13 Best Brow Gels for Laminated or Structured Looks
With the best brow gel, you can easily manipulate the shape, hair color, and length of your eyebrows. Compared to other brow products (like pomades, pens, and powders), gel formulas are relatively beginner-friendly and whip your brows into shape in a couple of swipes — so these eyebrow products are especially perfect for rushed mornings or quick, five-minute routines.
Our Top Picks:
- Best Overall: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze Gel, $23
- Best Conditioning: Glossier Boy Brow, $20
- Best Shade Range: Kosas Air Brow Fluff & Hold Treatment Gel, $24
- Best Hold: Benefit Cosmetics 24HR Brow Setter, $26
- Best for Precise Application: Lawless Beauty Hold Up Soft Set Creamy Brow Wax, $21
- Best Waterproof: Charlotte Tilbury Brow Fix Clear Brow Gel, $26
- Best Multitasking: Live Tinted Huebrow Clear Setting Eyebrow Gel, $22
Tobi Henney, a bi-coastal makeup artist, tells Allure that "the best brow gels will keep the hairs separated and [looking] natural" — and they definitely won't dry down to a hard, clumpy consistency. (No thanks.) Keep on reading for the best makeup artist- and beauty editor-approved brow gels on the market — available at your favorite retailers, like Amazon, Sephora, and Ulta Beauty — that'll create feathery, flake-free brows and maintain the shape and hold of your brow hairs for hours on end.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are brow gels and what do they do?
- What's the best way to apply brow gel?
- How to choose the right brow gel shade
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Best Overall: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze Gel
Why It's Worth It: To recreate the look of brow lamination — in which brow hairs are brushed up and set in that direction — look no further than Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze Gel. (Consider it the more laid-back sister to the brand's Brow Freeze Sculpting Wax.) "Its matte, transparent finish makes my brows look fluffed and evenly dispersed, even when they're naturally quite the opposite," says Allure commerce writer Jennifer Hussein. This glycerin-spiked formula defines and lifts brows with ease, while biotin conditions brow hairs.
Editor Tip: For a gentler hold and a lightweight feel, opt for the brand's Original Brow Gel, which is a favorite among staffers.
Key Ingredients: Polyacrylate-2 crosspolymer, glycerin | Available Shades: 1
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Best Conditioning: Glossier Boy Brow
Why It's Worth It: We all know and love Glossier Boy Brow, and you'll find it in many makeup artists' makeup bags, to boot. Henney says "there is something for everyone in this range" out of the seven shades (Black, Brown, Auburn, Blonde, and Clear) and the petite packaging makes it super compact and easy to toss into your handbag for on-the-go grooming. (It also has a tiny, bristled applicator for precise application.) This buildable formula also contains oleic acid, an emollient that nourishes and softens brow hairs for a never-stiff finish.
Editor Tip: It's one of the few brow gels to offer a gray tint, making it ideal for those with gray hair or ashy blondes.
Key Ingredients: Beeswax, carnauba wax, oleic acid | Available Shades: 7
Best Shade Range: Kosas Air Brow Fluff & Hold Treatment Gel
Why It's Worth It: Kosas' Air Brow Fluff & Hold Treatment Gel, a 2021 Best of Beauty Award winner, has a moussey gel texture that grips onto every individual brow hair, adding fullness and volume for a laminated look — all without leaving behind a dreadful, crunchy texture. "I've used this tinted gel for years to quickly darken and shape my brows," says Allure contributor Deanna Pai. "I love that it sets in seconds and doesn't budge or fade throughout the day." Plant-based microfibers are flanked by panthenol, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and castor oil (in tinted versions) for hydrated, conditioned, and healthier-looking brows.
Editor Tip: You're bound to find your perfect shade match out of the 10 total shades available, too, or you can go for the clear gel for a low-key vibe.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, peptides, castor oil | Available Shades: 10
Best Hold: Benefit Cosmetics 24HR Brow Setter
Why It's Worth It: Henney says that Benefit Cosmetics's 24HR Brow Setter "probably has the firmest hold out of any brow gel [she has] ever tried." If that doesn't impress you, maybe this will. "No matter if I am shooting on a windy beach or a red carpet, the brows are always exactly where I want them to be," she adds. The wand's dual-sided brush (with smaller and longer bristles) keeps brows on lock but also feeling soft and flexible all day long.
Editor Tip: If you're in the market for a tinted version of Brow Setter, Gimme Brow is a five-time award winner (Best of Beauty and Readers' Choice) that makes your brows look fuller with every stroke. For more hold, try the brand's Fluff Up Brow Wax, which took home a 2023 Best of Beauty Award.
Key Ingredients: Polymers, panthenol, cotton extract | Available Shades: 1
Best for Precise Application: Lawless Beauty Hold Up Soft Set Creamy Brow Wax
Why It's Worth It: Looking for a long-wearing, tinted brow gel that feels incredibly comfortable? Lawless has you covered. Its argan oil-infused formula, which comes in Light/Medium and Medium/Dark, nourishes brow hairs while it provides strong yet flexible hold — meaning you have a bit of wiggle room to perfect your strokes before it sets to a natural, non-crunchy finish. No wonder this product won a 2022 Best of Beauty Award, are we right?
Editor Tip: It has a relatively small, tapered spoolie brush that makes it especially easy to apply the product precisely.
Key Ingredients: Argan oil, jojoba oil, shea butter | Available Shades: 2
Best Multitasking: Live Tinted Huebrow Clear Setting Eyebrow Gel
Why We Love It: Designed to set brows and seal in any products layered beneath it, the Live Tinted Huebrow Clear Setting Eyebrow Gel is as strong as it is flexible, so you can still adjust and smooth your brows to get them exactly how you want them (which might be why it won a 2023 Best of Beauty Award). It also nourishes brows with a blend of aloe extract, olive oil, and jojoba oil, and has a dual-sided applicator with bristles for fluffing and a flat side for smoothing.
Editor Tip: The oil-based formula leaves brows with a touch of shine, which (bonus) lends the appearance of fullness.
Key Ingredients: Aloe extract, jojoba oil, panthenol | Available Shades: 1
Best Gel-Serum Hybrid: Kulfi Beauty Free The Brow Volumizing & Laminating Brow Gel
Why We Love It: Inspired by brow slugging and the hair oiling practice long used in Ayurvedic medicine, Kulfi Beauty's Free the Brow combines the hold and volume you get from brow gel with the nourishment of a brow serum. It's formulated with skin-care mainstays like vitamin E, sunflower oil, and safflower oil to encourage healthy hair growth and increase eyebrow density. It also has multiple applicators, so you can choose between applying the formula with a comb, a spoolie, and a brush to get different looks.
Commerce editor Sarah Han loves the versatility of Free the Brow's design. To get a fluffy, laminated look, she applies the gel-serum in the opposite direction of hair growth before using the lavender comb to brush everything into place. The black brush is particularly helpful for shaping and perfecting her (super fussy) brow ends.
Editor Tip: The ingredients are so conditioning that you can apply this gel at night to give your brows some extra TLC.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin E, sunflower oil, safflower oil | Available Shades: 1
Best Waterproof: Charlotte Tilbury Brow Fix Clear Brow Gel
Why It's Worth It: "I personally love using clear brow gel for sculpting and setting my clients' eyebrows," Los Angeles-based makeup artist Carola Gonzalez says of the 2021 Best of Beauty Award winner. Charlotte Tilbury Brow Fix Clear Brow Gel is one of her favorites because it doesn't leave any white residue and the wand allows her to "sculpt each hair precisely where I want it to lay," she adds.
Plus, after five minutes, the already sweat-resistant formula becomes waterproof — so you don't have to go in and reapply gel throughout the day. To provide a strong hold that doesn't make your brow hairs feel dry or flaky, Brow Fix is infused with softening silk, conditioning panthenol, and hydrating watercress extract.
Editor Tip: For a tint, layer the water-resistant (but not waterproof) Legendary Brows Tinted Brow Gel underneath this formula first.
Key Ingredients: Polymers, panthenol, watercress extract | Available Shades: 1
Best for Feathering: E.L.F. Brow Lift
Why It's Worth It: Not only is E.L.F. Brow Lift a total steal ringing in at just $6, making it one of the most affordable 2022 Best of Beauty winners, but this brow wax does the same job as some of its higher-end competitors — if not better. This aloe-infused, long-lasting clear brow gel nourishes and holds your hairs in place all day long for the ideal "soap brow" look with the help of its applicator.
Editor Tip: The included applicator has a hinge that allows you to angle the spoolie tip, making it much easier to scoop up and apply the gel.
Key Ingredients: Aloe vera extract, glycerin | Available Shades: 1
Best for Fullness: Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Brow Harmony Eyebrow Gel
Why We Love It: If you love the feathery look of brow lamination but don't exactly want every last hair locked into place (baby brow lamination, anyone?), consider the Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel. “While I may not have many brow hairs, the ones I do have are so stubborn that not even the top-selling brow gels that everyone raves about can keep them in place. That said, leave it to Selena Gomez to drop one that keeps them in place all day with zero residue or crunchiness," says Allure commerce editor Angela Trakoshis. "I even keep one in my purse at all times to touch up any flyaway hairs on my head — that's how strong this gel is." It's also waterproof, so it won't budge in the face of sweat and humidity.
Editor Tip: To create the look of defined, thick brows, use the brand's Brow Harmony Precision Pencil before locking it in with the gel.
Key Ingredients: Polymers, panthenol, glycerin | Available Shades: 1
Best for a Natural Look: Merit Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade
Why It's Worth It: If you're looking to bulk up sparse brows, Merit would like to present the 1980. As its name would suggest, this product is a nod to the full, lush brows of the '80s. Pump up the volume with this nourishing pomade, infused with conditioning vitamin B5, kaolin clay, and mineral pigments for flexible, all-day hold. The brush is tapered and cone-like to coat every hair without too much effort on your part.
Editor Tip: It delivers more of a natural look than other options, so it's a good choice if you're a minimalist.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin B5, kaolin clay, mineral pigments | Available Shades: 3
Best for Definition: Tarte Brows For Days Framing Gel
Why We Love It: Similar to the brand's beloved Shape Tape, Tarte's Brows for Days Framing Gel works, well, sort of like tape to smooth and seal brow hairs into place. The waterproof formula keeps them there all day long, but since it's a soft-hold gel, you can still adjust your look even after it's set. It's also jam-packed with brow-nurturing ingredients like aloe vera and eucalyptus, which the brand says can promote healthy hair growth.
Editor Tip: This has a slightly longer brush head than other brow gels, so it might take some getting used to on your first application.
Key Ingredients: Eucalyptus extract, cucumber extract, aloe vera | Available Shades: 1
Frequently Asked Questions
What are brow gels and what do they do?
Eyebrow gels give your brows a fluffy yet structured style in mere seconds, whether you're going for a "laminated" or soap brow look. "Brow lamination is super popular because it creates that structure by having the brows stick up," New York City-based makeup artist Delina Medhin previously shared with Allure — and brow gels can recreate a similar effect without costly salon visits. Regardless, eyebrow trends may rise and fall in popularity, but it's safe to say that brow gels are here to stay.
Tinted brow gels also work wonderfully in conjunction with brow pencils and brow pens if you prefer a dense, full brow. But on their own, brow gels lend a natural look — especially when you reach for a clear gel.
What's the best way to apply brow gel?
Remember that less is more. "Always remove some of the product before applying," says New York City-based makeup artist Tobi Henney. "You do not need a lot of product on the spoolie to finish the brow," so don't be fooled if these petite tubes don't seem like they hold enough product — because they'll last you quite a while. Then, sweep the bristles through your brows, keeping them horizontal if you're going for a laminated look or at an angle if you're opting for something more natural.
Jared Bailey, Benefit Cosmetics's global brow expert, also previously recommended using a strong brow gel to groom and trim brows. "Take a clear gel and brush the brow hairs upwards towards the hairline and out towards the temple," says Bailey. "Let the gel dry completely, then only trim the ends that are sticking too far out past your desired shape." And just like that, you'll never chop off too much or too little.
How to choose the right brow gel shade
Experts suggest going one to two shades lighter than your hair — or, more specifically, your root color — but it really depends on your personal preferences. NYC-based makeup artist Tommy will almost always select a color that is one shade lighter than their clients' roots and previously explained that "the ideal color will mimic the shadow already there that is created by eyebrow hair." Henney, on the other hand, has blonde ends that she prefers to darken to a brunette shade.
Rule of thumb: "Generally, eyebrow colors look best when they are colder, without red or orange, like a shadow," Napoli told Allure. A major exception, however, is redheads who benefit from warmer tones.
How we test and review products
Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?
For our review of the best brow gels, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and makeup artists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
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