This Is the Most Universally Flattering Brow Color, According to Reddit

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Updated on 05/27/20

Model with full brows and clear skin — Imaxtree

Choosing a brow color seems simple—until you actually have to do it. Let's say you're shopping for a new product among the drugstore aisles. You think, Hey, why not get this dark brown pencil? I have darkish hair. You get home, remove it from its packaging, and apply... and after a few strokes here and a few strokes there, you realize the color is—ahem—all wrong for your brows. Maybe the shade is too warm for your skin tone, and it looks like you used a Sharpie to fill them in, or perhaps it's too cool-toned for your golden undertones. (Not that I'd know from personal experience or anything).

Thanks to the perpetually savvy beauty fans on Reddit's /r/MakeupAddiction boards, however, this problem might soon be a thing of the past. In an open thread that invites users to share their burning makeup questions and get advice from the rest of the community, one shared her frustration with finding the appropriate color for her cool-blonde arches. "I cannot find a pencil or powder to match or complement [the color] and I'm tired of wasting money on products that don't suit," she explained. "They all look too warm." Dark blonde is a tricky shade to nail down for sure, but as could only be expected, fellow Redditors heeded her call and came through with the tips.

The secret: Opt for a taupe shade over blonde or brown

Taupe has a cool undertone, which matches the cool undertones of many peoples' natural brows. This is in contrast with a lot of other brow products, which are often warm-toned, with undertones of red or gold, which can appear too dramatic and look as though it's sitting atop the brow instead of blending in for a more natural appearance.

Take it from Reddit user hatsumochi (a self-described "brow perfectionist"), who commented, "Honestly, I would try a taupe. Not only is taupe more on the cool toned side, but it's usually a universal brow color." Others agreed. User dontgetsad recommended two specific products, the first being Anastasia Beverly Hill Brow Wiz in Taupe, and the second being ColourPop Brow Color in Dope Taupe. Both apparently work great for her "light brown, ashy colored brow hair." Another commenter recommended NYX's Micro Brow Pencil in Ash Brown—yet another variation of taupe.

If the ashy-gray tones of a taupe seem intimidating or just not quite right for your hair, consider this additional piece of advice for finding your perfect brow hue from brow icon Anastasia Soare, founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills. "If you have light eyebrows, go one shade darker than your hair, and if you have dark eyebrows, you go one shade lighter," she tells us in a previous interview. "And if you have a cool undertone, you should use a product with an ashy color."

In other words, next time you're brow shopping, don't be afraid of lighter colors since many brown shades will read much too dark or warm when applied. And use my Sharpie blunder as a cautionary tale! Keep scrolling to check out the taupe brow products recommended by Reddit.