The Best Product Picks For Filling in Your Eyebrows! (In My Humble Opinion)

Photo: Beth Sternbaum 

I am a true product junkie, through and through. I chose my profession as a makeup artist, not only due to the fact that I love applying makeup, but also because I love, love, love PRODUCTS. I’m greedy and want the new thing, whatever that thing may be at the moment. There is a soft spot in my heart for eyebrow products, because maybe like you, I am always yearning for fuller brows.  Here are my best recommendations for the best products to help you achieve full, fluffy arches.

 Tweezers- I hesitate to even recommend tweezers because if you are trying to grow your eyebrows out, even having tweezers nearby can surely sabotage your efforts! However, they are irreplaceable when you need to maintain a shape you love. The best tweezers I’ve ever used are from Tweezerman. They are $25.00, but they will last forever and are the only pair you need to buy. I prefer the slanted kind.

 Pencil sharpeners- When I’m using a traditional eyebrow pencil, I always slightly sharpen the pencil before I begin. By doing so, I get a much cleaner, detailed application. Try this technique with any of my favorite sharpeners: Makeup Forever or Revlon.

 Spooly- Before I do anything to my own or my clients’ eyebrows, I take a spooly and brush the brows upward to see if they need trimming. Also, brushing up lifts the face and gives the appearance of more hairs. In my opinion spoolys are all the same, any brand is fine. That being said, I love this affordable E.L.F. Eyebrow Duo Brush because you can brush up your brows with the spooly side, then use the Angled side to apply powder, pomade, or to blend out color you've applied that might need some diffusing. Laura Mercier Brow Definer Brush, Anastasia Duo Brush #12,  and Smith Cosmetics 211 Brush are all fantastic choices for angled brushes.

 Stencils are used with powders to color in and fill out your brow. They are great if you have almost no hair or need a guide to help find a perfect shape for your face. The stencils I always turn to for my clients are made by Senna.

Brow Pencils- After sharpening your pencil, use light feathery strokes, starting at the beginning of your brow, closest to your nose, to fill in any bare skin or sparse areas. Work your way across through the thin end of the brow. Then use your spooly to brush through and soften the look. Take your time, working slowly and repeating these steps until you have achieved your desired fullness. For best results, try the Chanel Crayon Sourcils Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil. It’s the one I replace most often in my makeup kit.

 Powders- are great for someone with plenty of brows, but with very fine hairs. Apply powders with an angled brush and a light hand. I LOVE this little Benefit Brow Zing kit. It comes in compacts of a brow powder and setting wax, along with mini tweezers and brushes. What more could you need?!

 Pomade- I rarely use pomade, but I when I do it’s for someone who has very coarse hair and needs a lot of hold. The most user-friendly pomades come with their own applicator, like this one from Surratt Beauty.

 Gels- Everyone should have a clear eyebrow gel in their makeup bag. They are easy to use and they lock in your color and shape until you take.it.off. I was a die-hard Anastasia Clear Brow Gel fan, but it's been dethroned by this awesome product: Benefit 24-Hr Brow Setter Shaping & Setting Gel. Setting gels are perfect for those who may have curly or unruly eyebrow hairs.

 Tinted Gel/Pomade Hybrid- are lighter than setting gels. They are perfect for someone who needs minimal grooming or enhancing, since they deposit soft color. My absolute go-to tinted gel is Glossier Boy Brow.

 Mechanical Pencils- Anyone can use a mechanical brow pencil for light filling-in or to create structure. They are especially useful for someone with petite features and a small overall brow. Try Anastasia Brow Wiz for ultra-thin, hair-like lines or Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Pencil for waterproof, high-definition.

 Brow Pens- Different from a pencil, brow pens are liquid application colors that sharply define the shape and texture of your brow. Be careful applying color with tinted pens because you can quickly use too much and end up with a phony, painted-on look. Try my favorite, Eyeko Fat Brow Liquid Liner for best results.

 Highlighters- I love dabbing a touch of highlighter under the brow bone to enhance an arch. It brightens the whole face and gives a lovely soft lift. Use with your finger after slightly warming up the product in the palm of your hand. Apply by patting gently until it blends in. Here are my favorite brow-lighters: RMS Beauty Living Luminizer (best all time highlighter and it’s in the natural catagory!) or BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter.  

Castor Oil- What you say? Isn't that a laxative? Well yes, but it actually helps grow back hair. Over the past few years, I have had success at growing my brows back after the unfortunate 90's era using organic castor oil and avoiding tweezers like the plague. I apply at night with a spooly dedicated to just the castor oil. Just a quick brush through to saturate. Wash your face in the morning and be sure to get the excess oil off your brows, or your brow makeup won't stay on all day.

Eyebrow Scissors- are perfect for taming those unruly, rogue hairs that grow faster and longer than the rest of your brow. Trim one hair at a time for the most natural effect after brushing your brow up as high as the hairs will go. Carefully trim any hair that stands out too much. Whatever you do, don’t tweeze those random stragglers! Not everyone will have a need for this product, but if you do, buy Brow Gal, the sharpest scissors on the market.

 Have I forgotten something? What are your favorite products for filling in your arches? Comment below and then be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for weekly beauty and makeup tips! Ciao, bella!