The wrong brown eyebrow pencil can take you from looking naturally gorgeous to incredibly overdone. To choose the best pencil, start by determining the right shade for your brows. Then decide whether or not you would like a waxy pencil or a softer one, depending on how unruly your brows are. For ease of use, try to look for a brown eyebrow pencil that has a spooled brush on one end, and make sure that the pencil itself can be easily sharpened.
There are several different shades of brown eyebrow pencils, and choosing the right one is important. If you have dark brows, look for a product that is one shade lighter to achieve the most natural look. Those with light eyebrows should do the exact opposite, and choose a brown eyebrow pencil that is a shade darker than their natural brows, as this will help to give their eyes more definition. Generally, you should always base your choice on your eyebrows and not your hair color. While some people have brows the same shade as their hair, many do not, and trying to match the two can look odd.
Outside of the color of the pencil, the consistency of the product is also important when choosing a product. If you have shorter, thinner brows, a soft pencil product will typically work best. For those with thicker, denser eyebrows, a waxy pencil is often ideal, as it will help to control the individual hairs, giving more control over the shape. Once you’ve determined the best consistency for you, swatch the product on the back of your hand to see how easily the pencil glides over your skin; typically, you don’t want to use anything that will tug or pull on your eye area.
The color and consistency of the pencil that you choose is obviously most important; however, the ease of using the product should also be considered. If you have the choice, look for a brown eyebrow pencil that has a spooled brush, often referred to as a spooly, on one end. This will allow you to brush through your brows before defining them and comb through them afterwards for the most natural look. If you travel often, this can be especially beneficial, as it removes the need for two products.
Even if you have found the perfect brown eyebrow pencil, do not purchase it if you will not be able to sharpen it. Using a dull pencil on your brows can make them look drawn-in rather than naturally defined, even if it is the perfect color or consistency. This is typically only a problem with twist-up pencils, which are also the ones that are usually waxier in consistency. Make sure that you read the packaging to determine if there are instructions for returning the product to its natural point before you purchase it.