Tried and tested: The best eyebrow gels to buy now
Struggle with strays when it comes to your brows? Us too. Here are the best gels to keep your eyebrows in place all day
All products are chosen independently by our editors. Luxury London may earn commission on items purchased.
The sad truth of the matter is, not all of us are blessed with eyebrows that just stay in place. I’m well aware ‘eyebrows are sisters, not twins’ so they won’t ever look identical (many a beauty blogger told me so in the 2010s) but them being wildly different is never a look one strives to achieve. I’ve done it all during my mission to keep them presentable: the pomade, the pencil, the tint, the wax. But the former is too time-consuming to use day after day, the pencil can be pasty, and the latter requires forward planning. Enough said.
Enter the eyebrow gel – the king of all eyebrow products that, in my opinion, is wildly underrated. Not only does it help shape your brows with just a flick of the wrist, but some iterations can add colour and texture to your brows in under five minutes (low-maintenance beauty lovers rejoice). But, as with every genuinely useful beauty product that hits the market, it soon becomes a minefield to find the right one. Luckily for you, I’ve tried and tested an array of high-end and high-street brands so you’ll never have to factor more than a few minutes into your brow routine again.
REFY Brow Sculpt
REFY founder Jess Hunt is famed for her perfectly-placed, laminated brows – so naturally this gel was a winner with many when it was first released in 2020. I like how it features two sculpting tools in the brush head, great for shaping your brows before adding the gel. A little goes a long way, and the formula leans more on the waxy side, helping achieve a more laminated look which stays in place all day.
Chanel LE GEL SOURCILS Longwear Eyebrow gel
Available in transparent, blonde and brunette shades, the Chanel eyebrow gel is a stalwart on the scene having first hit the market in 2017 – but I can confirm it’s an oldie but a goodie. This is best for those wishing to push up and thicken the appearance of their brows, as well as being easy to apply thanks to its water-like formula. I also like the subtle colour but, if like me, you don’t like too much tint at the front of your eyebrows, have a lighter hand with the brush.
DIOR Diorshow On Set Brow
More akin to a mascara than a gel, the Diorshow product is the one to choose if you want your brows slicked back all day (and perhaps all night too). The formula, made with 90 per cent natural ingredients, is also waterproof which means it can result in a stiffer texture more suited to those prone to fly-aways. I’m a big fan of the small brush, as it’s easily shapes the brow’s natural arch. It’s available in five shades, but I recommend transparent as it can be used with a brow pencil underneath.
Glossier Boy Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel-Pomade
The word ‘pomade’ in its name should be enough to signal that Glossier’s is the thickest formulation in this selection, so is perfect for those who need to add fullness to thin brows. Don’t be scared though: it’s very buildable and is formulated with soft, nourishing ingredients, such as beeswax and carnauba wax, to also achieve a laminated look that doesn’t flake or smudge. The small brush is also a winner for those with thinner brows, and is available in five shades ranging from black to auburn, and blonde to transparent.
Sephora COLLECTION Shape & Set Clear Brow Gel
I was slightly sceptical to try this high street brow gel, as my past experience with other beauty concession options has left me with a white cast on my brows that flaked throughout the day. Sephora’s gel pleasantly surprised me. Only available in a transparent formulation, the plastic rubber brush can style brows in two different ways: the flat side is for a laminated look, while the brush evenly combs formula through. No flakiness or white cast in sight, and it stays in place all day without feeling stiff.
Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Freeze Gel
Another wax-gel hybrid, it’s evident that the team at Anastasia Beverly Hills has thought clearly about the formulation. Created without parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, and fragrance, while hydrating brow fibres with glycerin, this should be your top choice if you’re after a feathered eyebrow look. The two-sided brush features a thicker side intended for use at the inside of your brows, while the thinner side is used to perfect the arch. As the name suggests, this gel grips your eyebrows in place, so no amount of accidental smudging can budge them, and it dries quickly for when you’re on the go.
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