I Have Super Thin Brows, But These Expert-Loved Pencils Help Make Them Look Fuller (2025)

I say this with my full chest—I am dizzyingly in love with this Make brow pencil. I can’t exactly tell why I keep reaching for this one over the many other incredible ones at my disposal, but I think it’s because the darkest shade is perfect for my hair color, and the pencil is precise. Also, as Barber says, “It looks like hairs when applied, and the texture is soft enough to give you really great payoff without having to press too hard, potentially breaking the pencil tip.” I often prefer formulas that don’t have too much pigment so that I can build up the color instead of being overwhelmed at first swipe, and this one has my ideal level of intensity.

Shades: 5

Size: 0.001 oz.

Make rating: 5/5 stars

A Make reviewer says: “Great brow pencil that lets you draw what looks like natural brows.”

I know I just raved about how much I adore the Make eyebrow pencil, but the Merit one is just as good. There is one caveat: it breaks even if you roll it up a smidgen too far, which ends up wasting product and causing you to go through it that much faster. Other than that, though, it’s undeniably in the Eyebrow Pencil Hall of Fame for me, and once again, I like that the pencil isn’t too pigmented. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a struggle to get it to deposit color; in fact, because it’s such a soft, blendable formula, applying it feels like melting butter in a hot pan.

Shades: 4

Size: 0.0007 oz.

Merit rating: 4.5/5 stars

A Merit reviewer says: “I love how smooth and thin this eyebrow pencil is. It’s travel-friendly and seamlessly gives hair-like strokes. The brown-black shade is perfect for my black eyebrows. You don’t really need that much product, which is why this is such a win for me. I highly recommend!”

2024 was a great year for me because many of my favorite brands launched top-quality nano brow pencils, including Glossier. The beloved brand focused on ensuring that the product stays in place all day by infusing the pomade formula with a botanical clay complex. I also like the pencil's slightly oval shape, which makes drawing hair-like strokes ridiculously easy.

Shades: 9

Size: 0.0017 oz.

Sephora rating: 3.8/5 stars

A Sephora reviewer says: “I’ve never written a review before, but I love this so much, I had to. I have very sparse brows, and this is the best brow pencil I’ve ever tried—and I’ve tried dozens. I love that it has the ease and precision of a pencil but is still so pigmented. Love it. So long wearing as well!”

I’ve been testing this one from Bobbi Brown for a couple of weeks. I have to say that it’s very pigmented, so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to beginners—anything that’s this intense is much easier to mess up. However, if you’re a little more experienced and have years of brow-faking under your belt, I appreciate how little of the product you need to use. Even if it barely feels like you’re making contact with your skin, the pencil lays down distinct swipes of color that blend out for more of a statement brow. If you work long hours, you’ll also be impressed with its refusal to budge until you wash everything off at the end of the day.

Shades: 12

Size: 0.01 oz.

Nordstrom rating: 4.8/5 stars

A Nordstrom reviewer says: “I got the shade Cool Dark Brown for my dark brows. I think this shade definitely works well for my skin tone (tanned complexion) and hair color (medium-brown hair). This retractable eyebrow pencil has a very fine, angled tip that makes it very easy to draw precise lines onto thin brows like mine. It glides nicely without tugging and is long wearing. I really like it so far.”

If you like a waxier formula, there’s nothing quite like Brow Wiz. I’m 99 percent sure it was my first-ever brow pencil, and it’s ultimately what made me into the brow pencil obsessive I am today. Because it’s not as soft as other formulas, you may have to go over your brows a few times to get to your desired level of intensity, but that also means it’s pretty much foolproof and impossible to overdo.

Shades: 12

Size: 0.003 oz.

Amazon rating: 4.6/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “I love this brow pencil. Easily creates beautiful brows and has caps on each end so your brush doesn’t get full of dust bunnies and to keep the tip safe. Color lasts for hours—doesn’t smudge or run. Great for any age. Lots of colors to choose from.”

This formula also gives me darker brows than when I use the Merit or Make pencils. However, I need that sometimes, especially when I want to balance a dramatic eye look or a super deep lip. Everyone I know who uses this pencil is fiercely loyal to it, and it’s a true classic. You also can’t forget its wide shade range, which even includes natural-looking options for redheads and those with gray hair.

Shades: 12

Size: 0.002 oz.

Nordstrom rating: 4.3/5 stars

A Nordstrom reviewer says: “Absolutely love this product! I have bought it three times now, and being a ’90s gal who over-plucked her brows, this fills in the gaps nicely. I really love it.”

MAC’s pencil has a 1mm tip, making it one of the most precise ones I’ve ever seen. “It also has castor oil in it to help condition brows,” Badro says. “Also, it offers 24-hour wear, which I absolutely love!”

Shades: 12

Size: 0.01 oz.

Ulta rating: 3.3/5 stars

An Ulta reviewer says: “I shave most of the length of my brows off and have been enjoying drawing on the very skinny brows lately. This product is great for that ultra-thin look, and if you don’t twist the tip out too far, I haven’t had any issues with breakage. It draws on very smoothly and is easy to blend out for more of a powder-style brow if that is the desired look.”

“Tom Ford’s Brow Sculptor is a type of brow pencil that offers a natural finish,” Badro says. “This is a great product for males as well—great for grooming brows.” Although you might balk at the price tag, each one does come with a refill as well as a built-in sharpener, and the sophisticated formula has customers forking over the cash over and over again.

Shades: 4

Size: 0.02 oz oz.

Nordstrom rating: 4.6/5 stars

A Nordstrom reviewer says: “I have purchased three of these Tom Ford Brow Sculptors so far. It is a little funny that my first one sat in the drawer for six months because I did not get how to use it right. Then, I had a Tom Ford traveling artist do my makeup. I told him my frustration about the pencil being too thick and waxy. He told me to trace along my brow line then brush the color up through the hair. I looked at my brows after doing that and found they were perfectly defined in a natural way. No unfortunate Instagram brows for me. The effect is is that my brows look full, defined and perfected without it being super obvious. I love it. The calligraphy shape makes it super user friendly. I have natural white blond brows that I dye light brown. So I can use blonde or taupe but prefer taupe because of the little extra depth.”

Do you remember when dense, oval-shaped brushes were the makeup tools du jour? Instead of a spoolie, Fenty Beauty decided to attach a tiny version of those brushes on the other end of this pencil, and oddly, it works super well. It’s not as irritating on the skin and softly blends and distributes the product without completely wiping it away. I never should’ve doubted you, Rihanna. Of course, the pencil itself is nothing to scoff at either, with its ultra-precise point and creamy formula.

Shades: 14

Size: 0.0024 oz.

Fenty Beauty rating: 4/5 stars

A Fenty Beauty reviewer says: “I have tried many different eyebrow pencils and never liked any of them, so I always just stayed away from them. I finally decided to give this one a try, and it has become my new holy grail! I can’t do my makeup without using this brow product. It makes my eyebrows look so natural.”

Because I need something much more precise, I don’t gravitate toward triangle-shaped pencils like this one. But I have used it in the past, and I can see it is amazing for anyone who also has the general brow shape they desire but wants to fill in so bare spots or define them a little more. Because of the wider shape, it’s also going to be a major timesaver compared to the more fine-pointed options on this list.

Shades: 9

Size: 0.01 oz.

Nordstrom rating: TK

A Nordstrom reviewer says: “This is what I’ve been looking for. I’ve had tons of eyebrow liners from different brands. Some break so easily, and you end up wasting your money. Some liners are too thick and oily and don’t stay on all day. This one is the best! Consistency is just perfect. It stays on all day. It is very easy to handle, and my brows look very natural. It is worth every penny.”

“I have to mention a classic: The Chanel Sculpting Brow Pencil,” Barber says. “I personally love wooden pencils, and this brow pencil from Chanel is a no-fuss, tried-and-true pencil that I have loved for years.” Since it’s wooden, you can let it dull and use it that way or sharpen it each time to get the pointiest tip possible.

Shades: 6

Size: 0.03 oz.

Chanel rating: 4.7/5 stars

A Chanel reviewer says: “I love this eyebrow pencil. The color is perfect for me. It goes on smoothly with no need to press hard, and the brush is soft and non-irritating.”

This is Barber’s drugstore pick, and as you can tell by the 50,000+ Amazon reviews it’s garnered, it has a lot of other fans too. “It’s got the perfect, medium-size bullet with a triangle-shaped tip that gives you flexibility when filling in your brows,” she says.

Shades: 10

Size: 0.003 oz.

Amazon rating: 4.5/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “I am so glad I bought this brown pencil! I’ve used a lot of different brow pencils, and this is my absolute favorite one. I love how thin it is and how I can make light hair strokes. Since using this pencil, I’ve gotten a lot of compliments about my brows and asked if they were micro bladed. Will repurchase.”

Elaina Badro is a celebrity makeup artist and the founder of beauty brand Elaina Badro.

Carrie Barber is the owner and creative director of Make Beauty.

Barber always brushes up her brows so she can actually see what spots need filling in. “Then, I go in with a brow pencil starting in the middle of my brows where I want them to be the fullest,” she says. “Always apply your pencil in the direction of your brow hairs and lightly brush with the spoolie to get the most natural finish.”

Also, if you’re using a brow gel, Barber recommends applying it first and drawing with the pencil before it fully dries. “This gives you the most control with the color payoff and will make your brow application last longer,” she explains.

Badro emphasizes that you should always store them in a cool and dry place. “Hotter temperatures can not only melt the product but also affect the ingredients,” she says.

“Make sure the cap is on tight so the pencil doesn’t dry out!”Barber adds. “I also recommend always brushing up your brows first so you can see exactly where you need to fill in or shape them.”

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