This isn’t just another beauty review. I am talking about the Anastasia Beverly Hills Microstroke Brow Pen – a product that has completely transformed my makeup routine, to the point where I’d feel irresponsible as a beauty journalist by not sharing it.
Filling in my eyebrows is the hardest, most time-consuming step in my makeup routine. When brows are done right, they can lift your face and frame your features. When they’re done wrong, they can throw everything off.
Because of that, I’d say this is the most important step in my routine, so I am incredibly particular about the tool I use. I’ve tested more brow pens than I can count, but none have come close to the Microstroke Brow Pen.
Since launching last year, it has gained over 1,300 5* reviews (just on the Boots website) and has a huge following of editors and experts. What else did you expect from the queen of eyebrows herself, Anastasia Soare?
What I love about the Anastasia Beverly Hills Microstroke Pen:
- It’s designed to create natural, hair-like strokes
- The fine applicator makes it easy to quickly fill out the brows, without any skill or dexterity needed
- The spoolie allows you to blend out the strokes for a seamless finish
- It comes in 9 shades
How to use the Anastasia Beverly Hills Microstroke Pen:
This delivers everything I could ask for in a brow pen, from the shade range and pigment, to the ease of use and overall natural finish.
However, the real showstopper for me is the super-fine nib. It has a tapered end and is the perfect length and thickness to create the illusion of real brow hairs. If you press down hard, you will get a thicker line but overall the formula comes out gently so it never draws on heavy block brows.
Unlike many brow pens, you don’t need a super-steady hand to create natural-looking eyebrows with Microstroke. You can be a total beginner and still create a professional result.
To draw on your brows, begin with mapping them out. The best way to do this is to align the start of your brow with the edge of your nose, and the tail with the outer corner of your eye. Use the pen to lightly mark these points, then fill in between them with soft, hair-like strokes.
Start at the bottom of your eyebrow and apply gentle pressure in a flicking motion, drawing hair-like strokes in the same direction as the hair growth. Working from the inner corner to the outer corner, continue to fill in your eyebrows with feathery strokes.
It also comes with a spoolie – one of the only brow pens on the market with a spoolie, fyi – so that you can blend the product into your brows for an even, seamless result.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Microstroke Pen: Swatches
The Microstroke pen comes in 9 shades with cool, warm and neutral undertones. I use the shades Dark Brown and Ebony as I find mixing tones creates a natural result.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Microstroke Pen: The bottom line
If you’re looking for an eyebrow pen that takes the skill out of doing your eyebrows, this is the product for you. It is so easy to use so I can haphazardly flick the pen through my hairs, knowing they’ll look defined but never overdone. The lasting-power is impressive too. It’s water-resistant so will withstand a sweaty ‘new-year-new-me’ run, nor will it budge throughout the day.
My only bugbear is the film on the packaging rubs off over time, so annoying flakes can stick to your hands as you use the product. Other than that, it’s a brow pen I will never allow myself to run out of – and one I believe every makeup bag needs.
Shop the Anastasia Beverly Hills Microstroke Brow Pen, £26.00
Editor-approved best-selling beauty products from Anastasia Beverly Hills:
Anastasia Beverly Hills Impeccable Setting Spray
Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Genius Serum
Anastasia Beverly Hills Impeccable Blurring Second Skin Matte Foundation
Clare Stephenson is the Senior Fashion and Beauty E-commerce Writer for Cosmopolitan, ELLE and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been an e-commerce writer since 2022, creating matter-of-fact reviews and shopping pages filled with her favourite products for every budget and need – whether that’s a glow-giving foundation, a high-tech LED face mask or the perfect wear-with-everything blazer.
Alongside writing, Clare loves to be in front of the camera creating shopping content, putting viral products to the test to see which ones are truly worth the hype. Through her work, she has interviewed leading dermatologists, makeup artists and industry experts to bring readers trusted advice and product recommendations.
Clare has contributed to titles across the Hearst UK portfolio, including Women’s Health, Good Housekeeping, Red and Prima. Prior to joining Hearst, she earned a BA in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University, focusing her studies on magazines and editorial. She later worked as an editorial assistant at Voir Fashion Magazine, covering events including Fashion Week and interviewing notable brand founders.
Outside of work? You can find Clare strolling through London’s Columbia Road Market, pouring her fourth coffee of the day or heading to a Pilates class.
Follow Clare on Instagram @clarefrancesstephenson.
