6 eyebrow pencil picks for brow brilliance

Article content

From the iconic arches of Audrey Hepburn to the bold, bushy brows of Cara Delevingne, eyebrows have become cultural touchstones, inspiring trends and fuelling a global obsession. More than mere face-framers intended to enhance your features, brows have indisputably become the stars of the beauty world, and in response, the industry has produced a wide range of products, including pomades, powders, pens and gels. However, amidst this plethora of options, one fact remains undeniable: the humble eyebrow pencil is an essential that should always have a place in your makeup collection.

Article content

Whether you opt for meticulously groomed arches or embrace your untamed brow nature, we’ve scoured the cosmetic cosmos to bring you six of the most worthy contenders in the world of brow beautification.

Article content

Summary

Best overall: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
Best for fluffy brows: NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Fill & Fluff Eyebrow Pomade Pencil
Best for sensitive skin: Marcelle Duo Eyebrow-PRO
Best long-lasting: Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow Pencil
Best clean and budget-friendly: e.l.f. Instant Lift Brow Pencil
Best classic pencil with sharpener: The BrowGal Skinny Eyebrow Pencil

The winners

Best overall: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz

The undisputed queen of eyebrow pencils, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, reigns supreme in the beauty community. With its ultra-fine tip and smooth, vegan, wax formula, this pencil allows for that clean, precise look while offering a big spoolie brush to fluff hairs to your desired look. It comes in a range of 12 shades to match every brow colour, and we love that the tube holds more and lasts a little longer than some of our other picks.

Article content

Benefits: Long-lasting, cruelty-free, vegan, comes in 12 shades
Volume: 0.04g
Price: $31
Where to buy: Amazon

Best for fluffy brows: NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Fill & Fluff Eyebrow Pomade Pencil

Coming in eight matte colours, the teardrop-shaped retractable tip on NYX’s pomade pencil glides on waxy-smooth while the adorably fluffy micro-paddle brush blends for the perfect “boy brow” look. If you prefer softer, feathered brows over precise, detailed hair strands, this Fill & Fluff duo does just what it promises to do. And as an added plus, the price of this pencil is one of the lowest on our list.

Benefits: Cruelty-free
Volume: 0.02g
Price: $14
Where to buy: Amazon

Best for sensitive skin: Marcelle Duo Eyebrow-PRO

This multifunctional eyebrow pencil tames, fills, defines and sets your brows thanks to its long-lasting, waterproof formula and lightly tinted natural-hold gel to groom brows into place. With an angled tip for correcting and filling, this all-in-one duo is hypoallergenic, fragrance-free and comes in at a cheap and cheerful price tag, however, there are only three shades to select from.  

Article content

Benefits: Hypoallergenic and fragrance-free
Volume: 3.2g
Price: $14.24
Where to buy: Amazon

Best long-lasting: Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow Pencil

If you’re looking for an eyebrow pencil that can withstand a busy day without fading or smudging, the Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow Pencil is a top contender. Its waterproof and smudge-proof formula promises 12 hours of wear, keeping your brows intact from morning to night, plus it’s available in 12 shades. The ultra-fine tip allows for precise application, and the opposite end spoolie brush helps to blend for a more natural look.

Benefits: Waterproof
Volume: 0.08g
Price: $34-52
Where to buy: Amazon | Well.ca | Sephora

Best clean and budget-friendly: e.l.f. Instant Lift Brow Pencil

If you’re on a budget but still want fabulous brows, the e.l.f. Instant Lift Brow Pencil is a choice you can feel good about. Despite its insanely affordable price, this pencil not only performs in a wide range of highly-pigmented shades, it also provides a non-toxic, skin-loving formula with nourishing grapeseed oil and vitamin E. Its retractable tip glides on smooth and we like the tapered built-in spoolie. The tube also holds a generous amount of product, so less overall purchases.

Article content

Benefits: Cruelty-free, vegan, clean formula
Volume: 0.18g
Price: $4
Where to buy: Amazon

Best classic pencil with sharpener: The BrowGal Skinny Eyebrow Pencil

For the past 13 years, Tonya Crooks, also known as ‘The Original Brow Gal,’ has served as an eyebrow artist to celebrity clients. Her meticulously formulated, designed and tested BrowGal skinny eyebrow pencils are our only classic pencil pick, made with cedarwood, that comes with a sharpener built into the lid. With six unique custom-blended shades that flawlessly match a wide range of brow colours, they perfectly emulate the look of real hair. Crafted for precision and to withstand the most demanding situations, these 3-in-1 pencils are also sweat and water-resistant and have been rigorously tested on early call times, rock tours and movie sets.

Benefits: Sweat and water-resistant, comes with sharpener and spoolie brush
Volume: 1.13g
Price: $59.27
Where to buy: Amazon

Shopping Essentials is a new category that features highly researched products, new and exciting launches or behind-the-scenes info — learn more.

Article content