder
Benefit Foolproof Eyebrow Powder, Boots
Benefit are the queens of the brow. When they saw a gap in the market - they didn't just launch a brow product, they launched a whole collection dedicated to the little sliver of hair above our eyes. This eyebrow powder is exactly what it says on the tin - foolproof. Where do your apply the lighter shade? Well just take a look at the handy guide...
Buy now
These brow products are your one-way ticket to the perfect arches. Because, as the saying goes, if your eyes really are the window to your soul, then your brows are surely the frame...
Having launched earlier this year, Bushy Brow Gel is already one of our favourite brow products on the market. It really beefs up those brows without looking like they're saturated with brow gel; results are seriously full and natural-looking. And unlike a lot of brow products, it's vegan too. Winner!
If you haven't tried this AMAZING eyebrow gel - where have you been? Glossier's UK launch was one of the biggest we've seen and this is one of the heroes. Eyebrow gels can either be used for the natural look (this comes in clear) or to beef up an already groomed brow.
Take a moment to appreciate the wonder of this product. A tint in a bottle - apply it on top your brows, leave for 20 mins and you, friends, have a three-day wear. For under £13. SOLD.
Eyeko's new Define It Brow Pencil makes light work of sparse-looking brows. Available in three shades with a super-precise tip, the dual-ended pencil also comes with that all-important spoolie, so you can brush through and shape your arches to perfection.
Proper bleached brows are one hell of a commitment. Whilst we would love to look like Cara and Bella - we're not sure it's a full time look. So thank goodness for Kat Von D's GENIUS pomade that gives the impression of bleached brows, but does in fact come off at the end of the day with a good cleansing oil.
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Lucy is a freelance beauty editor and contributor at Marie Claire, and has written for titles including Glamour, Refinery29, Popsugar, woman&home and more. She was previously Marie Claire’s junior beauty editor. During her career, she’s covered everything from backstage beauty at fashion week to interviews with famous faces like Drag Race royalty and Little Mix. As for her beauty ethos, she’s a big advocate for not having to spend a fortune on beauty products to get good results, and when she’s not got beauty on the brain you’ll find her reading or hanging out with dogs.
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