12 Best Brow Gels for All-Day Definition

Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, peptides, castor oil | Shades: 10

Best Buildable Brow Gel: Benefit Fluff Up Brow Wax

Why it's worth it: Benefit's Fluff Up Brow Wax is an Allure favorite for its crunch-free, buildable formula. Cosmetic chemist Laura Lam-Phaure explained that the subtle (but still strong) natural finish can be attributed to dimer dilinoleyl dimer dilinoleate, an ingredient often found in foundations that imparts a dewy finish. In the 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner, however, it "helps provide a more natural finish to the brows, as opposed to something incredibly matte like a hair pomade or shiny/glossy like a hair gel."

Tobi Henney, a New York City-based makeup artist, is a big fan of Fluff Up's sister formula, the 24HR Brow Setter. "It probably has the firmest hold out of any brow gel I have ever tried," she informs Allure. If that doesn't impress you, maybe this will. "No matter if I am shooting on a windy beach or a red carpet, the brows are always exactly where I want them to be," Henney adds.

Tester feedback: Contributing commerce writer Annie Blackman keeps the mini version of the Fluff Up Brow Wax in her purse at all times. "This stuff is the perfect hold for touch-ups throughout the day," she attests. "Unlike other brow gels, I'm not hesitant to apply more than one coat for fear of crustiness. This little tube has yet to let me down."

Key ingredients: polymers, panthenol, cotton extract | Available shades: 1

Best Hybrid Brow Gel: Kulfi Beauty Free the Brow

Why We Love It: Inspired by brow slugging and the hair-oiling practice long used in Ayurvedic medicine, Kulfi Beauty's Free the Brow combines the hold and volume you get from brow gel with the nourishment of a brow serum. It's formulated with skin-care mainstays like vitamin E, sunflower oil, and safflower oil to encourage healthy hair growth and increase eyebrow density. It also has multiple applicators, so you can choose between applying the formula with a comb, a spoolie, and a brush to get different looks. The ingredients are so conditioning that you can apply this gel at night to give your brows some extra TLC.

Tester feedback: Commerce editor Sarah Han loves the versatility of Free the Brow's design. To get a fluffy, laminated look, she applies the gel-serum in the opposite direction of hair growth before using the lavender comb to brush everything into place. The fluffy black brush is particularly helpful for shaping and perfecting her (super fussy) brow ends.

Key ingredients: vitamin E, sunflower oil, safflower oil | Shades: 1

Best Brow Gel for Fullness: Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Eyebrow Gel

Why it’s worth it: If you love the feathery look but aren’t craving anything too statement-like, consider the clear Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel. It’s waterproof so it won't budge or flake in the face of sweat and humidity. We also love the applicator, which is soft, but not at all wimpy.

Tester feedback: "While I may not have many brow hairs, the ones I do have are so stubborn that not even the top-selling brow gels that everyone raves about can keep them in place," says shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis. "But, leave it to Selena Gomez to drop one that keeps my brows in place all day with zero residue or crunchiness. I keep one in my purse at all times to touch up any flyaway hairs on my head—that's how strong this gel is.”

Key Ingredients: polymers, panthenol, glycerin | Available Shades: 1

More brow gels we love:

Best Brow Gel for Gray Hair: Chanel Le Gel Les Sourcils

Why it’s worth it: Chanel's Le Gel Sourcils is the brow gel version of a rainbow—with a little more brown in the mix. Cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos previously told Allure that, along with the standard iron oxide colorants you'll find in most gels, this one incorporates "chrome greens, ultramarines, iron blue, and manganese violet." The pigments come together to liven up dullness and work exceptionally well on ashy or gray hairs, resulting in a super nuanced hue.

Key ingredients: cellulose, glycerin | Shades: 3

Best Multitasking Brow Gel: Live Tinted Huebrow Clear Setting Eyebrow Gel

Why it’s worth it: Designed to set brows and seal in any tint you’ve applied beneath, Live Tinted’s Huebrow is as strong as it is flexible, so you have time to adjust and smooth your brows exactly how you like—which is why it won a 2023 Best of Beauty Award). What’s more: It has a dual-sided applicator with puffy bristles for fluffing and a flat side for smoothing. The olive- and jojoba oil-infused formula leaves brows with a touch of shine, which (bonus) lends the appearance of fullness.

Key ingredients: aloe extract, jojoba oil, panthenol | Shades: 1

Best Conditioning Brow Gel: Glossier Boy Brow

Why it's worth it: Ever since it hit the scene in 2015, brow amateurs and pros alike have loved Glossier Boy Brow. Henney says "There is something for everyone in [its shade] range," which includes Black, Brown, Auburn, Blonde, Clear, and Gray. We’re also fans of the petite packaging, which allows the tube to fit into even the most micro of micro bags for on-the-go grooming. This buildable formula also contains oleic acid, an emollient that nourishes and softens brow hairs for a never-stiff finish. It's one of the few brow gels to offer a gray tint, making it ideal for those with gray hair or ashy blondes.

Key ingredients: beeswax, carnauba wax, oleic acid | Shades: 7

Best Waterproof Brow Gel: Charlotte Tilbury Brow Fix Clear Brow Gel

Why it's worth it: "I personally love using clear brow gel for sculpting and setting my clients' eyebrows," Los Angeles-based makeup artist Carola Gonzalez says of the 2021 Best of Beauty Award-winning Charlotte Tilbury Brow Fix Clear Brow Gel. It doesn't leave any crusty white residue, and the wand allows her to "sculpt each hair precisely where I want it to lay," she adds.

After five minutes, the already sweat-resistant formula becomes waterproof—so you don't have to go in and cake on the gel throughout the day. Need more convincing? Brow Fix is also infused with softening silk, conditioning panthenol, and hydrating watercress extract. For a tinted finish, start by layering the water-resistant (but not waterproof) Legendary Brows Tinted Brow Gel underneath.

Key ingredients: polymers, panthenol, watercress extract | Shades: 1

Best Brow Gel for a Natural Look: Merit Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade

Why it's worth it: Looking to bulk up sparse brows? Meet Merit’s Brow 1980. As its name suggests, this product is a nod to the full, lush brows of the '80s, but with all the 2024 beauty advancements that make the brand stand out. Pump up the volume with this nourishing pomade, infused with conditioning vitamin B5, kaolin clay, and mineral pigments for flexible, all-day hold. The brush is tapered and cone-like to coat every hair without too much effort on your part—delivering a more natural look for the brow minimalists out there.

Key ingredients: vitamin B5, kaolin clay, mineral pigments | Shades: 3

Best Brow Gel for Sparse Hairs: Milk Kush Fiber Brow Gel

Why it’s worth it: The little wand behind Milk Makeup's Kush Fiber Eyebrow Gel is a treat for anyone with sparse or stray brow hairs looking to make the most out of a scant situation. "[This gel's applicator] has nylon fibers that have a heart shape with an opening at the top between the rounded parts," Dobos explained to Allure. "The unique structure of these fibers allows them to tightly grip the hair fibers." As for the "kush" side of things, you'll dig the conditioning formula's hemp-derived cannabis seed oil, which attaches to even your littlest strands for a soft, nicely pigmented payoff.

Key ingredients: hemp-derived cannabis seed oil, glycerin | Shades: 8

Best Volumizing Brow Gel: MAC Eye Brows Big Boost Gel

Why it’s worth it: We love a hefty tube of anything, and the MAC Eye Brows Big Boost Gel is very much one of those anything(s). Dobos previously explained that this gel hearty "uses a combination of nylon-6 and nylon-66 fibers to add bulk to eyebrows," meaning volume is top priority. It's waterproof, sweatproof, and has a lifespan up to 24 hours on your arches, so if you have a long night ahead of you, your brows won't let you down.

Key ingredients: candelilla wax, beeswax, vitamin E | Shades: 11

Frequently Asked Questions

Brow gels give your arches a fluffy yet structured style in seconds, whether you're going for a laminated look or something super fluffy and natural. As brow lamination saw a rise in popularity in recent years, so have gels—their cheaper, more low-key counterparts. "I feel like people are liking a structured, fluffy brow; lamination is super popular right now because it creates that structure by having the brows stick up," New York City-based makeup artist Delina Medhin previously shared with Allure. "With that, brow gel is making a comeback because it's something you can use at home that will give you the same effect."

Tinted and clear brow gels work wonderfully in conjunction with brow pencils and pens if you prefer a denser, fuller brow. Still, brow gels lend a natural look on their own, especially when you go solo with a transparent gel.

Remember that less is more. "Always remove some of the product [from the brush] before applying," says Henney "You do not need a lot of product on the spoolie to finish the brow," so don't be fooled if these petite tubes don't seem like they hold enough product. Once you've loaded up the applicator, sweep the bristles through your brows, keeping them horizontal if you're going for a laminated look or at an angle if you opt for something more natural.

Jared Bailey, Benefit Cosmetics's global brow expert, also previously recommended using a strong brow gel to groom and trim brows. "Take a clear gel and brush the brow hairs upwards towards the hairline and out towards the temple," says Bailey. "Let the gel dry completely, then only trim the ends sticking too far out past your desired shape." And just like that, you'll never chop off too much or too little.

Experts suggest going one to two shades lighter than your hair—or, more specifically, your root color—but it depends on your preferences. NYC-based makeup artist Tommy will almost always select a color that is one shade lighter than their clients' roots and previously explained that "the ideal color will mimic the shadow already there that is created by eyebrow hair." On the other hand, Henney has blonde ends that she prefers to darken to a brunette shade.

Rule of thumb: "Generally, eyebrow colors look best when they are colder, without red or orange, like a shadow," Napoli told Allure. A major exception, however, is redheads, who benefit from warmer tones.

• Tobi Henney, a makeup artist based in New York City
• Carola Gonzalez, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist
• Delina Medhin, a New York City-based makeup artist
• Tommy, a New York City-based makeup artist
• Laura Lam-Phaure, a cosmetic chemist
• Kelly Dobos, a cosmetic chemist
• Jared Bailey, Benefit Cosmetics's global brow expert

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, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and makeup artists 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.