Brow gels are everywhere. Almost every beauty brand offers one, and they’re an everyday essential for us. If you want a simple solution to great-looking brows, read on to learn more, says editor Trudi Brewer.
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We’re living in the era of the eyebrow. A time when this face-framing feature is more important than ever. Around ten years ago, the in-brow look was dubbed the boy brow; to get that look, people embraced pencils and stencils, tattoos, and brow serums (see Louise Hilsz's brow journey here).
But for us, one product seamlessly creates a full, fluffy-looking brow: gel. Here are the best brow tips and gels with our stamp of approval.
Glossier Boy Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel-Pomade, $41.
There are six shades, including auburn and grey. The tiny brush allows for ultra-precise grooming, which grabs every hair. Thanks to a formula of beeswax, carnauba wax, and olive oil extract, it’s visibly volumising and conditioning, with no flaking or leaving that crunchy feeling in brow hair. It’s our editor’s go-to.
What to look for in a brow gel
The best brow gels will have staying power but be smooth and easy to apply. These formulas must last all day without flaking and shedding by lunchtime. Consider application; look for a brow gel with a mini mascara-like wand to coat each hair for a full-bodied finish. If you're after something to fill in sparse areas, go for a tinted brow gel; most brands offer more than one shade.
ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Clear Brow GEL, $52.
A transparent gel that dries clear, with no flaking or white residue. It keeps hairs in place with a flexible hold that never feels stiff. Thanks to chamomile and hyaluronic acid, it’s also uber-conditioning. Expect fluffy, well-groomed brows that stay in place all day.
DIY grooming
Invest in slanted tweezers, not pointed tweezers. Position the tweezer close to the skin, pull the skin taught, and pull the hair from the root. Trimming is next. Brush the hair up, spray hairspray into the brush, and comb through the brows. This helps to keep the hair in place while you groom. Holding the scissors horizontally, guide them across the top of your brows, snipping only the long, wiry brows. Remember, brow hairs overlap; if you cut off too much, you will create gaps.
Benefit Gimme Brow + Volumising Brow Gel, $51.
If you want fluffy, filled-in brows - here’s the gel for the job. The tiny brush coats each hair with fibres that volumise and fill any gaps. The best news is that there is a great colour range, with ten shades, including grey blonde, red and everything in between.
Perfect with concealer
Concealer is brilliant for adding definition under the brow bone and arch. Use a square flat brush to apply a little concealer, and then fill and gel brows as usual.
OFF & ON Brow Fixx, $30
You can trust this gel, created by professional brow artists. It’s a water-resistant, long-lasting gel and comes in five shades and clear. The team recommends combing this gel backwards through the brows to coat every hair and then combing the hairs forward to set the brows in place.
Groom in good light
Natural lighting is vital to grooming brows. In the absence of this, invest in a Conair Reflections LED-lighted mirror. Its lighting mimics daylight, and its head is large, allowing you to see your entire face while grooming brows.
Kosas Air Brow Fluff & Hold Treatment Gel, $45
This gel has a mousse-like texture grips every hair, adding fullness and volume for that laminated brow look. It sets in seconds and doesn't budge all day. The formula is impressive, too, made with plant-based microfibers enriched by panthenol (vitamin B5), hyaluronic acid, peptides, and castor oil. There are ten shades pictured here: grey.
Filling in the gaps
If you study the direction of your natural brow hairs, you'll see they don't grow across. They grow up, so that’s how to create natural-looking faux hair. To fill in gaps or boost fullness, think vertically (or at a 45-degree angle at the very most), never horizontally, when creating those short feathery strokes with pencil, powder or tinted gel.
RIMMEL WONDER'FULL BROW, $20.
This gel is a brilliant buy and is famous for offering 24-hour wear with a fade-proof, water-proof finish. But the best part is the clever, tiny, tapered brush that captures every hair to help you tame your brows in seconds. There are three shades pictured here: light.
Ideal for Christmas gifting.