Trying to wrangle your brows isn't the easiest. And if it's easy for you, can you please let us know all your secrets? But for the rest of us, finding the perfect way to style your brows can seem like an unattainable goal. There's a lot of trial and error (and sometimes our "error" eras get immortalized on social media).
Personally, I've had a lot of ups and downs with my brows. When I was growing up, they seemed so thick and bushy. I'm really glad my mom forbade me from overplucking them because now bushy is in—but I still have trouble taming them. Instead of growing upwards, they seem to point downwards, so it's been a learning process trying not to fight their natural growth pattern but still make them look neat.
Needless to say, I'm all up for trying new brow products. In the past two years that I've been a beauty editor, I've found a few that have really impressed me, so when my colleague Erin Jahns told me about an $8 brow gel going viral on TikTok, I knew I had to try it. Much to my surprise, after I tracked that one down, I found an even newer trending brow gel and decided to try it too. Here's what happened.
Test 1: Nyx Professional Makeup The Brow Glue
The first product I tried was Nyx's Brow Glue. Here's the description of the product: "This glue-like gel is transparent, flake resistant, and dries down non-sticky with a natural finish."
Many reviewers online said it was like getting your brows laminated, giving you that fluffy-brow look that you're probably seeing on everyone. They also claimed it is easy to use, has great hold, and keeps your hairs in place for hours.
I was excited to try it because one of my main problems with my brows is that some of the hairs can have a mind of their own and go in a bunch of different directions. So I was hoping the Brow Glue could help everything stay in place but still give me natural-looking brows.
When I first put it on, I was amazed that it didn't feel sticky or gummy. And applying it to my brows was easy enough. I brushed up the hairs and then tamed them down to go in their natural direction. It dried pretty quickly, and I was happy to find out that my brows didn't feel "crunchy" once the gel dried. I filled in some sparse areas with a pencil and was good to go.
Overall, I liked this product a lot because it wrangled my wayward hairs but still looked natural. And I liked that all I had to do was lightly fill in some areas for that full look.
Test 2: Nyx Professional Makeup Thick It. Stick It! Brow Gel
The next product I tried was a newer Nyx product that was trending: the Thick It. Stick It! Brow Gel. It's described as "a new vegan eyebrow gel in eight high-impact, inclusive shades to tint, tame, and thicken all types of eyebrows with a natural finish that lasts up to 16 hours."
Reviewers online say they're fans of the product because it has incredible hold while also leaving a nice, natural tint that doesn't smudge. They also praised how quick and easy it was to perfect their brows with the product.
I'm already pretty happy with the tinted brow gel I have, so I wondered whether I'd have a new number one product after testing it out. I was looking for something to tame my unruly hairs that maybe had a little bit more hold than my usual gel since it does seem to wear off after a few hours.
So when it came time to try the product, I opened the tube and was surprised that it felt a little bit thicker than the Brow Glue, and the formula was stickier than my normal gel. After a few swipes, I got the hang of it with shaping and grooming my brows, but it did take a moment since I wasn't used to the thick consistency. And let me tell you—a little bit of product goes a long way. I overdid it a tad on the first try and got really intense brows, so I had to redo it. After my testing, I read one review that suggested using a light hand, and I wholeheartedly agree with that and wish I had seen that advice sooner! But after I got the application just right, my brows did look more defined, and the hairs were exactly where I wanted them to be. I could also tell that the sticky consistency was just proof of its staying power because this stuff could hold my brows in place.
Since I'm normally very low-maintenance with my makeup (aka the no-makeup makeup look), I think I'll keep this one in my rotation, but I don't think I'll be using it every day. It gives you very dramatic brows easily, which is great for nights out or times when I really want to turn up my makeup a notch, but for my everyday look, I just might stick to the Brow Glue or my normal gel. I love that the formula was totally buildable, though, and that my brows really did appear thicker. So if you want a very eye-catching look, then this would be your product.
More of the Best Drugstore Brow Gels to Check Out
I thought both products were great, especially for the price. Try them out, and let me know what you think! And if you're looking for other options, keep scrolling for some other affordable brow gels.
1. Maybelline Brow Fast Sculpt
Maybelline's brow product is a pigmented gel formula that delivers all-day hold. It comes with a mini sculpting brush to quickly shape and define brows with precision.
Customer review: "The first eyebrow product that has worked for me. I have a lot of gray hair, and my brows are full of stiff white, unruly hairs. This is the first product that can cover them. It also tames the wild hairs and lays them down."
2. Covergirl Easy Breezy Volumizing Brow Gel
If you want something really long-lasting, this one will keep your brows in place for up to 24 hours. The tinted gel is waterproof, fade-proof, and transfer-proof.
Customer review: "Totally waterproof. This is a great product for taming eyebrows and keeping them in place."
3. Essence Make Me Brow Eyebrow Gel Mascara
Essence's brow gel is infused with tiny fibers to help create thicker brows that are defined. It's formulated without oil, parabens, or fragrance.
Customer review: "After trying this brow gel for over a month, I'm really impressed! It far exceeds my original expectations! This product goes on easily, seamlessly blends with my brow hairs, isn't clumpy or too thick, and never bleeds or run over the hours. Overall, it's a quick and easy step that lasts all day and looks perfect. "
4. E.l.f. Cosmetics Wow Brow Gel
A wax-gel hybrid, this find can create a fuller-looking brow in just a couple of swipes. Wear it solo, or pair it with an eyebrow pencil for a more dramatic look.
Customer review: "Very good for sparse brows—which mine are. I have silver hair and brown eyebrows. I use the dark brown, which is not too dark. It fills my brows nicely and lasts all day. [You] can't beat the cost either. It's my go-to brow filler, always!"
5. Almay Brow Styler
Almay's eyebrow mascara contains conditioning ingredients like marula oil to nourish your brows. It's available in four shades, from clear to dark brown.
Customer review: "The applicator is smaller than most brow applicators, which makes it more long-lasting. Other brow gels often make their applicators big so that it soaks up more gel, eventually making you purchase more, but this product is perfect."
6. L'Oréal Unbelieva-Brow
You can create a variety of brow looks with this buildable formula, from something more natural to an intense finish. It's waterproof and seals in pigments, so you won't see any smudging or fading.
Customer review: "Go from hidden brows to perfectly seen brows in seconds. I have been using this product for a few weeks and am very impressed with the ease of application and how long it lasts."
7. Milani The Clear Brow Gel
This is a great option if you're looking for a clear gel. It doesn't go on sticky or clumpy, and it won't flake.
Customer review: "I love the fluffy brush applicator. It makes it really easy to tame unruly brows without them looking rigid or over-combed. The gel formula is clear and dries clear, so there are no weird crusties or residue once dry, and it stays surprisingly soft once dry, which I find really nice. Overall I would definitely recommend to anyone whose brows get a little wild but doesn't necessarily want or need any color added to the brow area."
8. Nyx Professional Makeup Control Freak Eyebrow Gel
With over 26,000 ratings and 4.5 out of five stars on Amazon, this eyebrow gel is another highly-rated option from Nyx. The non-sticky and defining formula can also be used as a clear mascara for your lashes.
Customer review: "This eyebrow gel is the best of all time! I bought two others before this one, and they didn't do the job. This one stays on all day and doesn't leave any residue on the eyebrow or make it obvious you have the gel on. It keeps my eyebrows looking nice and full all day and is easy to wash off!"
More of the Best Cost-Effective Brow Products
You've got everything you need here for flawless brows: tweezers, a brow brush, two powders, and a setting wax.
This tweezer has a sharp, angled tip, so you can easily grab any out-of-place hairs with precision.
It's easy to give your brows a full and natural look with this pencil, thanks to its teardrop tip. There's a spoolie brush on one end of the pencil for blending.
Milani's brow color comes in eight shades, from Soft Brown to Dark Chocolate. It also comes with a dual-ended brush to effortlessly define and blend.
This extra-skinny pencil helps you fill in fine "hairs" for a natural look.
L'Oréal's eyebrow pencil is waterproof and safe for sensitive eyes.
This kit features two brow-powder shades to fill and define, plus another shade to highlight the brow bones.
The name says it all—you can fill and define your brows fast. It's available in six different shades, from Light Blonde to Black.
This triangular-tipped pencil ensures the most precise hair-like strokes.
This wax holds brows in place all day.
This article was originally published at an earlier date and has been updated.
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