Anastasia Soare knows brows. Aside from being responsible for JLo's snatched eyebrows, she also is the mastermind behind her eponymous brand, Anastasia Beverly Hills. In our lab test, we tried two of the brand’s best-selling brow pencils, but the Brow Definer reigned supreme. 

While not as thin as the Brow Wiz, we found that the slanted triangular tip of this pencil was extremely versatile. Beyond seamlessly drawing on soft, hairlike strokes, we were also able to use this to shade in sparse areas of our brows with minimal effort. Because of the duality, we consider this pencil ideal for all types of brows, including thin and patchy arches. 

We were also impressed with this pencil’s shade range: With 12 options to choose from, it has the most variety of all the products we tested. We do wish that the creamy formula was waterproof, but we still found it to be extremely long-lasting. Our brows stayed perfectly intact until it was time to remove our makeup at the end of the day.

Shades: 12 | Waterproof: No | Active Ingredients: Vitamin E, hydrogenated castor oil

Between the price point (under $5!) and the creamy smudge-proof formula, this budget eyebrow pencil swfitly earned top marks during our test. The dual-ended precision liner and spoolie duo allowed us to tame, shape, and define our brows in seconds. 

We have particularly thick brows with a few sparse spots, and this pencil quickly evened out our arches, making them look fuller. For such an affordable pick, we were pleasantly surprised by the color payoff, too. We only needed to apply slight pressure while filling out our brows to get a rich pigment. The handy spoolie on the other side made it easy to diffuse the color, so our brows looked defined but still natural. 

Aside from adding the ideal amount of pigment, the formula also helps condition and promote brow growth over time thanks to nourishing grapeseed oil and vitamin E. Truthfully, it was difficult to pinpoint a con, we wish the color range was more expansive. With only five shades to choose from, many people will have to miss out on this stellar product.    

Shades: 5 | Waterproof: No | Active Ingredients: Grapeseed oil, vitamin E

L’Oréal Paris consistently churns out phenomenal makeup products at affordable prices, yet one of the most underrated is the Brow Stylist Definer. We found that the ultra-fine tip — which is 0.5 millimeters to be exact — was the ideal size for replicating the look of tiny brow hairs. The slim pencil also fit nicely between our fingers, giving us plenty of control to define and fill in our brows. 

Despite the slim design, this pencil packed on the pigment. When we initially filled in our brows the color was way too dark, but going in with a lighter hand remedied the issue, and the handy spoolie on the other side seamlessly blended the color for an overall natural look. 

Shades: 10 | Waterproof: Yes | Active Ingredients: Sunflower seed oil

If you have thick brows, you may not need a ton of help, but having a trusty brow pencil on hand to even out your arches can be a total game changer. During our lab test, we found that the Fill & Fluff Eyebrow Pencil Pomade from NYX worked like a charm to fill in the gaps between our thick brow hairs.

The dual-ended pencil, which featured a thicker angled tip and a fluffy blending brush, efficiently filled in our brows, covering sparse spots for more uniform arches. Plus, once the formula set our brows looked perfect for the entire day — we didn’t experience any smudging, and our eyebrows still looked fresh by the time we were ready to take our makeup off. 

That said, because of the larger tip, we had a difficult time creating hair-like strokes. Ultimately, we consider this a stellar pick for thicker brows that need a little extra oomph, but thin brows should opt for something a bit more precise. 

Shades: 9 | Waterproof: No | Active Ingredients: Micro-crystalline wax, castor oil

When it came to drawing hairlike strokes, the Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat Pencil outperformed all the brow pencils we tested. The pointed, slightly angled tip made it easy to draw on the tiniest hairs, and the small spoolie allowed us to smooth everything out afterwards. The end result had a  similar effect to microblading — at a fraction of the cost. 

With such a precise tip, we worried that the formula would snap during application. One stroke proved otherwise: It glided across our brows and left a rich yet natural looking pigment without any mishaps. When not in use, though, we do suggest retracting the tip back into the pencil. This protects the formula and prevents it from potentially falling out. 

Shades: 8 | Waterproof: Yes | Active Ingredients: Carnauba wax, micro-crystalline wax, pure pigments

If you’re just beginning your brow journey, we recommend choosing a pencil that can sculpt, define, and fill in your brows with minimal effort. Through our testing, we found this Kosas pick to be the most user-friendly, with its multipurpose triangle-shaped tip. 

The thick side of the pencil filled in our bald spots, while the thin side helped to sculpt our arches and add feathered strokes for fuller defined brows. Plus, the built-in spoolie brush blended everything for cohesive, snatched brows.

Along with the versatile design, we were equally impressed by the shade range. With 10 colors, including an often overlooked gray hue, we’re confident that most people would be able to find the perfect match. Though, we did notice that the lighter colors didn’t have the best pigment payoff. Shades like Honey Blonde and Taupe needed to be applied with extra pressure to get our desired end look.

Shades: 10 | Waterproof: No | Active Ingredients: Castor oil, panthenol pro vitamin B5