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Thin brows? The 12 best eyebrow pencils that define and fill arches from just £3 – tried and tested
From sparse to shapely, bb
Confession time: People may know me as Keeks, but in my own head, I answer to Strugglebrow. Dead serious. Growing eyebrow hair has never been my journey, and I've spent years side-eyeing friends chatting about threading and waxing when I've barely had enough brow to justify tweezers.
Don't get me wrong, a few eyebrow growth serums have definitely helped thicken things up a touch (big love to Revitabrow Serum and UKBrow – true icons), but I've accepted that brow products will forever be doing the heavy lifting for me. I'm usually ride-or-die for the NYX Lift & Snatch brow pen when it comes to pens, but pencils? I've definitely played the field. Which brings me here: a round-up of the absolute standouts, including one bargain £3 hero and another that somehow stayed put through a rooftop party in 30-degree heat.
How we test
With approximately five eyebrow hairs to my name, I put these pencils through their paces by wearing them daily, rotating each one, drawing my brows on every morning and keeping a close eye on how they held up as the hours passed. I assessed things like smudging, transfer, water resistance and overall longevity, plus how user-friendly they were – did they drag on the skin? Was precision easy? Did they actually pack pigment? And because my hair is very dark brown (almost black), I paid extra attention to how deep the colour looked on the skin. Some pencils lean a little too grey for my taste – something to note if you're also on the darker-hair end of the spectrum.
Best eyebrow pencils
“An eyebrow pencil really can make or break your brows – so I am super particular about the one I use. When testing the new Vieve Modern Brow Definer I knew I would be impressed – c’mon this is Jamie Genevieve we’re talking about – but I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. The tip is so fine (1mm to be precise) so you can create the look of natural, real brow hairs and very precisely fill in your arches to the shape you want. I can get very detailed with this pencil but equally I can use it in a rush, quickly flicking the pencil through my brows, and still get brilliant results,” – Clare Stephenson, Senior Fashion and Beauty Ecommerce Writer.
Shades: 6
Brush: Yes
Glowing customer review: “The tip is fine enough to create soft, hair‑like strokes, but you can also go in more heavy‑handed and colour‑block if you want a bolder brow. I tried it both before and after the gel, and even though the looks were different, both turned out great. It didn’t smear or slide around during the day either, which is a win. It’s one of those pencils that adapts to whatever brow mood you’re in — natural or defined.”
Snaps firstly for this hella inclusive pricing! We love a bargain here at Cosmo when it works this well. Of course, when something is nearly a tenth of the price of its counterpart, you have to wonder where the drawbacks are, and for me, it’s in the limited shades (just 3) and the lasting power. This isn’t a brow pencil designed for chilling in humid or sweaty weather, but if you’re commuting to the office or popping to the shops, I absolutely cannot fault it.
Shades: 3
Brush: Yes
Glowing Customer Review: “I bought this on a whim, they hadn’t got my usual eyebrow pencil, I thought I’d give it a try , I wasn’t expecting too much, as it’s a lot cheaper than my usual one, but I was pleasantly surprised, it lasted all day, I’ll definitely buy again.”
I’m not a cutie in the summer, mmkay – I sweat a sh*t ton, and I was worried about how a new pencil would shape up in the heat.
Well, with this pencil, there was literally nothing to worry about. It withstood a sweat-dappled forehead on a sweltering rooftop in France without budging, which was no mean feat. The shades are limited, but they are true to tone with natural hair colours. If you like a natural, full look that’s more IRL Paris filter than high definition, this is for you.
Shades: 5
Brush: Yes
Glowing Customer Review: “This is the only brow arch definer which works for me without any fuss and leaving brows natural looking. First class product! Long may it continue.”
Considering how waxy this formula is, there wasn’t much tugging when drawing my brows in. Instead, I can create thin, realistic baby hairs with ease using this pencil. The nib is really thin, which I love, but if you prefer thicker brows, you might find drawing in each hair tedious.
Shades: 8
Brush: Yes
Glowing Customer Review: “Second time I have bought this product. Good colour for medium to dark brunettes and the nib always stays sharp and thin. The tip also never broke which is something that has happened before with other brands I have purchased with thin tips. The brush is also good at pushing up those very fine hairs. Will definitely keep buying this product.”
I’m a brow pen lover at heart, so this being a duo pen and pencil for all your brow filling pleasure, really spoke to me. Getting two brow filling options for the price of one does come with a couple of cons, though, the main one being that you get half as much pencil as other buys. It also doesn't come with a brush, but I guess that’s the price you pay for the option of both pen and pencil.
Shades: 4
Brush: No
Glowing Customer Review: “Best eyebrow pen. Really rich colour and felt pen combined with pencil is perfect for filling in brows . Great price too.”
This is such a cult classic from the women that has carved some of the most famous brows in Hollywood. I love how fine the nib is, but it hasn’t ever broken off when using it, so you can get your full sketch artist mode on. The shade range is excellent, especially for blondes; the ashiness of the shade is super realistic.
Shades: 12
Brush: Yes
Glowing Customer Review: “The only brow pencil I buy again and again, yes they’re pricey but the shades are perfect and they’re so easy to use!”
This used to be my go-to brow product, and after trying it again recently, I remembered why I loved it so much. It’s just waxy enough that it sticks around through sweaty gym sessions and blazing UK summer sweats, but when you apply it, it’s totally smooth! Also snaps for the impressive shade range, including an excellent grey shade.
Shades: 12
Brush: Yes
Glowing Customer Review: “This pencil is perfect for creating realistic hair like strokes and filling in sparse brows. Perfect for everyday use. Will continue to repurchase!”
For me, the best thing about this pencil is how pigmented it is. The shade Black, which I used, is coal dark with cool undertones, so I used a light hand to gently draw in hairs and mimic thickness. If you press too hard, you’ll be at risk of breaking the pencil. Ngl, I felt like an artiste, and my brows looked so healthy and thick.
Shades: 8
Brush: Yes
Glowing Customer Review: “This brow pencil is perfect for when your brow tint has faded and you can't be bothered to redo them! The tip itself is so tiny that you can use this brush in a bunch of different ways. I occasionally use as top lid liner and freckles. Really nice shades and I love this brow pencil!”
This is one of the cheapest buys in my top picks, but equally, it's as great as the others. The pencil has great colour payoff and warms up the more you draw. I personally like it as the top-up pencil that I can throw into my handbag for an after-work touch-up.
Shades: 6
Brush: Yes
Glowing Customer Review: “This is the only eyebrow pencil I ever use. It's one of the best 2 in 1. I always use the dark brown, and it isn't overbearing. I'd recommend this to anyone. It's a good bang for your buck bargain.”
L'Oreal Paris Infallible Brows 24H Micro Precision Pencil
They were not lying when they used to call this ‘Le Skinny’, the nib is so teeny it’ll have you questioning if it’s on the jabs. For anyone up in arms about L’Oréal Paris discontinuing the Le Skinny pencil, this is the updated replacement. Its super-thin nib allows you to draw those baby hairs really, really fine. It lasts all day but smudges a little if you have sweaty or very oily skin.
Shades: 6
Brush: Yes
Glowing Customer Review: “I have no eyebrows left now, so this is good for drawing them in. A good shade of blonde. Very fine point that doesn't need sharpening. Lasts mostly all day but rubs off a bit. Goes on smoothly with no waxy bits.”
Ok, this is going to sound shady, but this brow pencil is as basic as they come; it needs to be used with a pencil sharpener, comes in 3 standard shades, and the brush is on the lid, and kind of looks like a spare head of a car vacuum cleaner. Sometimes, though, that is literally all you need. If you want a pencil with punch-over precision, this is great; it's smudge-proof and costs less than an iced matcha.
Shades: 3
Brush: Yes
Glowing Customer Review: “Perfect colour! It doesn't easily break while being sharpened”
This pencil claims 24-hour wear, and while I have never kept makeup on for that long, knowingly, when I’ve been slapdash with my cleanser, I have found that this has lasted through to the morning, without transfer onto my pillow.
Shades: 10
Brush: Yes
Glowing Customer Review: “Love this product. I have the control and precision this allows. The brush helps tame my brows as well. My only wish is that it was refillable!”
This pencil requires a little warming up, but once worked in, I love it. The nib is triangular, so you can go really precise where you want to and thicker everywhere else. The texture is a little waxy, which is why it doesn’t glide on, but honestly, it makes the wear time really good and completely transfer-proof.
Shades: 9
Brush: Yes
Glowing Customer Review: “My favourite ever brow product! I’ve repurchased this time and time again. Great texture, not too waxy and the colour payoff is great. It stays on all day. I wish it was a bit cheaper but it does last a long time.”
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Keeks Reid is the beauty director at Cosmopolitan UK and has worked in the beauty industry for over a decade. While the hair on every other part of her body grows at an alarming rate (thank god for laser hair removal), her eyebrows are permanently sparse. Because of this, she has tried and tested dozens of brow products over the years and can weed the good from the bad very quickly.
Keeks Reid is the Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. While she loves all things beauty, Keeks is a hair fanatic through and through. She started her career in beauty journalism in 2013 as editorial assistant at Blackhair and Hair magazines working her way to Acting Editor of Blackhair magazine at 23 years old. She spent much of her career working in trade hairdressing media at Hairdressers Journal, Salon International and the British Hairdressing Awards. Which is why she is a regular contributor to Cosmo's Curl Up franchise. Now, alongside her Cosmo work, she presents, creates content on social media and works with a range of beauty companies; from magazines and websites to beauty brands and salons.
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