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Byrdie / Sabrina Jiang
Is there anything better, makeup-wise, than having beautiful brows? A full, proportioned arch will frame your face, complement your features, and pull together any makeup look (whether it’s natural or full glamor). But unless you're Cara Delivingne, such a finish might not be feasible if it weren’t for the ideal eyebrow filler product.
“If you’re choosing to wear makeup, eyebrow fillers are such an important product,” says makeup artist Michael Brown. “The right formula, texture, shade, and finish will add volume, definition, and depth, not to mention balance out your entire face.”
Meet the Expert
Michael Brown is one of Australia’s leading celebrity makeup artists and has held Australian ambassador roles for global brands including St Tropez, Marc Jacobs, Moroccanoil, Ardell Lashes, and Olay.
But with so many pencils, powders, pomades, gels, and waxes at our disposal, finding the one is like searching for Atlantis—it’s a pursuit that can take years. But that’s where we come in! Below, we’ve curated a list of the very best ones on the market for every single arch. All you need to do is keep reading.
Scroll on for Byrdie’s edit of the very best eyebrow fillers.
Best Overall
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer
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Ulta
Built-in spoolie
Angled tip
Non-comedogenic
The tip loses its shape over time
Who else recommends it? Who What Wear also picked the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer.
What do buyers say? 5,900+ Ulta reviewers rated this product 4.5 stars or above.
Anastasia Soare—the genius founder and brow artist behind Anastasia Beverly Hills—is the original and the best celebrity brow stylist, so it’s no wonder her namesake beauty line measures up. The Brow Definer, in particular, is a soft, easy-to-use crayon that fills in gaps and thickens up fine brows while the spoolie buffs it through for a seamless finish. The shade range means it’s a great choice for pretty much any skin tone, too.
Price at time of publish: $26
Type: Pencil | Shades: 12 | Size: 0.007 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Budget
e.l.f. Instant Lift Brow Pencil
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Ulta
Affordable
Built-in spoolie
Nourishing
Not as long-wearing as other options
For brilliant brows on a budget, it’s got to be e.l.f. This dual-end crayon and spoolie can be used to define and fill each arch, either subtly or to a Kardashian level of glam. It also contains grapeseed oil and vitamin E for added nourishment.
Price at time of publish: $3
Type: Pencil | Shades: 5 | Size: 0.006 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Drugstore
Maybelline Total Temptation Brow Definer
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Amazon
Affordable
Built-in spoolie
Great color payoff
Can break easily
Unlike some crayons that crumble or break, this drugstore gem from Maybelline has a soft, gel-like consistency that glides through brows with ease. It’s got quite a thick tip, so it’s excellent for filling in gaps and thin tails.
Price at time of publish: $9
Type: Pencil | Shades: 4 | Size: 0.005 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Pomade
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade
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Amazon
Long-wearing
Great color payoff
A little goes a long way
Requires a little more skill to apply
For thin, uneven brows, Brown loves a waxy pomade like Anastasia Beverly Hills’ famous Dip Brow. Unlike soft pencils and gels, this will adhere to the skin and last all day. It’s incredibly pigmented, so the small pot should last you a long time. Talk about bang for your buck!
Price at time of publish: $21
Type: Pomade | Shades: 11 | Size: 0.14 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Powder
Benefit Cosmetics Foolproof Brow Powder
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Natural finish
Includes an applicator
Has two tones
Not as long-wearing as other options
If you prefer a soft finish or are still wrapping your head around the world of brow products, powder is a great entry point. This one from Benefit Cosmetics comes in two shades—a lighter one to bulk up the front and the deeper shade to define the arch and tail. Plus, a powder is less pigmented by nature, so there’s a greater margin for error when it comes to building up depth.
Price at time of publish: $28
Type: Powder | Shades: 3 | Size: 0.07 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Waterproof
Stila Cosmetics Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color
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Courtesy of Stila
Waterproof
Precise tip
Long-wearing
Pens are prone to drying out
Hard to achieve a fluffy finish
Want to be able to dip into the ocean or pool without your brows fading? Then you’ll appreciate this waterproof pen from Stila. With a marker-like felt tip, it enables you to draw in tiny, hair-like strokes for a full finish that will not budge (even in the face of humidity or sweat).
Price at time of publish: $22
Type: Pen | Shades: 3 | Size: 0.02 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Light Hair
L'Oreal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Eyebrow Pencil
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Courtesy of Ulta
Affordable
Built-in a spoolie
Precise tip
Not as long-wearing as other options
For lighter brows, this filler is a top choice—it comes in light blond, blond, or dark blond. It also has an incredibly fine mechanical tip that can fill in the tiniest of gaps. Just use a light hand, and then buff the product through with the accompanying spoolie.
Price at time of publish: $10
Type: Pencil | Shades: 10 | Size: 0.003 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Wax
Glossier Boy Brow
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Courtesy of Glossier
Foolproof
Not crunchy
Fragrance- and paraben-free
Not as long-wearing as other options
This fan-favorite wax is all you need for a natural, fluffy arch that’s synonymous with the Glossier brand. It’s quite thick and a little bit gluey, so as it sweeps through the brows, it sets and keeps them upright (but without any crunch). If you’re purely after a lift, opt for the clear shade—otherwise, the tinted versions will deposit a little color for extra depth.
Price at time of publish: $26
Type: Wax | Shades: 5 | Size: 0.11 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Gel
Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Eyebrow Gel
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Courtesy of Sephora
Easy to use
Precise spoolie applicator
Volumizing
Doesn’t fill in gaps
Brown loves this classic brow gel from Benefit for either “creating volume on its own” or to “fluff up brows that have been previously filled with a pencil or crayon.” It’s very lightweight and not at all crunchy or flaky—instead, it just delivers lift and hold that looks natural. The pint-sized spoolie affords great control, too (no rouge swipes of color above or below the arch).
Price at time of publish: $32
Type: Gel | Shades: 10 | Size: 0.05, 0.1, or 0.2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Splurge
Gucci Crayon Définition Sourcils Powder Eyebrow Pencil
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Sephora
Unique powder pencil finish
Natural finish
Expensive
What’s amazing about this product from Gucci is that it’s like a pigmented powder in pencil form, so you get a soft, diffused finish without the need to fiddle around with brushes. Create a full but natural arch with light strokes, or build out the intensity for a more dramatic finish.
Price at time of publish: $33
Type: Pencil | Shades: 6 | Size: 0.04 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for a Feathered Finish
Refy 3.0 Stage Brow Collection
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Sephora
Three-step system
Long-wearing
Takes a little longer to apply
Refy is a brand by influencer-turned-beauty-entrepreneur Jess Hunt that’s built a loyal following—all of which are obsessed with full, laminated arches. The 3.0 Stage Brow Collection is admittedly three products, but we promise you when used together, the finished result is pretty spectacular. The idea is to use the sculpting gel first to lift and set before filling in with both the pomade and pencil for an exaggerated, long-lasting finish.
Price at time of publish: $67
Type: Gel, pomade, and pencil | Shades: 3 | Size: 0.28 ounces (gel), 0.05 ounces (pomade), 0.002 ounces (pencil) | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Dark Hair
Fenty Beauty Brow MVP Ultra Fine Brow Pencil and Styler
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Courtesy of Sephora
Creamy texture
Built-in soft brush
Precise tip
Not long-wearing as other options
As for the most diverse shade range, Brown can’t go past Fenty's MVP Ultra Fine Brow Pencil & Styler. “Available in 14 shades, you really can’t go wrong with this fine-tipped mechanical crayon.” It’s quite creamy as far as the texture is concerned, ensuring a smooth, sculpted arch. On the opposite end, you’ll find a tiny little brush that almost resembles a bristle hairbrush—it’s softer than a spoolie, so it won’t buff away quite as much product.
Price at time of publish: $33
Type: Pencil | Shades: 14 | Size: 0.002 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Clear Gel
Makeup By Mario Master Hold Brow Gel
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Sephora
Matte finish
Great hold
Doesn’t flake
Doesn't fill in gaps
If you simply want to lift and hold your brows with no tint, makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic’s Master Hold Gel is Brown’s product of choice: “It has incredible hold and a slightly matte finish, so it leaves brows looking groomed but natural—even if you’re between appointments.”
Price at time of publish: $32
Type: Gel | Shades: 1 | Size: 0.1 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Final Verdict
Your best brow filler will depend on your arches and preferred look, but we can’t go past the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer for its versatility, user-friendly design, and great shade range. We also love Glossier’s Boy Brow for its ability to fluff and shape. And the Gucci Crayon Définition Sourcils Powder Eyebrow Pencil is amazing at crafting a natural but full finish.
What to Look for in Eyebrow Fillers
Formula
Brown explains that the brow filler you choose should come down to two things: the stay of your natural brows and your preferred finish. He explains that pencils, powders, and crayons are great for filling out the natural shape, while gels and waxes simply fluff, lift and provide hold. Pomades, on the other hand, are quite pigmented and long-lasting, so they are ideal if you have very sparse arches or prefer a bold look.
“I typically use a combination of two or more products—such as a crayon and a gel—when I’m working with clients,” Brown adds.
Shades
The other important element to consider is the shade range. “Despite what a lot of people think, an ashy, cool tone is almost always the most flattering when it comes to brows,” explains Brown. The exception is those with red, orange, or strawberry blonde hair, in which case a soft auburn is generally a safe bet.
How We Researched & Tested
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. Our team also incorporated their own personal experiences testing products in their own lives. We then used these insights from our research and testing to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust Byrdie
Byrdie contributor Emily Algar has been a beauty journalist for over seven years—not to mention someone who is very invested in her brows. Over the years, she’s tested numerous products and chatted to many experts, giving her a great idea of what works and what doesn’t.
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