9 Best Brow Gels for Gray Hair to Tint and Nourish Your Arches

Just like the hair on your head, your eyebrows change as you age. While, of course, this is perfectly natural, the best brow gels for gray hair can help you adapt to developments in your lovely arches. Whether you want to enhance your grays with a silvery-tinted gel, match your brows to your color-treated hair, or boost volume with a conditioning treatment, a solution awaits. These cosmetic-chemist- and board-certified-dermatologist-recommended formulas usually incorporate nourishing ingredients that address the dryness and brittleness that often accompany mature brows. Scroll on for the best brow gels for gray hair, and thank us later.

Our Top Picks

• Best Brow Gel for Gray Hair Overall: Kosas Air Brow, $24
• Best Volumizing Brow Gel for Gray Hair: MAC Eye Brows Big Boost Fibre Gel, $26
• Best Brow Gel Applicator: Refy Brow Tint, $24
• Best for Encouraging Brow Growth: Rogaine Women's 5% Minoxidil Foam, $53
• Best for Strengthening Brittle Brows: Revitabrow, $60
• Best Brow Gel to Fill in Sparse Brows: Milk Makeup Kush Fiber Eyebrow Gel, $22
• Most Pigmented Brow Gel for Gray Hair: Chanel Le Gel Sourcils, $38
• Most Buildable Brow Gel for Gray Hair: Merit Brow 1980 Gel, $24
• Best Waterproof Brow Gel for Gray Hair: Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Gel, $20

Frequently Asked Questions

• What's the purpose of a brow gel for gray hair?
• How should I choose a brow gel for gray hair?
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Best Brow Gel for Gray Hair Overall: Kosas Air Brow

Why it's worth it: Into the fluffy brow look? Kosas Air Brow is a one-and-done brow gel we love so much, that we awarded it a Best of Beauty Award in 2022. This tinted, moussey brow gel nourishes maturing brow hairs, leaving behind just enough hue and all the featheriness you've been after. Biotinoyl tripeptide-1 steps in to up the fullness factor, while castor oil and panthenol pro-vitamin B5 hydrate and condition. Just saturate the triangular spoolie with any of the 10 colors (a good flexible gray included), and brush through brow hairs with ease.

Key ingredients: biotinoyl tripeptide-1, castor oil, vitamin B5 | Shades: 10 | Who it's for: everyone, a.k.a. people who want a volumizing and nourishing formula, as well as tinted and clear options

Best Volumizing Brow Gel for Gray Hair: MAC Eye Brows Big Boost Fibre Gel

Why it's worth it: If you're after pigment that doesn't sacrifice volume and vice versa, reach for MAC's Eye Brows Big Boost Fibre Gel, which cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos explains "uses a combination of nylon-6 and nylon-66 fibers to add bulk to eyebrows." The gel can accomplish a pseudo-laminated look or controlled chaos, with a perfectly untamed vibe. If you're growing out the gray hair on your head and want your brows to follow suit, pick up this gel in the Soft Grey hue.

Key ingredients: candelilla wax, beeswax, vitamin E, | Shades: 11 | Who it's for: people who want fuller-looking brows or want to enhance their grays (with the corresponding gray shade)

Best Brow Gel Applicator: Refy Brow Tint

Why it's worth it: Refy's Brow Tint comes in four colors, so it's ideal for the person who wants to add color to their arches—and we're talking waterproof, lasts-through-anything color. "[This product is formulated with] red 40, blue 1, and yellow 5 along with caramel," explains Dobos. "Yes, caramel is an approved color additive used in cosmetics that can stain the brow hairs, although the effect is temporary, and the color will be removed with cleansing." It goes on soft, helping lightly tint and volumize thinning and full brows alike. The best part? The unique round applicator is the key to defining your littlest hairs while avoiding color transfer to the skin.

If you're after a more laminated look to accentuate your new eyebrow color, Dr. Marchbein also recommends the Refy Brow Sculpt. "It's my favorite brow styling product (and what I use daily)," Dr. Marchbein explains. "It holds the brows in place, giving them a thicker and almost laminated appearance, but it rinses off with water or cleanser." In other words, the Brow Tint and Brow Sculpt are a match made in eyebrow heaven.

Key ingredients: camellia flower extract, peptides, caramel extract | Shades: 4 | Who it's for: people who want long-lasting, waterproof color and/or have stubborn, baby brow hairs

Best for Encouraging Brow Hair Growth: Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Foam

Why it's worth it: It's 2024 and Rogaine is not just for the hair on your head. This 2023 Best of Beauty-winning hair-loss treatment is formulated with the highest dose of minoxidil, the only topical ingredient proven to treat hair loss—something that goes pretty hand in hand with your graying brows. "I like using a spoolie to apply [the Rogaine to my eyebrows]," says Shari Marchbein, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. "Remember, though, that you may grow hair anywhere it drips, so be careful with the application," she added. The minoxidil won't necessarily help with the grays, so pairing it with a tinted gel makes for a luscious brow power couple.

Keep in mind consistent use is necessary. "Minoxidil only works while you're using it," Brookline, Massachusetts, board-certified dermatologist Papri Sarkar, MD, previously explained. "If you stop using the product, the hair you regrew while on it will fall out."

Editor's note: As noted by the brand, "Rogaine for nails, beards, and eyebrows have not been tested in clinical trials, and therefore, would be considered as off-label use."

Key ingredients: minoxidil )5%) | Who it's for: people with hereditary hair loss

Best for Strengthening Brittle Brows: Revitabrow

Why it's worth it: Dr. Marchbein also likes vouches for the hair growth-stimulating powers of Revitabrow. Yes, it's more of a conditioner than a gel, but it can help support the other changes in your brows accompanying a bloom of gray. The formula is packed with a proprietary blend of vitamins, peptides, and botanicals that moisturize, stimulate growth, and defend against breakage and brittleness. Apply it with the doe foot applicator once a day, and let it dry completely before putting on other brow products or going to sleep.

Key ingredients: biotinoyl tripeptide-1, octapeptide-2, panax ginseng, swertia japonica | Who it's for: people with weak or brittle brow hairs

Best Brow Gel to Fill in Sparse Brows: Milk Makeup Kush Fiber Eyebrow Gel

Why it's worth it: Milk Makeup's Kush Fiber Eyebrow Gel uses a unique wand to grab and coat each brow hair. "[This gel's applicator] has nylon fibers that have a heart shape with an opening at the top between the rounded parts," Dobos tells Allure. "The unique structure of these fibers allows them to tightly grip the hair fibers." The formula is something to write home about, too, infused with conditioning hemp-derived cannabis seed oil, which gently fuses into even the tiniest hairs. The result? A soft, natural brow with the perfect amount of pigment to neutralize grays.

Key ingredients: hemp-derived cannabis seed oil, glycerin | Shades: 8 | Who it's for: people with sparse or stray hairs

Most Pigmented Brow Gel for Gray Hair: Chanel Le Gel Sourcils

Why it's worth it: Yes, your brows deserve the same luxury treatment as the rest of your face, which is where the Chanel Le Gel Sourcils comes into play. This formula goes on weightless but holds for all-day taming and tinting. Dobos says that, in addition to all of the standard iron oxide colorants, this gel incorporates "chrome greens, ultramarines, iron blue, and manganese violet." Together, these pigments create more nuanced hues with richer undertones to make your gray brows look just like they used to. But fear not, you can always grab in the clear brow gel to keep things more low-key.

Key ingredients: cellulose, glycerin | Shades: 3 | Who it's for: people looking for richer hues and undertones

Most Buildable Brow Gel for Gray Hair: Merit Brow 1980 Gel

Why it's worth it: In the '80s, you rocked free-spirited fluffy brows like nobody’s business, and the effects of the Merit Brow 1980 Gel is a TBT nod to that. Vitamin B5 conditions even the tiniest hairs; the soft formula means zero crunchiness. Then, mineral pigments and kaolin clay impart a buildable, subtle color that lasts all day, sans flakes. The result? The perfect balance of a bushy and behaved brow look, with enough hue to fill in sparse areas coat any unwanted grayness.

Key ingredients: vitamin B5, kaolin clay, carnauba wax | Shades: 4 | Who it's for: people who like a buildable formula that won't result in a crunchy finish

Best Waterproof Brow Gel for Gray Hair: Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Gel

Why it's worth it: Over and over, we pledge allegiance to the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Gel, which is a treat for mature and youthful hairs alike. The titular "dip brow" may conjure images of overly geometric, pomade-painted-on brows, but make no mistake—this deposits evenly, making for long-lasting, well-held arches without over-the-top drama. The brush allows for precise application that imparts solid color payoff and dries down to a waterproof, soft-matte finish. A little goes a long way, though, so less is more if you're going for a notably natural look. The colors range from taupe to ash brown to chocolatey brunette and beyond.

Key ingredients: isododecane, beeswax, | Shades: 11 | Who it's for: people who want no-budge, all-day pigment

Frequently Asked Questions

"Some fun or (not-so-fun) facts about aging and eyebrow hairs," Dobos begins, "As women age, our eyebrow hairs become more sparse, coarser, and turn white or gray." So, when and if that happens as you enter your mature beauty era, a colored tint or a holding gel can help manage those changes. "Many eyebrow gels contain film-forming polymers like PVP or VP/VA Copolymer that can tame unruly brow hairs; these polymers also help bind pigments to the hair fibers and provide long-wear properties," Dobos adds. In men, the opposite happens, she explains. Even though their brows will also go gray because of fluctuations in testosterone, they'll likely become bushier. That's not the case for women, so a fluffy-looking brow gel is the next best thing.

If your brows are turning the corner towards grayness, covering up unwanted strands with a tinted gel is preferable to plucking. "Plucking, in some cases, can cause inflammation of the root of the hair, leading to damage to the follicle, helping the hair look like it's coming in thinner," Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City previously told Allure. "Most of the time, plucking does not truly thin out the hair, but it appears thinner as it grows in because a new hair is formed with a thin edge.

As always, a close read of the ingredient list can be hugely helpful in picking your perfect product. "Many eyebrow gels contain film-forming polymers like PVP or VP/VA copolymer that can tame unruly brow hairs; these polymers also help bind pigments to the hair fibers and provide long-wear properties," says Dobos. Much of the time, these are the same ingredients that you'll find in your favorite hair products. "You might be familiar with these ingredients as they are also used for their strong hold in hairstyling products [like hairspray]." Also, keep an eye out for conditioning ingredients like ceramides, peptides, and vitamins to help soften and hydrate.

Be mindful of the applicator as you shop, too. "Just like mascara, the size and shape of the applicator brush and bristles are important in depositing just the right amount of product," Dobos explains. "The wiper at the mouth of the bottle is also carefully matched to the brush and helps to control the amount of product on the brush. Ball wands and those with a compact tapered section of bristles are good for reaching shorter eyebrow hairs and the edges of brows."

And when you're choosing between shades? NYC-based makeup artist Tommy always advises selecting a color slightly lighter than your dyed or natural hair color—gray or dyed. He previously explained that "the ideal color will mimic the shadow already there that is created by eyebrow hair."

• Kelly Dobos, a cosmetic chemist
• Shari Marchbein, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Tommy, a makeup artist based in NYC

Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?

For our review of the best brow gels for gray hair, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, dermatologists, and cosmetic chemists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product's performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

The makeup slayage doesn't end with your brows. Time to amp up those lovely eyes of yours:

• 17 Best Eye Shadow Palettes for Every Mood and Occasion
• 14 Best Mascaras for a Gravity-Defying Length and Lift
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Done reading? Now, watch Huda Kattan take you through her everyday glam beauty routine:

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