Top 13 Eyebrow Gels for Natural Definition & Fluffiness
With the right brow products, you can easily manipulate the shape, hair color, and length of your eyebrows. Compared to other mediums (like pomades, pens, and powders), gel formulas are relatively beginner-friendly and whip your brows into shape in a couple of swipes — so they're perfect for rushed mornings or quick, five-minute routines.
Eyebrow trends may rise and fall in popularity but it's safe to say that brow gels are here to stay. Whether you're going for a "laminated" or soap brow look, eyebrow gels give your brows a fluffy yet structured style in mere seconds. "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," she noted. Tinted brow gels also work wonderfully in conjunction with brow pencils and pens if you prefer a dense, full brow. But on their own, brow gels lend a natural look — especially when you reach for a clear gel.
Jared Bailey, Benefit Cosmetics's in-house 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," he directed. "Let the gel dry completely, then only trim the ends that are sticking too far out past your desired shape." And just like that, you'll never chop off too much or too little.
But how do you sort the "great" brow gels from the "just OK?" New York City-based makeup artist Tobi Henney tells Allure that "the best brow gels will keep the hairs separated and [looking] natural" — and they definitely won't dry down to a hard, clumpy consistency. (No thanks.) As for choosing the perfect tint, experts have suggested going one to two shades lighter than your hair if you're a brunette or trying taupe if you're blonde — but it really depends on your personal preferences. Henney, for example, has blonde ends that she prefers to darken to a brunette shade. Whatever brow color you do choose, remember that less is more. "Always remove some of the product before applying," Henney suggests. "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 — because they'll last you quite a while.
Keep on reading for the best makeup artist- and beauty editor-approved eyebrow gels on the market that'll maintain the shape and hold of your brow hairs all day.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Kosas Air Brow Fluff & Hold Treatment Gel
Kosas' Air Brow Fluff & Hold Treatment Gel has a moussey-gel texture that grips onto every individual brow hair, adding fullness and volume for a laminated look — all without leaving behind a dreadful, crunchy texture. Plant-based microfibers are flanked by panthenol, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and castor oil (in tinted versions) for hydrated, conditioned, and healthier-looking brows. You're bound to find your perfect shade match out of the 10 total shades available, too, or you can go for the clear gel for a low-key vibe.
$22
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Benefit Cosmetics 24HR Brow Setter
Henney says that Benefit Cosmetics's 24HR Brow Setter "probably has the firmest hold out of any brow gel [she has] ever tried." If that doesn't impress you, maybe this will. "No matter if I am shooting on a windy beach or on a red carpet, the brows are always exactly where I want them to be," she adds. The wand's dual-sided brush (with smaller and longer bristles) keeps brows on lock but also feeling soft and flexible all day long.
$24
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Glossier Boy Brow
We all know and love Glossier Boy Brow, and you'll find it in many makeup artists' makeup bags, to boot. Henney says "there is something for everyone in this range" out of the five shades (Black, Brown, Auburn, Blonde, and Clear) and the petite packaging makes it super compact and easy to toss into your handbag 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.
$16
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Charlotte Tilbury Brow Fix Clear Brow Gel
"I personally love using clear brow gel for sculpting and setting my clients' eyebrows," Los Angeles-based makeup artist Carola Gonzalez says. Charlotte Tilbury Brow Fix Clear Brow Gel is one of her favorites because it doesn't leave any white residue and the wand allows her to "sculpt each hair precisely where I want it to lay," she adds. Plus, after five minutes, the already sweat-resistant formula becomes waterproof — so you don't have to go in and reapply gel throughout the day. In order to provide a firm hold that doesn't make your brow hairs feel dry or flaky, Brow Fix is infused with softening silk, conditioning panthenol, and hydrating watercress extract.
$23
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Wander Beauty Frame Your Face Precise Brow Gel
Wander Beauty's Frame Your Face Precise Brow Gel took home a 2020 Allure Best of Beauty Award because it creates impeccably sculpted brows in just a few swipes, thanks to the precision bristles lining its cone-like brush. Available in four shades (Clear, Blonde, Taupe, and Dark Brown), the gel's flexible and smudge-free formula is further boosted by a moisturizing blend of hinoki essential oil, glycerin, and panthenol to deeply nourish lashes.
$22
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Maybelline New York Tattoo Studio Brow Gel
We love a drugstore option — especially a past Best of Beauty Award winner — that performs just as well as its more expensive counterparts. The long-wear formula of Maybelline New York's Tattoo Studio Brow Gel features heavy-duty film former and polymers that promise smudge-proof color and results that mimic that of a brow tint — without the hefty price tag, of course. As a bonus, all four shades (Blonde, Soft Brown, Medium Brown, and Deep Brown) come with a separate spoolie to fluff up your brows and comb through them in order to spot the sparse areas.
$13
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Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel
For a no-fuss, natural brow, it doesn't get much better than Anastasia Beverly Hills' Clear Brow Gel. Consider it the more laid-back sister to the brand's Brow Freeze, which is why Allure associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen reaches for this handy tube every morning. This glycerin-spiked formula defines and lifts brows with ease, while soothing chamomile adds a subtly lustrous finish.
$22
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Guide Beauty Brow Moment
As a makeup artist who was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease (a nervous system disorder that can cause tremors and loss of balance), Guide Beauty's CEO Terri Bryant set out to create a line of makeup products that takes grip and comfort into much deeper consideration. Brow Moment, pictured above, is designed with a knob on its cap that you can grip between your index and middle fingers. That way, you can use your other fingers to steady your hand — because shaky hands or low vision shouldn't affect your abilities to perfect your makeup. Brow Moment comes in three Light, Medium, and Dark shades and has a fibrous texture that grips onto every last stubborn brow hair.
$26
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CoverGirl Easy Breezy Brow Clear Setting Gel
CoverGirl's Easy Breezy Brow Clear Setting Gel has two things going for it right off the bat. It clocks in at under $10 — making it a total steal — and has picked up an Allure Best of Beauty Award. This drugstore darling shapes, tames, and sets unruly brow hairs in a matter of seconds and the clear coating is perfect for days you desire a simple framing effect.
$9
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One/Size BrowKiki Nourishing Brow Gel
One/Size's BrowKiki Nourishing Brow Gel has an angled, cone-like applicator that creates a concentrated, waterproof veil around every hair that's infused with strengthening coconut oil, nourishing castor seed oil, and volumizing fiber blend. Fading? Smudging? Non-issues here. Eight shades ranging between Auburn, Black Brown, and Clear breathe new life into overplucked brows, whether they're flying solo or paired with the BrowKiki Micro Brow Defining Pencil for a full-flair look.
$21
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Em Cosmetics Micro-Fluff Sculpting Brow Cream
Leave it to Michelle Phan to create one of the creamiest formulas to ever enhance our sparse brows. The Em Cosmetics Micro-Fluff Sculpting Brow Cream is formulated with vitamin E and kaolin for lightweight flexibility, while tiny fibers add considerable volume that never looks too harsh or obvious.
The long, thin spoolie is worthy of praise, too, as it evenly distributes pigment (Soft Blonde, Classic Brunette, Universal Taupe, Dark Espresso, and Soft Ebony) across your brows. This sculpting gel "does an excellent job of coating each and every brow hair, so even the sparse spots look defined and fairly lush," Allure contributor Kaleigh Fasnella shared.
$20
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Patrick Ta Major Brow Lamination Gel
If you're in the mood for a soap brow effect without the hassle of a spoolie and wax situation, Patrick Ta's Major Brow Lamination Gel will give you the feathery, fluffed-up lashes you're craving. This clear, lightweight gel is chock-full of nourishing, hydrating ingredients like glycerin, hydrolyzed quinoa, coconut fruit extract, and green tea, so your brows appear fuller and softer all at once. Fully coat your brow hairs before taking the flatter back of the applicator to press your brows into place — and voilà, an impossibly easy way to "laminate" your brows.
$26
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Revlon Colorstay Brow Fiber Filler
Rest assured, Revlon's Colorstay Brow Fiber Filler won't budge until you're well and ready to take it off (with cleansing oil, no less). The volumizing formula is similar to that of a mascara and lifts brow hairs to new heights, thanks to a two-in-one brush and comb that is customized for both the inner and outer sections. Conditioning avocado oil is the cherry on top when it comes to maintaining soft, pliable brows. Expect fuller-looking brows available in a range of six shades ranging from brown, blonde, black, to clear.
