10 best eyebrow pencils for 2022 with top tips from leading makeup artists

IT’S well known our eyebrows frame our faces and if we get them wrong, everything else feels off-kilter.

There are loads of formulations of brow products out there but the best eyebrow pencils are unrivalled.

According to top makeup artist, MAC Global Senior Artist and one half of the Glow Up judging panel, Dominic Skinner, eyebrow pencils are always a part of his kit and he reaches for them when meticulous application is top of the agenda.

He says: “The precision you can achieve with a brow pencil is incredible and you don’t need a degree in mathematics to use it.

“It can create fine hair like strokes but can also give a soft fill-in where there are gaps.”

Whether you have thick brows that just need a quick boost or sparser brows that could do with a bit of extra attention, there’s a pencil that can do the job.

What is the eyebrow trend this season?

Dominic is convinced big brows aren’t going anywhere, but, contrary to the Instagram brows of the last decade, it’s all about full but real.

He says: “Brows have been the trend of the 21st century. There is talk of the 90s pencil thin brows making a comeback, but after 20 years of people growing their brows out, I can’t see this trend being at the top of most people’s lists.

“But, we are seeing brows being tightly brush up.”

He shared how we can achieve this look by following a few simple steps: “Use a brow gel to groom the brows out to a two o’clock or 10 o’clock (depending on the eye) direction. Then use your thumb to press them down.

“Follow this with your brow pencil to lightly draw additional hairs where needed. This gives a structured, lifted look without weighing down your eyebrows.”

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1. Benefit Cosmetics Goof Proof Eyebrow Pencil

• Benefit Cosmetics Goof Proof Eyebrow Pencil, £18.80 from Look Fantastic – buy here

Benefit Cosmetics is synonymous with perfectly defined brows because of the easy to use, reasonably priced products it has to offer.

One of the best things about this brow pencil is the 12 shades that range from light to cool grey, suiting most hair colours.

Dominic says he regularly sees people choosing the wrong shade for their brows, as they reach for their natural hair colour.

He says: “What this does is give you a very thick and dark blocky brow.”

So what should we be doing to avoid those Instagram brows of 2016?

“You should be looking for a brow colour that is one to two shades lighter than your natural brow,” says Dominic. “This gives you a shadow effect making your brows more visible but not heavy.”

Noted.

2. MAC Cosmetics Eyebrows Styler

• MAC Cosmetics Eyebrows Styler, £16.50 from John Lewis – buy here

MAC has a couple of different eyebrow pencils, but we love the Eyebrows Styler because of how easy it is to control the amount of product you apply to your brows.

The nib is flat and round which means you can use the edge for a thinner line and the flat end for a fuller application but because of the size of the tip and the non-creaminess of the pencil formula, it’s difficult to go overboard by accident.

On the other end is a spoolie, so you can brush the pencil through, creating a natural, soft finish.

And with 15 shades available, you’re sure to find one that suits your hair colour – but remember to go a shade or two lighter than your natural hue.

3. NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil

• NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil, £10 from Boots – buy here

Proof that the best eyebrow pencils don’t need to cost an arm and a leg, NYX’s eyebrow pencil has a swivel-up mechanism, is dual-sided (there’s a spoolie on one end, and a tiny nib on the other) and is super precise to mimic natural hair-like strokes.

It has a waxy consistency, that glides smoothly over the brow and is easily blended by brushing through with the spoolie on the other end.

Brow pencils don’t generally cost an absolute fortune like some other makeup, but £20 can feel like a stretch for one product, so it’s always good to know there’s an option for a tenner that actually works.

4. Dior Diorshow Kabuki Brow Styler

• Dior DiorShow Kabuki Brow Styler, £22 from Dior – buy here

Focussing less on exact precision and more on a softly blended finish, the Kabuki Brow Styler from Dior is a high quality product.

The triangular shaped head makes filling in simple and the creamy consistency means only a light hand is needed to create fullness.

The brush on the other hand is just that, a brush, which creates a softer blend than a spoolie, especially paired with the consistency of the pencil.

Forget about the pencil sharpener and just twist up if the packaging is getting decidedly close.

At £22, it’s in line with a lot of other brow pencils on the market. We love it.

5. Westman Atelier Bonne Brow Defining Pencil

• Westman Atelier Bonne Brow Defining Pencil, £35 from Cult Beauty – buy here

Used on Emily Ratajowski at this year’s Met Gala, the Westman Atelier Bonne Brow Defining Pencil, which launched in April, is the perfect kit for flawless eyebrows.

Gucci Atelier, makeup artist and the brand’s founder, explains how to use the product.

She says: “Start by brushing your brows up with a dry spoolie, following the natural direction of the hair. Then hold the pencil vertically from the lower corner of the nose and follow the line directly up to mark where your brows should begin.

“Tilt the pencil diagonally from the same starting point to the outer corner of your eye and follow the line to your temple. This is where your brows should end.

“Apply gentle baby strokes to fill where needed; the lighter the better.”

Keep your brows in place with the gel on the other other end by brushing upwards at a slight diagonal angle.

6. Nars Brow Perfector

• Nars Brow Perfector, £21 from Look Fantastic – buy here

Ideal for creating a precise shape, the Nars Brow Perfector is a must-have for daytime looks and evening makeup alike.

The super thin tip makes creating natural hair like strokes easy and, if you’re following Dominic’s tip of lifting your brows (keep reading to the bottom for that one), this would make drawing guidelines easy and, more importantly, subtle.

Use the spoolie to brush the product through and create defined but natural looking brows.

7. BBB Ultimate Arch Definer

• BBB Ultimate Arch Definer, £22 from Look Fantastic – buy here

Blink Brow Bar is the place to go for threading, waxing, shaping and any other facial hair needs so it’s not a huge surprise that its brow products are top notch.

Like the Dior offering, this has a triangular head and a brush instead of a spoolie to blend out the product.

What’s really great about this product is how light the shades go. The shade Sandalwood is a peachy colour that could easily be used to highlight around the brows for extra definition instead of a concealer if that’s your game.

Particularly good if you have sparser or lighter brows, this is quick and easy to use while still achieving natural results.

8. e.l.f. Ultra Precise Brow

• e.l.f. Ultra Precise Brow, £5 from Boots – buy here

This e.l.f. brow pencil does exactly what it says it does – it’s ultra precise. The nib is incredibly thin which makes it ideal for people with thicker brows who just need a little filling in or very fair brows where thin hair strokes are key to a natural, light look.

Available in six shades, it’s in keeping with the natural brow trend that Dominic predicted we were going to see everywhere this season.

There’s no need for a pencil sharpener because you can just twist it up for more product.

And how have we not mentioned the price? It costs a mere £5 which – at the moment – is probably about the same price as your morning coffee.

We’ll take the lot.

9. Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Long-Wear Brow Pencil

• Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Long-Wear Brow Pencil, £31.50 from Boots – buy here

On the pricier end of the eyebrow pencil spectrum at £31.50, the Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Long-Wear Brow Pencil is a great option for days – or nights – when you need serious staying power.

It’s waterproof and sweat resistant which makes it perfect for holidays or the sweaty English summer and is available in ten shades.

Brush through with the spoolie attached to the other end, and twist up for more product instead of sharpening.

10. YSL Dessin Des Sourcils

• YSL Dessin Des Sourcils, £23 from YSL – buy here

This one from YSL is actually a pencil. It’s beautifully creamy, smoothly gliding through brows, creating fine hair like strokes.

It will need to be sharpened to keep creating defined brows, but it comes with a YSL pencil sharpener (boujie) and is easily blended with the spoolie on the other end.

One tip with this one – try not to let it melt or get too hot because it makes the colour significantly more intense and can leave you with unintentionally dark brows. Trust us.

How to use an eyebrow pencil

Dominic’s top tip when using a pencil is to avoid drawing your brows too low.

He says: “When I do a brow, I always aim for a lifted look.

“To accomplish this, I start by filling in the brow softly in the inner corner and draw up and out, reaching towards the natural arch.

“I then use the arch as the start of the ‘new’ arch and draw a soft dome just beyond it. Then, I draw the tail of the brow along the top of the natural brow and groom the hair to blend into the pencil strokes.

“This will make the brow look full and instantly lifts your eye shape and opens up your lid which is particularly good for anyone with hooded eyes.”

Anyone else running to try this technique now?

Can you use eyeliner pencil for eyebrows?

Even if it’s one of the best eyeliners, we wouldn’t recommend reaching for one when filling in your brows. The main reason for this is because eyeliners are much creamier than brow pencils so won’t mimic the hairs in the same way and will instead create a thicker, more intense colour, creating unnatural looking brows.

This creaminess could also lead to the product sliding around, especially on hotter days. Not ideal.

Invest in a brow pencil – you won’t regret it.

What is the best brow pencil?

We love the NARS Brow Perfector for precise and targeted application and the DiorShow Brow Styler if you’re in a hurry and need something quick blendable but, if the £20 mark is a bit of a stretch, then the NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil for just £10 is a great alternative.