Brow Pencils

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz – $23

♣ Living Clean Superstar

Overall Rating: (5 / 5)

Performance Rating: (5 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)

Type: Micro Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “#1 U.S. Brow Product (Source: The NPD Group). Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz is an ultra-slim, retractable eyebrow pencil ideal for outlining and detailing brows with professional-quality precision. Available in 12 shades, the unique wax formula features a perfect blend of eyebrow color and wax to deliver a high color payoff and add natural-looking texture and the appearance of a fuller brow. The ultra-fine tip mimics hair like strokes in sparse areas of the eyebrow, while the spoolie end blends for a natural-looking finish.”

This is one of Anastasia Beverly Hills’ most successful products and it has worked well for me.

The twist-up pencil has a very fine lead that I can use to draw on eyebrow hairs for a realistic look. I have used the pencil many times and have not had it break or otherwise demonstrate any problems.

The product contains a few questionable ingredients, but I have not had any problems with it from a toxicity standpoint.

The pencil is available in 12 shades. I have the color Taupe (“for blonde hair with cool/ash undertones”) and it seems to have worked well for me.

Size: 0.003 oz.

Sephora Rating: 4.4 (15,629 reviews)

Credo Clean: Meets Criteria

Clean at Sephora: Unclear

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

Think Dirty Rating: 4 (yellow)

EWG Product Rating: 2 (green)

EWG Ingredient Rating: 4 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Tocopheryl acetate (3), Phenoxyethanol (4), Titanium dioxide (3), Ferric ferrocyanide (4). (Also contains Hydrogenated soybean oil.)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Hydrogenated soybean oil, hydrogenated coco-glycerides, hydrogenated vegetable oil, zinc stearate, stearic acid, carnauba wax, mica, polyglyceryl-2 triisostearate, tocopheryl acetate, caprylyl glycol, phenoxyethanol, hexylene glycol. May contain: titanium dioxide, iron oxides, ferric ferrocyanide

Buy From Anastasia

Aveda Brow Definer – $24

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (4 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)

Type: Wooden with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “Our multitasking brow definer shapes, fills and grooms brows with a 100% naturally derived and vegan formula. Enriched with a balanced blend of botanical waxes and minerals for smooth gliding, long-wearing color that’s smudge proof, and water, sweat and humidity resistant.”

This is a plain wooden eyebrow pencil of the sort that has not worked very well for me, due to the fact that it has been difficult for me to use these pencils to create a natural look.

However, for those who have fuller brows than I do, this type of pencil might be adequate.

This particular pencil is somewhat more expensive than some of the other plain wooden eyebrow pencils that I have tried, but I have not seen that it has been noticeably better or different.

Size: 0.04 oz.

Aveda Rating: 4.2 Stars (32 reviews)

Credo Clean: Meets Criteria

Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

EWG Ingredient Rating: 2 (green)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3). (Also contains Hydrogenated vegetable oil, Canola oil.)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Mica, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Canola Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Candelilla Wax, Carnauba Wax, Sunflower Seed Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate. May contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides

Buy From Aveda

Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Fiber Eyebrow Pencil – $25

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (4 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)

Type: Wooden with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “This easy-to-use, volumizing brow pencil combines fibers AND powder, attaching to existing hairs to build depth & dimension and creating lightweight volume. The result? Fuller-looking brows that look soft, natural and last all day! Includes spoolie for effortless blending.”

This pencil was released in Summer 2022 and interested me because of the mention of the use of fibers in it.

This pencil seems substantially different than the Jones Road eyebrow pencil, which also contains fibers, though.

I feel that this one seems to me more like a plain wooden eyebrow pencil than one that delivers any unusual amount of texture to my eyebrow area.

In addition, the pencil contains a number of problematic ingredients that I would prefer not be used in my makeup products.

I did not have any problems in terms of reacting to the product, however.

I have Shade 1 (“cool light blonde”) and appreciate the fact that Benefit makes an eyebrow pencil this light.

Size: 0.042 oz.

Sephora Rating: 4.5 Stars (720 reviews)

Credo Clean: No

Clean at Sephora: No

Drunk Elephant Clean: No

EU Compliant: Unclear

EWG Ingredient Rating: 7 (red)

EWG Problem Ingredients: PEG-10 dimethicone (3), Benzyl alcohol (6), Yellow #5 (6), Blue #1 (7), Ultramarines (3), Titanium dioxide (3). (Also contains Dimethicone/divinyldimethicone/silsesquioxane crosspolymer, Polymethyl methacrylate.)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethyl Citrate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenylpropanol, Methylpropanediol, Algin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Citric Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cellulose, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopherol. May Contain: Yellow 5, Blue 1, Ultramarines, Bismuth Oxychloride, Iron Oxides, Manganese Violet, Titanium Dioxide.

Buy From Benefit

Benefit Goof Proof Eyebrow Pencil – $24

Overall Rating: (3 / 5)

Performance Rating: (3 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)

Type: Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “Presto…everyone’s an expert with this super easy filling & shaping eyebrow pencil. It features a custom, non-sharpen ‘goof-proof’ tip, soft color and a glide-on formula for easy & fast brow filling. Comes complete with built-in blending spoolie-brush.”

This is a pretty popular eyebrow pencil from Benefit, offering the same sort of triangular tip as many of the other products listed on this page.

Although it goes on quickly and easily, I don’t think that it gives me a very natural look even compared to what I have been able to achieve with the Tom Ford or Bobbi Brown pencils.

Unlike most of the other pencils listed on this page, this product contains a number of different artificial colors that seem unnecessary to me.

People with fuller brows and who are not concerned about toxicity do apparently like this pencil since it is very popular and gets good reviews, however.

This pencil is available in 12 different shades, making it relatively easy for everyone to be able to find the right match.

I tried Shade 2.5 (“neutral blonde”) and thought that it was okay for me.

Ulta Rating: 4.6 Stars (10,905 reviews)

Credo Clean: Meets Criteria

Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria

Drunk Elephant Clean: No

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

Think Dirty Rating: 3 (green)

EWG Product Rating: 3 (yellow)

EWG Ingredient Rating: 6 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Yellow #5 (6), Blue #1 (7), Ultramarines (3), Chromium oxide greens (5), Chromium hydroxide green (4), Ferric ferrocyanide (4), Ferric ammonium ferrocyanide (4), Titanium dioxide (3)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Synthetic fluorphlogopite, stearic acid, hydrogenated castor oil, synthetic Japan wax, ethylhexyl palmitate, beeswax, sorbitan sesquiisotearate, aluminum hydroxide, tocopherol, yellow 5, blue 1, ultramarines, bismuth oxychloride, chromium oxide greens, chromium hydroxide green, iron oxides, ferric ferrocyanide, ferric ammonium ferrocyanide, manganese violet, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, titanium dioxide

Buy From Benefit

Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil – $20

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (5 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (3 / 5)

Type: Micro Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “Oh my WOW…precise & defined eyebrows! This ultra-fine eyebrow pencil draws incredibly natural-looking, hair-like strokes that last 12 budge-proof hours. A few strokes of the rich yet blendable color will transform brows from shapeless & undefined to filled & defined eyebrows.”

This is a micro retractable pencil that is designed to be used to draw on eyebrows that mimic the look of individual eyebrows.

Compared to some similar products – including the Jane Iredale and Anastasia Brow Wiz ones – this one has quite a few more problematic ingredients and also does not seem to have performed as well for me.

It is extremely popular and gets generally good reviews, however.

The product is available in 12 different shades. I have used Shade 2.5 (“neutral blonde”) and the color worked well for me. Shade 3 (“warm light brown”) was a bit on the reddish side and didn’t look nearly as good on me.

Size: 0.002 oz.

Ulta Rating: 4.6 (10,905 reviews)

Credo Clean: No

Clean at Sephora: No

Drunk Elephant Clean: No

EU Compliant: Unclear

Think Dirty Rating: 8 (red)

EWG Product Rating: 3 (yellow)

EWG Ingredient Rating: 7 (red)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Talc (5), Mineral oil (3), BHT (3), Yellow #5 (6), Blue #1 (7), Ultramarines (3), Chromium oxide greens (5), Chromium hydroxide green (4), Ferric ferrocyanide (4), Ferric ammonium ferrocyanide (4), Titanium dioxide (3)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Stearic acid, talc, rhus succedanea fruit wax, hydrogenated castor oil, beeswax, microcrystalline wax, mineral oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, aluminum hydroxide, hydrogenated palm oil, tocopherol, lecithin, BHT, yellow 5, blue 1, ultramarines, bismuth oxychloride, chromium oxide greens, chromium hydroxide green, iron oxides, ferric ferrocyanide, ferric ammonium ferrocyanide, manganese violet, titanium dioxide.

Buy From Benefit

Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Brow Pencil – $45

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (5 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (3 / 5)

Type: Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “This all-in-one, long-wearing brow pencil features a slanted, chiseled tip that delivers soft definition to bold structure in a few masterful strokes. Plus, the attached spoolie diffuses color and combs hairs into place for polished, natural looking brows.”

This eyebrow pencil has the classic triangle-shaped tip but seems to have worked better for me than most other products using that design.

I think it is because it is especially hard and waxy, allowing me to press relatively hard to draw on tiny lines that look more like individual hairs.

Note that this product and the Tom Ford Brow Sculptor (described below) use virtually the same formula and have performed identically for me.

My guess is that the product was originally developed by Bobbi Brown and that the Estee Lauder Company (which owns both brands) borrowed the formula to fill out the Tom Ford line.

Although the Bobbi Brown product appears on the surface to be a little less expensive, the Tom Ford product includes a free sharpener (which I have not managed to make work very well) and a free refill.

While both of the products include talc, I don’t consider this to be a major problem in products such as these that cannot be breathed in.

Although these pencils have worked okay for me (especially when used in conjunction with eyebrow gel), they are on the expensive side and have not worked as well for me as some of the other products that I have tried.

I doubt I will be buying either of them again when they run out, therefore.

The Bobbi Brown version currently is available in 10 colors – Slate (“a light ash brown”), Sandy Blonde (“a yellow-toned blonde”), Blonde (“a medium ash brown for warm medium blonde to medium brown hair”), Honey Brown (“a warm light brown”), Rich Brown (“a deep warm brown for warm red and auburn hair”), Neutral Brown (“a neutral toned clean brown”), Mahogany (“a mid-toned ash brown”), Saddle (“a rich brown for cool light to dark brown hair”), Espresso (“a black brown for dark/darkest brown to black hair with a neutral undertone”), and Soft Black (“a cool soft black”).

There used to also be a Grey color (appearing to be a light ash blonde), but that has been discontinued and many people wrote negative product reviews on the Bobbi Brown site as a result.

A Bobbi Brown makeup artist suggested in a chat that I try Saddle, which seemed pretty dark to me. I instead ordered Slate and it seems to have been one of the better eyebrow shades that I have used.

Size: 0.01 oz.

Bobbi Brown Rating: 3.9 Stars (131 reviews)

Credo Clean: No

Clean at Sephora: No

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Unclear

Think Dirty Rating: 8 (red)

EWG Ingredient Rating: 4 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Talc (5), Titanium dioxide (3)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Behenic Acid, Japan Fruit Wax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Tocopherol, Talc, Aluminum Hydroxide. May Contain: Mica, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide

Buy From Bobbi Brown

Burt’s Bees Eyebrow Pencil – $10

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (4 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)

Type: Wooden with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “Our Eyebrow Pencil fills, defines and shapes brows to bring out your best self naturally. Made with nourishing Jojoba Oil and Shea Butter, the 99.9% natural formula is long-lasting and gentle enough for the delicate eye area.”

Although I don’t feel that this inexpensive pencil from Burt’s Bees has worked very well in terms of providing me with a plausible brow look, it seems about equivalent to the other simple wooden eyebrow pencils from Aveda and Honest that I have tried.

It is available in only two colors – Blonde and Brunette. I have the Blonde shade and it seems to have been okay for me in terms of the color.

The ingredients list looks fairly clean.

Size: 0.038 oz.

Ulta Rating: 4.1 Stars (82 reviews)

Credo Clean: Meets Criteria

Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

Think Dirty Rating: 0 (green)

EWG Product Rating: 1 (green)

EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3). (Also contains Hydrogenated vegetable oil, Canola oil, Citric acid.)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients (Brunette): Hydrogenated jojoba oil, mica, caprylic / capric triglyceride, jojoba seed oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil, shea butter, canola oil, carnauba wax, glyceryl caprylate, candelilla wax, sunflower seed oil, tocopherol, ascorbyl palmitate, citric acid. May contain: titanium dioxide, iron oxides

Buy From Amazon

Buy From Burt’s Bees

Buy From Chantecaille

Chantecaille Waterproof Brow Definer – $39

Performance Rating: Not Yet Rated

Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)

Type: Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “An innovative dual-ended brow perfector with a grooming brush on one end and a triangular tip on the other that allows for a tailor-made stroke and effortless application. The advanced formula combines the benefits of a waterproof brow pencil, wax, and powder to create naturally fuller looking brows instantly. Subtly builds volume while providing light hold. Crafted in Italy.”

I have yet to try this product.

Size: 0.12 oz.

Chantecaille Rating: 5.0 Stars (27 reviews)

Credo Clean: Meets Criteria

Clean at Sephora: Unclear

Drunk Elephant Clean: No

EU Compliant: Unclear

EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3), Ultramarines (3), Phenoxyethanol (4). (Also contains Hydrogenated soybean oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients (Ash Blonde): Titanium Dioxide, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Iron Oxides, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Mica, Ozokerite, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Synthetic Wax, Ultramarines, Phenoxyethanol, Avocado Oil

All Ingredients (Light Taupe): Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Iron Oxides, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Mica, Ozokerite, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Synthetic Wax, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Avocado Oil

All Ingredients (Oak Brown): Iron Oxides, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Mica, Ozokerite, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Synthetic Wax, Phenoxyethanol, Avocado Oil

Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat Eyebrow Pencil – $25

Overall Rating: (3 / 5)

Performance Rating: (3 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)

Type: Micro Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “Unlock the secret to fuller-looking, supermodel brows with this precise, fool-proof, easy-to-use, refillable brow pencil, available in 8 flattering shades for every hair colour! My signature Supermodel Brow is full, fluffy, feathered and fixed. It’s a modern, flattering brow shape that stays in place all day and will suit everyone! Whether you have sparse, thick, faded or thin brows, I have bottled the beauty secrets to supermodel brows and your ultimate browformation at home with my easy-to-use products!”

This is a micro retractable pencil similar to the Anastasia Brow Wiz.

I used mine only a couple of times before a big piece of it fell off. That was disappointing since I was only using it very lightly and had just a little bit of it extended from beyond the tube.

Maybe if I had purchased the product directly from the company rather than from Sephora, it would have held up better.

Considering that this is an expensive product, it is hard for me to think it would be a good idea to buy it again or to suggest that others buy it.

Overall the reviews are pretty good though, and so maybe it was just a fluke.

Other than the breakage, I feel that it performed okay but that some other products (such as the Jane Iredale micro pencil) have been better for me.

I also am not sure that I like the word “cheat” in the name of this pencil, since it tends to lead to a line of thought in my mind where I start to question whether wearing makeup at all is dishonest and something that I would be better off not doing.

The product is available in eight colors. I have the Taupe color and feel that it has been okay for me.

Size: 0.003 oz.

Sephora Rating: 4.5 Stars (436 reviews)

Credo Clean: No

Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: BHT (3), Titanium dioxide (3). (Also contains Hydrogenated soybean oil, Hydrogenated vegetable oil.)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Zinc Stearate, Microcrystalline Wax, Carnauba Wax, BHT. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.

Buy From Charlotte Tilbury

EcoBrow Defining Crayon – $26

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (4 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)

Type: Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “Build bold, defined brows with this smear-proof formula. It provides long lasting wear, a non-waxy natural matte finish look, and a unique slant tip for ultra-precise definition. The dual-sided Crayon features a retractable, self-sharpening brow pencil on one end and a spoolie brush for perfect blending on the other.”

I tried two different colors in this pencil and found that both items dried out to the point that they became basically unusable for me within a few months.

When I first bought these products, I found them to perform similarly to the the Bobbi Brown or Tom Ford eyebrow pencils described on this page, but with a slightly cleaner ingredients list and a lower price tag.

However, after several months had gone by, the EcoBrow pencils became much more difficult to use, to the point that I have been able to get very little product onto my brows.

This is too bad since I would strongly prefer to support a small company that is focused on cleaner beauty products if at all possible.

The product is available in six shades.

I felt that Sharon (named for Sharon Tate and described as “light brunette”) and was a little dark for me.

Marilyn (named for Marilyn Monroe and described as being for “platinum, golden and strawberry blonde hair”) seemed slightly on the reddish side but was an okay color for me.

Credo Rating: 4.5 Stars (105 reviews)

Credo Clean: Yes

Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

Think Dirty Rating: 3 (green)

EWG Ingredient Rating: 2 (green)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3). (Also contains Hydrogenated soybean oil, Hydrogenated vegetable oil.)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Hydrogenated soybean oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil, hydrogenated coco-glycerides, zinc stearate, carnauba wax, dipentaerythrityl hexahydroxystearate/hexastearate/hexarosinate, hydrogenated styrene/methyl styrene/indene copolymer, caprylyl glycol, tocopheryl acetate. May contain: mica, iron oxide, titanium dioxide.

Buy From EcoBrow

Ere Perez Almond Brow Pencil – $21

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (4 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)

Type: Wooden with Brush

The description of this product reads, “Sweet almond oil protects hairs and nourishes the skin underneath and surrounding your brows. Made to perfect your brows, this pencil is unique in its formulation and smooth finish. Fill in gaps with light application of this pencil – your eyebrows will look better, but in a natural way. Features an inbuilt grooming brush to tame fly-away hairs and neaten brows. They say that eyebrows frame the face, so give yours the right attention with our perfect natural pencil. One light neutral brown-stone shade that will suit everyone.”

Like the Westman Atelier brow pencil, the Ere Perez pencil goes on smoothly and easily.

While this seems like it should be a good thing, I have found that this characteristic has made it virtually impossible for me to draw on any natural-looking hairs the way that I can with most other higher-end eyebrow pencils.

Probably this pencil would work fine for someone who was just hoping to add some color to the brows or to fill in a few little spots, though.

The pencil just comes in one shade, a “light brown-grey shade” that is stated as being universal.

The color is darker than I prefer for my own brows, and I also suspect that it would not be nearly dark enough for someone with brown-black or black brows.

One feature I do really like is the little brush on the cap. More companies should consider adding that to their own products, I think.

I also think this is an especially clean product and enjoyed using it for that reason.

Credo Rating: 4.3 Stars (17 reviews)

Credo Clean: Yes

Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

EWG Ingredient Rating: 1 (green)

EWG Problem Ingredients: None. (Contains Hydrogenated vegetable oil, Vegetable oil.)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Mica, hydrogenated vegetable oil, c10-18 triglycerides, octyldodecyl stearoyl stearate, vegetable oil, carnauba wax, sweet almond oil, candelilla wax, sesame oil, polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate, glyceryl caprylate, tocopherol, iron oxides

Buy From Ere Perez

Buy From Pharmaca

GXVE Hella On Point Ultra-Fine Brow Pencil – $24

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (3 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)

Type: Micro Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “A clean, precision brow pencil for natural, full, feathery brows. The super-slim micro tip glides on easily, delivering ultra-fine, hair-like strokes that can fill even the smallest of gaps. Its super-soft formula delivers color that stays put for up to 12 hours of longwear. Plus, it’s transfer-proof and sweat-proof. Like all GXVE products, this eyebrow pencil is vegan, cruelty-free, and formulated clean.”

Although I have liked almost all the slim-tipped mechanical eyebrow pencils that I have tried, this one has been a notable exception.

My experience has been that when I have tried to use the product on either my eyebrows or on the skin on my arm, it has been extremely difficult to get any color to show up at all.

The pencil seems to do a particularly bad job in terms of creating feathery strokes. At most, my brows get filled in with a smudgy non-distinct look.

This is so contrary to the description of the product that I feel like maybe there is a defect in the pencil that I have.

Regardless, this is the first GXVE product that I have tried, and based on this experience I am not all that eager to spend more money on this brand.

This is unfortunate since the ingredients list for the product looks pretty good to me.

I have Shade 2 (“cool taupe”) in this product. Probably the color would be okay if I could get the pencil to actually work for me.

Size: 0.003 oz.

Sephora Rating: 4.6 Stars (187 reviews)

Credo Clean: Meets Criteria

Clean at Sephora: Yes

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

EWG Ingredients Rating: 2 (green)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Rhus Succedanea Fruit Wax, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Triisostearin, Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol. May Contain: Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide.

Buy From GXVE

Haus Labs The Edge Precision Brow Pencil – $22

♥ Lisa’s Choice

♣ Living Clean Superstar

Overall Rating: (5 / 5)

Performance Rating: (5 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)

Type: Micro Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “This Best of Beauty winning brow pencil naturally shapes and defines brows with total ease. Its superfine, durable tip mimics fine, hairlike strokes for effortless blending with a creamy, smudge-proof formula that conditions brows for up to 24 hrs after application. Clinically + Dermatologist tested.”

I found this eyebrow pencil to work quite well for me, to the point that I think that it looks okay on me even when I use it on its own rather than in combination with brow gel.

It seems to go on nicely and to fill in my thin brows in a way that looks pretty natural to me.

I also like the fact that there is a wide color selection of 13 different shades.

I tried Soft Blonde (“neutral undertone, recommended for platinum to light blonde hair”) and feel that it gives me an especially attractive soft look that coordinates well with my hair color and skin tone.

I think I may buy this product again primarily because I like this color on me.

Size: 0.002 oz.

Awards: Allure Best of Beauty 2020

Haus Labs Rating: 4.7 Stars (38 reviews)

Credo Clean: Meets Criteria

Clean at Sephora: Yes

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Tocopheryl (3), Titanium dioxide (3). (Also contains Hydrogenated vegetable oil.)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Polyethylene, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Carnauba Wax, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Zinc Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polybutene, Aluminum Hydroxide, Sorbitan Tristearate, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide.

Buy From Haus Labs

Honest Eyebrow Pencil – $13

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (4 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)

Type: Wooden with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “Infused with Jojoba Seed Oil to condition. Create natural-looking brows like a pro with this creamy, blendable color. Add depth and definition to your arch with a few smooth strokes.”

This is a plain wooden eyebrow pencil requiring manual sharpening and available at a reasonable price.

The product is stated as being made in Italy and assembled in China.

Although I have not had much success using it to create natural-looking brows for myself, I think it likely would be fine for darkening or filling in brows that are less difficult than mine.

It is available in five colors. I tried Ash Blonde and think it has been okay for me.

Ulta Rating: 4.3 Stars (30 reviews)

Credo Clean: Meets Criteria

Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria

Drunk Elephant Clean: No

EWG Product Rating: EWG Verified

EWG Ingredient Rating: 4 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3), Blue #1 (7)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients (Ash Brunette): Jojoba Seed Oil, Beeswax, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Carnauba Wax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Tocopherol, Soybean Oil, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides. May Contain: Blue 1.

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Buy From Jane Iredale

Jane Iredale Retractable Brow Pencil – $24

♥ Lisa’s Choice

♣ Living Clean Superstar

Overall Rating: (5 / 5)

Performance Rating: (5 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)

Type: Micro Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “Ultrafine precision tip plus shaping spoolie. Ergonomic for perfect, hair-like strokes. Longwearing, water-resistant, no-smudge formula. Expertly fills and defines with a dual ended, ultra-fine retractable precision tip on one end and an expert shaping spoolie on the other. Long-wearing formula that is waterproof and stays put without smudging. Medium coverage shades that are realistic and blend with natural hair coloring. Easy-to-hold, ergonomic barrel allows you perfect control to create precise hairlike strokes.”

This is a micro retractable brow pencil similar to the Anastasia Brow Wiz one, but with an especially clean ingredients list.

Because I had a Jane Iredale lipstick break at the base after just a couple of uses, I was afraid that this pencil would do the same thing.

So far it has not broken at all and has been very pleasant to use, though.

The pencil is available in five colors. I have the Ash Blonde (“light taupe”) and have found it to be a good color for me.

I very well may eventually buy this product again.

Size: 0.003 oz.

Jane Iredale Rating: 4.5 Stars (256 reviews)

Credo Clean: Meets Criteria

Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

EWG Ingredient Rating: 1 (green)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Diisostearyl Malate, Triethylhexanoin, C20-40 Acid, C20-40 Alcohols, Polyethylene, Synthetic Wax, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Ethylcellulose, Boron Nitride, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Carmine, Bismuth Oxychloride

Buy From Pharmaca

Jones Road The Brow Pencil – $22

♥ Lisa’s Choice

♣ Living Clean Superstar

Overall Rating: (5 / 5)

Performance Rating: (5 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)

Type: Wooden

The description of this product reads, “More brow with less work. This smooth, controllable pencil integrates tiny, hairlike fibers to add dimension and fullness. Use it to achieve fluffy and feathery brows, to extend and define, or just to fill in bare patches. Totally waterproof.”

I feel that this is one of Jones Road’s most innovative and overall best products and that it is unlike any other eyebrow pencils that I have tried.

The pencil actually adds a substantial amount of texture to my brows, apparently due to the use of the visible fibers that are incorporated into the pencil.

I have found that the pencil allows me to very easily fill in my brows and to achieve a quite natural look, without the need for adding any brow gel on top of it.

Even more surprising is the fact that I do not really need to keep this pencil sharpened very much in order for it to work for me.

While I think this pencil would be appropriate for people with ordinary brows, it seems to be a particular game-changer for those with difficult brows like mine.

If someone has no brows at all, this is the product that I would suggest trying.

I have tried three of the shades of this pencil – Blonde, Ash, and Light Brunette. I have found Ash to work the best for me but wish that there could be a lighter cool blonde color added to the line.

Size: 0.06 oz.

Jones Road Rating: 4.4 Stars (378 reviews)

Credo Clean: Yes

Clean at Sephora: Unclear

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

EWG Ingredient Rating: 2 (green)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Myristyl myristate (3)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Castor Seed Oil, Candelilla Wax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Silica, Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Myristyl Myristate, Shea Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Nylon-66, Lecithin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-t-Butyl, Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, May Contain: Mica, Iron Oxides.

Buy From Jones Road

Kosas Brow Pop – $22

♥ Lisa’s Choice

♣ Living Clean Superstar

Overall Rating: (5 / 5)

Performance Rating: (5 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)

Type: Micro Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “A longwear, dual-action micro triangle pencil that lets you wear your brows however you feel it—both filling in sparse brows and creating precise, hair-like strokes with color that stays put.”

This retractable eyebrow pencil is not quite as thin as most of the other micro pencils mentioned on this page, but I still have found it to be easy to use it to fill in my brows with “hair-like strokes.”

I’ve used this product many times and feel that it has worked well for me.

The ingredients list looks particularly clean to me.

The product is available in 10 shades. I have been using Taupe (“cool blonde”) and feel that it has worked well for me.

Oddly, the Think Dirty app gives this product a 7 (yellow) but then cites only the titanium dioxide as being a problem. This is the kind of anomaly (probably just due to carelessness) that makes me not trust Think Dirty all that much.

Size: 0.002 oz.

Sephora Rating: 4.4 Stars (411 reviews)

Credo Clean: Yes

Clean at Sephora: Yes

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

Think Dirty Rating: 7 (yellow)

EWG Ingredient Rating: 2 (green)

EWG Problem Ingredients: None

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Mica, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin. May Contain: Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide

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Buy From Mineral Fusion

Mineral Fusion Retractable Brow Pencil – $20

♣ Living Clean Superstar

Overall Rating: (5 / 5)

Performance Rating: (5 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)

Type: Micro Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “The Mineral Fusion Retractable Eyebrow Pencil makes it easy to shape, fill, and define for natural-looking eyebrows. Dual ends make this the perfect all-in-one brow tool. The thin spoolie is ideal for shaping and blending color for a more natural look. Velvety, glide-on mineral pigments provide buildable, long-lasting natural color. Formula is infused with botanicals.”

This is another micro retractable brow pencil that is designed to draw very thin lines on the brows to give the look of individual hairs.

While I don’t feel that this pencil has worked as easily for me as some of the similar eyebrow pencils that I have tried, so far it has performed reasonably well and has not broken on me.

Except for the phenoxyethanol (a commonly used preservative), this seems to be a pretty clean product.

It is available in only three colors – Blonde, Medium Brown, and Dark Brown.

I have the Blonde color and feel that it is not exactly the right shade for me, probably because it is too warm.

Size: 0.003 oz.

Mineral Fusion Rating: 4.2 Stars (42 reviews)

Credo Clean: Meets Criteria

Clean at Sephora: Unclear

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Phenoxyethanol (4), Titanium dioxide (3). (Also contains Hydrogenated soybean oil, Hydrogenated vegetable oil.)

Fragrance Ingredients: Matricaria flower extract

All Ingredients: Hydrogenated Soybean oil, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Zinc Stearic Acid, Carnauba Wax, Mica, Polyglycryl-2 Triisostearate, Tocopheryl, Acetate, Matricaria Flower Extract, Carprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide.

PYT Beauty Brow Goals Pencil – $14

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (4 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (4 / 5)

Type: Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “Unique tip easily draws on brows with precision and fills in sparse areas. Smooth, matte formula can go from light to dark with layered strokes. Brow brush (spoolie) to tame brows plus surprise hidden sharpener for extra precision. Made with nourishing Vitamin E.”

This reasonably priced brow pencil goes on very smoothly and evenly.

While this seems at first that it should be a good thing, this actually makes it extremely difficult for me to use the pencil effectively since drawing fine light lines to fill in my sparse brows with natural-looking strokes is not something that this pencil much wants to do.

I think that those who have denser brows and who are just using the pencil to do a little filling and darkening might like it a lot though (and it does get excellent reviews on Credo).

The ingredients list looks reasonably clean and I felt fine about using it from a toxicity perspective.

The pencil is available in five colors – Blonde, Taupe, Warm Brown, Chocolate and Warm Black.

I have used the Taupe color and think that it was too dark for me, in addition to going on too easily.

Credo Rating: 4.7 Stars (223 reviews)

Credo Clean: Yes

Clean at Sephora: Unclear

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

EWG Product Rating: 2 (green)

EWG Ingredient Rating: 4 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Phenoxyethanol (4), Tocopheryl acetate (3), Titanium dioxide (3)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Carnauba wax, caprylic/capric triglyceride, tribehenin, rhus verniciflua peel wax, silica dimethyl silylate, hydrogenated coco-glycerides, polyglyceryl-2 dipolyhydroxystearate, phenoxyethanol, glyceryl caprylate, tocopheryl acetate, iron oxides, titanium dioxide

Buy From PYT

Tom Ford Brow Sculptor – $54

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (5 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (3 / 5)

Type: Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “To Tom Ford, the eyebrows are one of the most important elements of your face architecture. A perfectly groomed and shaped brow is the most powerful non-invasive way to define and enhance your features. The unique calligraphy tip allows a tailor-made stroke, from thin to wide. Remove the opposite-end cap to uncover the grooming brush; twist the cap counterclockwise to reveal the sharpener. Includes one refill. To refill, pull out empty cartridge and insert replacement until it clicks.”

This brow pencil from Tom Ford uses almost the exact same formula as the Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Brow Pencil.

Tom Ford and Bobbi Brown are both owned by Estee Lauder Companies, and so the formula seems to have been shared across the brands.

The Tom Ford pencil is more expensive than the Bobbi Brown one, but comes with a free sharpener as well as a free refill.

It has a pretty clean list of ingredients and (even when I have not just sharpened it) seems to be more capable of drawing small thin lines in my brows than many of the similar products discussed on this page.

I have found that it works reasonably well for my brows, especially for those times that I am planning to also use tinted eyebrow gel.

The pencil is available in five colors – Blonde, Taupe, Chestnut, Espresso and Granite.

The Granite was much too dark for me, but the Taupe was not too bad.

Sephora Rating: 4.6 Stars (536 reviews)

Credo Clean: No

Clean at Sephora: No

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Unclear

EWG Ingredient Rating: 4 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Talc (5), Titanium dioxide (3)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Behenic Acid, Japan Fruit Wax, Triethylhexanoin, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Talc, Tocopherol. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides

Buy From Tom Ford

W3LL People Expressionist Brow Pencil – $12

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (4 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)

Type: Micro Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “A dual-ended conditioning eyebrow pencil featuring a micro-fine point to fill in and define your brows into a natural, fuller-looking finish. Smooth-glide formula helps you define and fill in eyebrows. Ultra-fine tip for total precision. Features a spoolie brush for grooming and shaping. Plant-based ingredients like Mango Seed Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Castor Seed Oil help condition brow hairs. Now available in 5 inclusive eyebrow shades.”

In terms of the look that I have been able to achieve from it, this micro retractable pencil from W3LL People seems to perform more like one of the wooden brow pencils that need to be sharpened by hand.

Although it goes on smoothly, I have had a hard time penciling in the fine lines that I think give my brows a more realistic look.

It more just colors in my brows evenly.

I would guess that this product would work fine for someone who had fuller brows that I do and was just trying to darken them a bit and to fill in a few small spots, though.

The pencil is available in five shades. I have Taupe and the color seems to be fine for my brows.

Size: 0.003 oz.

W3LL People Rating: None

Credo Clean: Yes

Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)

EWG Problem Ingredients: Tocopheryl acetate (3), Titanium dioxide (3)

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Hydrogenated Castor Oil, C10-18 Triglycerides, Synthetic Beeswax, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Mica, Carnauba Wax, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1, Candelilla Wax, Mango Seed Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, Castor Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Lecithin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Myristate, Isostearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide

Buy From W3LL People

Westman Atelier Bonne Brow – $38

Overall Rating: (4 / 5)

Performance Rating: (4 / 5)

Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)

Type: Twist-Up with Spoolie

The description of this product reads, “Natural definition meets feathery fullness for the ultimate ‘Bonne Brow.’ This dual-ended tool features a retractable, angled-tip pencil to fill and define with a precision spoolie to blend and groom. Made with 100% naturally-derived pigments, the firm-yet-gentle formula glides on evenly to mimic hair-like strokes for a just-right brow every time. Buildable finish goes from soft and defined to bold and full. A detachable, dry spoolie allows for superior control, easy corrections, and precise blending. Silicone free, paraben free, talc free, phthalates free, fragrance free, no PEGS.”

This eyebrow pencil was released by Westman Atelier in early 2022.

Although on the surface it looks like the Bobbi Brown and Tom Ford eye pencils (both of which have worked pretty well for me), this product is considerably softer and goes on much more easily.

Perhaps this is a good thing for people who are just filling in their already reasonably thick brows, but I have personally had a difficult time with this product.

I have the lightest shade available in this pencil, called Stone (“blonde and red hair”).

However, even though I have tried my best to follow Gucci Westman’s advice of applying the product with an extremely light touch, I feel like my brows always end up looking much darker and harsher-looking than I would like for them to be.

One of the Westman Atelier online makeup consultants told me that the pencils seem to be especially pigmented and that she herself had decided to use a lighter shade than she originally expected would be best for her.

However, I feel that the issue here is not just that the pencils are highly pigmented but also that the color goes on so easily that it has been impossible for me to use a light enough touch to provide me with an acceptable look.

Probably if I had brows that were darker or less problematic, this pencil would work better for me.

I might try the product again if the company were to release it in a lighter shade.

Size: 0.01 oz.

Credo Rating: 4.8 Stars (24 reviews)

Credo Clean: Meets Criteria

Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria

Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria

EU Compliant: Meets Criteria

Think Dirty Rating: 3 (green)

EWG Ingredient Rating: 1 (green)

EWG Problem Ingredients: None

Fragrance Ingredients: None

All Ingredients: Iron Oxides, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Stearic Acid, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Titanium Dioxide, Triethylhexanoin, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate, Dipentaerythrityl Pentaisostearate, Polyglyceryl-2, Triisostearate, Tocopherol, Aluminum Hydroxide.

(All information is for the Slate shade.)