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9 best eyebrow gels, mascaras and pomades for 2020
Tame unruly brows with the help of these hardworking products
The value of beautifully shaped and groomed brows should never be underestimated. They will enhance your eyes, regardless of whether you are wearing other makeup or not, and make you look and feel pulled together. Unruly brows that refuse to sit nicely are not only annoying, but can also be ageing, which is where eyebrow gels, mascaras and pomades come into their own. Our top picks for 2020 are:
Winner - best tinted eyebrow gel: Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Tinted Eyebrow Gel
Runner-up - best for natural-looking brows: Lancôme Sourcils Waterproof Eyebrow Gel-Cream
Best budget buy pomade: B.Pro by Superdrug Longwear Eyebrow Pomade Cream
Best for sparse brows: Clinique Just Browsing Brush-On Styling Mousse
Best grey coverage: Lord & Berry Must Have Tinted Brow Mascara
Best shade range: Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade
Best for on-the-go: Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Brows
Best clear gel: BBB London Clear Brow Gloss
Best for longevity: NYX TInted Eyebrow Mascara
What is an eyebrow gel?
Eyebrow gels, mascaras and pomades are used to groom, set and hold brow hairs in place. They come in clear or tinted formulations, which gives flexibility when you’re deciding on the level of definition you want. Apply a brow gel after filling in brows with a brow pencil or brow kit for ultimate definition and hold
Related article: Best lash and brow serum
What is the difference between gels, mascaras and pomades?
Eyebrow gels and mascaras are usually water-based formulations and are pretty much the same thing, the main difference can sometimes be in the applicator – a brow mascara has a mascara wand to apply product with, whereas this can vary with gels.
Brow pomades on the other hand are a cream or waxy-textured formulation, most often tinted, and usually applied using a separate brow brush.
Related article: How to do brows
How we test
The Good Housekeeping Institute’s beauty testing panel put 23 brow gels and pomades through their paces, assessing each one for ease of use, its ability to hold brows in place, and smudge resistance. We also enlisted the help of a professional makeup artist, who used and commented on each product. Meet the top nine performers…
Benefit Gimme Brow + Volumising Brow Gel
Score: 89/100
The gel contains microfibres that attach to skin and hairs to create a natural-looking fullness, while its micro-wand applicator is easy and precise to use, moulding brows firmly into place. It was well received by our makeup artist, who loved that it thickened the brows without too much transfer to the skin, while our panel was especially impressed with how well it added definition and filled in sparse areas.
Key specifications
Type: Gel
Clear or tinted: Tinted
Shades: 10
Size: 3g
Lancôme Sourcils Gel Waterproof Gel-Cream Eyebrow Pot
Score: 88/100
A waterproof gel-cream, Lancôme claims the colour is easily buildable to allow for a variety of looks. Testers loved its smooth texture and easy, glide-on application, commenting that the formulation had an “iridescence” to it that mimics how brow hairs look naturally. Many also found the product lasted on the brows all day and was easy to remove.
Key specifications
Type: Gel-cream
Clear or tinted: Tinted
Shades: 6
Size: 5g
B.Pro Longwear Eyebrow Pomade Cream Brown
Score: 88/100
This smudge-resistant formula allows you to define, sculpt and fill sparse brows, all for only £6. Its thick consistency means a little goes a long way according to our panel, which also reported that the product is quick-drying and kept brows set in place all day, without needing any touch ups.
Key specifications
Type: Pomade
Clear or tinted: Tinted
Shades: 2
Size: 1.6g
Clinique Just Browsing Brush-On Styling Mousse
Score: 87/100
This tinting, taming mousse formulation boasts 24-hour wear and water, sweat and humidity resistance – our panel agreed it was extremely long-lasting. Testers noted it would be a good choice for those looking to bulk sparser areas and liked that its matte texture gave good coverage, while also helping to control unruliness.
Key specifications
Type: Mascara
Clear or tinted: Tinted
Shades: 4
Size: 2ml
Lord & Berry Must Have Tinted Brow Mascara
Score: 87/100
When it comes to colour and coverage, this product was highlighted by our panel as being particularly impressive for covering grey hairs with ease. They also rated it for its taming and filling abilities. Bonus: with an active hydrating ingredient included in the formulation, the brand says brows are left conditioned, too.
Key specifications
Type: Mascara
Clear or tinted: Tinted
Shades: 3
Size: 4.3g
Read the full Lord & Berry Must Have Tinted Brow Mascara review
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade
Score: 85/100
With a shade to suit almost every hair and skin tone, this waterproof pomade can also be used as a primer before a brow powder and even as an eyeliner. The rich, creamy texture was a hit with testers, who said it created great brow definition and resisted smudging.
Key specifications
Type: Pomade
Clear or tinted: Tinted
Shades: 11
Size: 4g
Score: 85/100
Not only does the “easy glide” formulation mean speedy application, our testers reported that in combination with the brush, it made building and controlling the amount of product on the brows a breeze. They also loved the “luxurious” rose-gold compact, saying it was perfect for touch-ups.
Key specifications
Type: Gel
Clear or tinted: Tinted
Shades: 4
Size: 1.2g
Score: 83/100
Aiming to leave arches glossy and healthy-looking, this moisturising formula also claims to help encourage hair regrowth. The clear gel layers well with other brow products and our testers said it helped their brows look neat, tidy and “perfectly defined” with a slight shimmer effect. Another positive – it was especially good for taming longer brow hairs.
Key specifications
Type: Gel
Clear or tinted: Clear
Shades: 1
Size: 5ml
Score: 83/100
Its stay-all-day formulation was marked top by our panel for longevity and it also performed well for buildability. Our makeup artist loved that it was quick to apply and one swipe provided more than enough coverage for the brow.
Key specifications
Type: Mascara
Clear or tinted: Tinted
Shades: 5
Size: 6.2g
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