The Best Brow Products For Beginners

Having the skills to rival a makeup artist doesn't have to be a prerequisite for mastering beautiful brows. There are a number of tools out there that were designed to be quick and easy to use. While the best brow products for beginners will vary from person to person, overall, you'll want to look for something that's long-lasting, in a shade that’s close to your natural brow color, but not necessarily identical. A brow gel will always be the easiest product to use, with clear brow gel being completely foolproof, and tinted brow gel being nearly foolproof. For those looking to shape and fill in their brows, a pencil will give you the most payoff with the least amount of work because they're mess-free and easy to apply. Finally, if you need some extra help when it comes to defining and filling in your brows, a kit that pairs brow products with stencils might be a more useful option.

Brow Tips For Beginners

Finding a brow product that's easy to use is really only half the battle when it comes to shaping and filling in your brows. You'll also want to brush up on your application technique, which doesn't have to be overly complicated. Every tool on the list ahead will come with its own set of instructions, but whether you're using a gel, a pencil, or a powder (or a combination of the three), here are a few steps to follow:

1. Start by brushing through your brows with a clean spoolie.
2. With your product of choice, focus on using short, upward strokes.
3. To mimic the appearance of your natural brow hairs, you'll always want to apply your product in the direction that your hair grows.

Shop The Best Brow Products For Beginners

In a hurry? Here are the best brow products for beginners:

1. Best Brow Gel For Beginners: NYX Thick It Stick It! Brow Gel
2. Best Conditioning Brow Gel For Beginners: Grande Cosmetics GrandeBrow-Fill Volumizing Brow Gel
3. Best Brow Pencil For Beginners: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
4. Best Brow Pencil Under $10 For Beginners: L'Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer
5. Best Brow Pencil & Gel Duo For Beginners: Maybelline Express Brow Ultra Slim Defining Eyebrow Pencil & Express Brow Fast Sculpt Clear Gel Brow Mascara
6. Best Brow Set With Stencils For Beginners: Wet N Wild Ultimate Brow Universal Stencil Kit

1. Best Brow Gel For Beginners

It doesn't get much easier than this NYX Thick It Stick It! Brow Gel, which not only helps to tame brows but also adds a hint of color and volume thanks to plant-based fibers. One coat of the vegan and cruelty-free formula will instantly thicken the look of your brows, but you can brush on several coats for a more dramatic finish. Though it's not waterproof, the brow gel has a long-lasting formula that promises to keep your brows in place for up to 16 hours.

Formula: Gel Available Shades: 8 Waterproof: No

Relevant Review: "As a guy who has sparse brows, I decided to purchase after watching a TikTok video. However, I was skeptical because I have no experience with makeup. However, this product has changed my life. It is easy to use, affordable, and it works. It lasts all day and is virtually undetectable. If you want full and fluffy brows, give this product a try."

2. Best Conditioning Brow Gel For Beginners

You can give your brows an immediate boost of color and treat them with conditioning and strengthening ingredients at the same time. The Grande Cosmetics GrandeBrow-Fill Volumizing Brow Gel is infused with mini fibers to build volume throughout your brows, as well as peptides, glycerin, panthenol, and vitamin E to encourage healthier-looking brows in the long run. The cruelty-free gel is available in several tinted shades, and in clear if you're just looking for something to set and shape your brows.

Formula: Gel Available Shades: 5 Waterproof: No

Relevant Review: "I love this stuff! So easy to make my eyebrows fuller and darker! I use the dark very lightly and then go over with the light since I'm a dark brunette. Q-tip to clean the edges. Can do my brows in less than 1 minute each. No kidding! Stays in place all day."

3. Best Brow Pencil For Beginners

You may have already heard of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz for being a makeup artist-favorite tool. But many of the same qualities that make it the professional tool of choice are also what have helped to earn the pencil more than 15,000 five-star ratings from everyday Amazon reviewers. The dual-sided tool features a retractable pencil with a super-fine tip on one side to help you achieve hair-like strokes, and a spoolie on the opposite end to blend everything in. The wax formula delivers pigmented color while keeping the texture of your brows looking natural, and Brow Wiz offers the most comprehensive shade range on this list (you'll find multiple brow pencils for every hair color and tone, including those with red or gray hair).

Formula: Mechanical Pencil Available Shades: 12 Waterproof: No

Relevant Review: "Hands down my favorite eyebrow product. So easy to shape and fill eyebrows for beginners and pros."

4. Best Brow Pencil Under $10 For Beginners

For a less expensive brow pencil, L'Oréal Paris's Brow Stylist Definer has been called a great alternative to Brow Wiz by more than 100 of the drugstore product's five-star reviews. The retractable, waterproof pencil uses a 0.5 millimeter tip to create fine, hair-like strokes, and there's a spoolie on the other side to fully blend the pigment in while brushing your brow hairs into place. Because there are so many colors to choose from, L'Oréal makes selecting the right pencil an easier process thanks to their shade-finding chart that shows you exactly what each shade looks like on different eyebrows.

Formula: Mechanical Pencil Available Shades: 10 Waterproof: Yes

Relevant Review: "This is my favorite item I use for my eyebrows. It's easy to use (especially for beginners) and lasts for a good amount of time. I definitely recommend it."

5. Best Brow Pencil & Gel Duo For Beginners

The simplest way to give your brows shape and set them in place is with a pencil and gel combo like Maybelline's Express Brow bundle. First, use the eyebrow pencil (in the color that best matches your brows, of course) to fill in any sparse spots. Once you've used the spoolie to blend the water-resistant formula for the most natural-looking finish, take the brow mascara and brush your brows into place for all-day hold.

Formula: Mechanical Pencil & Clear Brow Gel Available Shades: 3 Waterproof: No

Relevant Review: "I have tried about every brow product known to man, and this pencil is the only one that works for me. The smaller tip makes it easy (even for me) to draw tiny lines that look like hairs to fill in my brows. My brows look natural all day long, and the color stays on until I wash it off."

6. Best Brow Set With Stencils For Beginners

To make more detailed brow work as uncomplicated as possible, this Wet N Wild Ultimate Brow Universal Stencil Kit gives you everything you need for a full brow transformation. Choose from three different stencils to determine the brow shape you want, then use the spoolie brush and tweezers to brush through your brows and remove any stray hairs. Before you fill in your brows, apply the wax formula in the kit over your brows to help the pigmented powder better adhere. You can use one of the three colored powders on their own to fill in your brows or blend your own custom color, then finish with a swipe of the highlighter powder on your brow bone for more definition.

Formula: Wax & Powder Available Shades: 1 Waterproof: No

Relevant Review: "Buy it. It is so helpful for creating a symmetrical brow shape and the color options worked well for me. Really good deal for the price. I was a beginner in the whole doing your eyebrows, but this product made it simple, easy, and effective. I use it everyday! […]"

About The Author:

Marissa DeSantis has worked as a beauty writer and editor for nearly 10 years. Her pieces can be found across print and digital publications like Bustle, Evening Standard, Teen Vogue, and InStyle.