Okay—you want groomed and defined brows without breaking the bank or settling for less-than-perfect quality from the products you're using. The good news is that there are thousands of low-cost, high-quality brow pencils at your disposal (because who doesn't love drugstore beauty products?). The bad news is that sifting through them takes time, effort, and energy that you don't have. For some people, finding an exemplary eyebrow pencil requires trial and error. For you, however, the process of elimination can come more easily with the help of customer reviews, expert advice, and beauty editors who have tested a few for you.
Below, I'm providing you with the best tips, tricks, and product recommendations to cut down the time on your product hunt and expand your chances of finding your product pairing. Sure, it can be just like dating, but in this case, you have the help of a brutally honest critic and glowing reviews. If that sparks your interest, read on to discoverBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing 's ultimate guide to the best drugstore eyebrow pencils money can buy. Your brows and your wallet deserve it. Now that you have a running start, check out a few of my favorite drugstore eyebrow pencils below!
The Best Eyebrow Pencils, At A Glance
- Best Overall: Maybelline Express Brow Ultra Slim Eyebrow Pencil
- Best Waterproof: Revlon Colorstay Brow Pencil
- Best Smudge-Proof: Milani Stay Put Precision Brow Pencil
- Best for a Natural-Looking Finish: Physician's Formula Slim Brow Pencil
- Best for Blondes: Nyx Professional Makeup Vegan Micro Eyebrow Pencil
The Best Eyebrow Pencils of 2025
Best Overall: Maybelline Express Brow Ultra Slim Eyebrow Pencil
When I need to get my eyebrows in check, this Maybelline eyebrow pencil does the trick. It uses an ultra-slim pencil to effortlessly draw on precise, hairlike strokes and a built-in spoolie to shape and blend.
Pro: Features a break-resistant formula and built-in spoolie brush
Con: None
Shades: 9
Waterproof: No
Customer review: "The best eyebrow pencil. I am amazed by the quality of this product for the price. It is comparable to the expensive brands and lasts all day. Do not sleep on this product!"
Best Waterproof: Revlon Colorstay Brow Pencil
The staying power of this brow pencil is unparalleled. Revlon's Colorstay Brow Pencil creates fine and precise strokes for a hairlike finish that stays put for up to 14 hours of waterproof wear.
Pro: Glides on smoothly and easily
Con: Micro-tip is thin and breakable
Shades: 7
Waterproof: Yes
Customer review: "This pencil goes on lightly, so it appears quite natural. The built-in brush blends it in well. If you want it to go on darker, just press harder. I was able to match my hair/skin tone on the first try. I’m planning on buying another."
Best Smudge-Proof: Milani Stay Put Precision Brow Pencil
I'll always love a good smoky eye on other people, but I swear by a smudge-free makeup look for myself. Milani's Stay Put Precision Brow Pencil is my smudge-proof tool of choice thanks to its pigmented, blendable formula and ultra-fine tip.
Pro: Available in six shades to match all brow tones
Con: End comb may break off over time
Shades: 6
Waterproof: No
Customer review: "This pencil is amazing! I have naturally black hair, but this shade of brown is just dark enough to blend in but not be too noticeably different. It goes on smoothly and doesn't smudge throughout the day. I have oily skin and this formula stays well."
Best for a Natural-Looking Finish: Physician's Formula Slim Brow Pencil
Are you on the hunt for a pencil that keeps your brows in check without ending up with a Sharpie-like finish? This retractable brow pencil creates precise hair strokes and is ideal for spot-filling gaps for fluffy and defined brows.
Pro: Mechanical (no sharpening needed)
Con: Limited shade availability
Shades: 5
Waterproof: No
Customer review: "This pencil is so versatile!! I use it as an eyeliner and a brow liner and it doesn't smudge/get everywhere, even after a full day of wear. I normally use it to stencil out where my black eyeliner is going to go and this step has been a game changer for me."
Best for Blondes: Nyx Professional Makeup Vegan Micro Eyebrow Pencil
Can we take a moment to praise how many shades are offered for this vegan eyebrow pencil? Blondes can count on this product evenly coating even the finest hairs with color to shape, define, and fill your brows.
Pro: Features a creamy, long-wearing formula
Con: Product finishes quickly
Shades: 10
Waterproof: No
Customer review: "This is my go-to brow pencil! Not too creamy, the pencil is thin and easy to use and since the actual brown tint is so thin, you can really give the illusion of individual eyebrow hairs. Love it!"
Best for Brunettes: E.l.f. Cosmetics Instant Lift Brow Pencil
My fellow brunettes, this one is for you. E.l.f.'s Instant Lift Brow Pencil delivers natural, polished-looking brows using a dual-ended design featuring a fine-tip liner and a spoolie to help you pull off a flawless arch.
Pro: Beginner-friendly
Con: Breaks easily with pressure applied
Shades: 5
Waterproof: No
Customer review: "I've bought many eyebrow products and I keep going back and repurchasing this one. I like how it goes on smooth and dispenses just the right intensity of color. The pencil isn't too thin or thick too. It's the perfect, easy-to-use brow pencil."
Best Cruelty-Free Option: Rimmel Kind Free Brow Definer
This pencil has a 1.7-millimeter tip for precise application, lending to groomed, natural-looking brows. The best part? It's completely vegan and cruelty-free and formulated with no added fragrances or minerals.
Pro: Formula is vegan and cruelty-free
Con: Slight smudging throughout the day
Shades: 4
Waterproof: No
Customer review: "The best brow brush ever! I’ve used a ton of different ones before and this one is the perfect color for my dark brown brows and the brush is perfect to blend it in. The tip is defined and small so it will continue to stay small and be useful. Definitely recommend!"
Best for Sparse Brows: Wet n Wild Ultimate Eyebrow Retractable Definer Pencil
If you have sparse eyebrows, Wet n Wild has you covered with this pencil. Its retractable triangle tip uses a rub-resistant formula that coats the hairs with a blend of pigment and palm wax for long-lasting color.
Pro: Does not feel waxy or oily
Con: Smudges with all-day wear
Shades: 8
Waterproof: No
Customer review: "This is an excellent product. It stays put and lasts a while in comparison to some higher-end products I tried in the past. It does not smudge. The slanted tip makes it easy to put on in one swipe. The brush is great as well. I would recommend this product!"
Best for Beginners: Burt's Bees Brow Pencil
Yes, applying makeup to your eyebrows for the first time may be daunting, but using the right products makes all the difference in your experience. The Burt's Bees Brow Pencil easily fills, defines, and shapes brows with a 99.9% natural-derived formula crafted using jojoba oil and shea butter.
Pro: Formulated for delicate area around the eyes
Con: Pencil becomes dull quickly after use
Shades: 1
Waterproof: No
Customer review: "I am really amazed by this product! It goes on easily and smoothly and the brush end blends everything together beautifully. I like a more natural eyebrow look which can be difficult for me to achieve with a lot of products, but this pencil can go on as soft or dark as I want. Really great!"
Best for Oily Skin: Morphe Brown Dual-Ended Pencil Spoolie
If you have oily skin, there's a good chance you've experienced your makeup slipping and sliding away throughout the day. Morphe's dual-ended mechanical pencil utilizes a hard-wax formula that provides long-lasting, buildable color without tugging on the skin.
Pro: Extremely pigmented
Con: Drying formula
Shades: 10
Waterproof: No
Customer review: "The best brow pencil around!! I can't believe how affordable it is too. Soft application yet does not smudge. All day wear I've gotten so many compliments! Absolute gem."
What to Look for in An Eyebrow Pencil
Like any other makeup product, the formulas in eyebrow pencils can make or break any makeup look (yes, even when it's done by a pro with extensive knowledge). In addition to an affordable price point, shoppers should be on the lookout for eyebrow pencils with wax-based formulas that, when applied to the skin, glide effortlessly over it without tugging the surface but still hold.
I generally prefer eyebrow pencils that are mechanical, allowing me to conserve product where I can and store it however I see fit. You should also take notice of the shape of the tip: Is it a triangle, slightly slanted to one side, or defined and small? An eyebrow pencil's tip contributes to the definition of the brow, creating precise lines and coating the hairs with product for added pigment. Vanita Parti MBE, founder of Blink Brow Bar previously toldBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK that "a pencil that can be sharpened to a perfect point makes it easy to create natural, hair-like strokes, and a spoolie brush on the end is an essential to blend harsh edges,"
As for the shade, she suggests using your natural brow hair color as your guide. "Firstly, look at the depth of colour in your brows. If you’re a fair blonde, going slightly darker with your brow pencil can help frame your face and add definition," she says. "For those with darker brows, aim to match the depth of color. Next, look at your undertone. If you have warmth in your brows, skin and hair, opt for a brow pencil with a warmer tone. If you’re cooler toned, try an ashier shade."
What's the best way to use an eyebrow pencil?
When it comes to application, you'll want to start by sharpening your pencil if need be. From there, use your pinky for stabilization and let your applicator glide smoothly and steadily across the skin helps avoid shaky application or rogue marks. Then, Parti recommends "using the pencil and a soft touch, begin to draw hair-like strokes in the direction of your natural hair growth," she says. "Continue to build, filling in sparse areas, then take a step back from the mirror and assess your work." If you went too heavy in one area, simply use the spoolie to reduce the intensity.
How We Chose
As with all of our buying guides atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , we compile our edits based on original testing and expert recommendations. To find the best drugstore eyebrow pencils for this roundup, we leaned on our testing experience and considered several factors, including price, shade range, and lasting power. As beauty editors, we're aware of how important these factors are for a wide range of needs and preferences, so we made sure to list out all the helpful details. Of course, customer reviews were also kept in mind when creating this list as well.
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