Tried & Tested: These Are The Best Brow Kits For Perfect Eyebrows

Call it a rite of passage, or call it ‘brow blindness’, we’ve all made the occasional poor choice when it comes to our eyebrows. But once you’ve settled on the style and shape that works best for you, how do you perfect the look? We’ve tried and tested a host of eyebrow pencils, gels, and brow kits to find the best option for everyone, plus consulted the experts for how to achieve a polished look at home. 

The Best Brow Kits & Products

• Best All-In-One Brow Kit: Chanel La Palette Sourcils, £44 
• Best Brow Pomade: Benefit POWmade Brow Pomade, £22  
• Best Brow Gel Mascara: Sculpted By Aimee EasyBrow, £18
• Best Brow Pencil: Merit Brow 1990 Sheer Gel Pencil, £26
• Best Brow Highlighter: Iconic London Illuminator, £32

Chanel La Palette Sourcils

Available in three colours to suit all hair and skin tones, the Chanel brow kit contains a wax, a powder and four accessories (foam applicator, mini brush, wand and tweezer) all in one mirrored compact palette for touch-ups on the go. Shape using the tweezer, define the colour with the brush and wax, fill and perfect with the foam applicator and powder and comb with the spiral brush to groom and finish.

SHOP: Chanel La Palette Sourcils, £44, chanel.com

Benefit POWmade Brow Pomade

This long-lasting wax colour is available in eight shades so you can find your perfect colour match. Super easy-to-use this is a great choice if you’re not confident about precise application, or if you prefer a bolder brow. Invest in the Benefit Dual-Ended Angled Eyebrow Brush (our pick of brow-perfecting tools) and stroke onto brows in the direction of hair growth to fill and shape. Finish by brushing with a spoolie for definition.

SHOP: Benefit POWmade Brow Pomade, £22, benefitcosmetics.com

Sculpted By Aimee EasyBrow

If you need minimal brow touch-up but just want something to perfect and polish for a long-lasting look, a brow mascara is your best option. This light-touch tinted fibre gel shade comes in six colours plus a natural clear gel if you just want a little extra hold. It’s great if you’re keen on the brushed-up maxi-brow.

SHOP: Sculpted By Aimee EasyBrow, £18, sculptedbyaimee.co.uk

Merit Brow 1990 Sheer Gel Pencil

If you like a super-light natural touch-up that mimics individual hair, this Merit pencil is one of the best on the market. Its gel texture is easy to apply and long-lasting, our only criticism is that it runs out quickly, especially if you’re filling out brows every day. This can be avoided by being extra cautious not to wind the pencil higher than the advised 1mm. 

SHOP: Merit Brow 1990 Sheer Gel Pencil, £26, meritbeauty.com

Iconic London Illuminator

Alongside shaping and perfecting brows, you can add definition and lift to the area by highlighting just below the brow line. Our pick for this is the Iconic London Illuminator, a high-shine light liquid formula that adds instant radiance wherever it is applied.

SHOP: Iconic London Illuminator, £32, iconiclondoninc.com

Top Tips For Eyebrow Kits

We spoke to Lauren Hogsden, Benefit‘s National Brow Artist, to find out her top tips for finding (and perfecting) the right brow shape and style for you. 

How do you pick the right eyebrow product?

Lauren: ‘Selecting the right brow product depends on your desired look, brow type, and personal preferences. A brow pen provides precise application, and can deliver high-pigment, long-wearing colour. A pomade like POWmade Brow Pomade will deliver long-lasting defined, sculpted brows, thanks to its creamy pigmented formula. Or a gel (like Gimme Brow+) provides a soft hold adding a hint of colour for natural-looking brows. A pencil allows for quick application, adding buildable definition to shapeless, sparse brows. Benefit’s Precisely, My Brow Pencil creates natural-looking, hair-like strokes that help to define brows. Finally, a powder can offer a lightweight blendable texture to create soft, natural brows.

‘If you have oily skin, opt for brow products that have staying power such as a pomade. Apply your chosen brow products with light pressure to build the brow gradually for your desired look.’

How do you find the right colour for your eyebrow product?

Lauren: ‘For grey or silver, a soft cool or ash tone can create a natural look without looking too harsh against grey hair. For blondes, your brows should be slightly darker than your natural hair colour. Brunettes should choose a colour that closely matches your hair, or go one shade lighter for a softer look, while redheads should look for auburn tones that complement the warmth of your hair tone.’

In-Salon Eyebrow Treatments

As well as eyebrow tinting and microblading, there are also aesthetic treatments targeted toward the brow area. Dr Elizabeth Hawkes offers non-surgical eyebrow lifts, also known as ‘chemical brow lifts,’ to her clients wishing to go beyond grooming and shaping using brow kits. We asked her what it involves.

What’s a brow lift and who would it work best for?

Dr Elizabeth: ‘A brow lift, also called an eyebrow lift or forehead lift is a popular procedure for patients wishing to reverse signs of ageing on the forehead, eyebrows, and eyes. The procedure aims to restore the natural appearance of the eyebrow height. This smooths out forehead wrinkles, rejuvenates the area around the eyes, and restores the brow line’s natural shape, resulting in a more youthful appearance. When your eyebrows are low, a compensatory mechanism is to use your forehead, frontalis, muscle to raise the eyebrows. This can worsen the appearance of forehead lines. It is important not to miss this clinical finding in aesthetic consultations. 

‘Brow Lift surgery will raise the height of the eyebrow if it has descended, due to ageing or some medical conditions such as a facial nerve palsy. Neuromodulators, botulinum toxin can also raise the height of the eyebrows and is a great non-surgical way to temporarily raise the height of the brow. 

‘Brow lifts are usually performed for aesthetic reasons to improve signs of ageing – including ‘drooping’ eyebrows, or loss of the eyebrows natural arch, resulting in an aged appearance. However, a patient may seek an eyebrow lift to improve peripheral vision when drooping eyebrows affect their eyesight.’