If you’re looking to save some money in your beauty-and-fashion budget, forgoing expensive eyebrow products—like gels, powders, pencils, and pomades—is one of the easiest and makeup artist–approved places to start. In fact, some of the best eyebrow pencils, in particular, can be found lurking at the drugstore or at other popular retailers like Ulta or Amazon that feature wallet-friendly brands.
Since our brows are one of our favorite features to play up (they’re key for face-framing), we give them a lot of attention here on Who What Wear. From sharing a celebrity brow artist’s step-by-step at-home grooming process to the divulging the splurge-worthy eyebrow products makeup artists use on their clientele, we never tire of accruing as much brow-perfecting intel as possible. But to reiterate, you definitely don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to ensure you’re using a great formula, and some of our favorites come in at a mere $2. Below, we’re sharing 10 of the best, top-rated eyebrow pencils you can find (very affordably) online at Ulta and Amazon plus the telling reviews that vouch for their A+ efficacy. Keep scrolling!
Rating: 4.4 stars, 5,046 reviews on Ulta. The masses have spoken, and this best-selling drugstore eyebrow pencil from Nyx is a definite favorite. Anyone who loves a super-precise pencil will love how effortlessly the ultra-skinny tip fills and shades any sparse areas.
Rating: 3.8 stars, 539 reviews on Ulta. One of the most important things when it comes to finding your perfect eyebrow pencil is pinpointing your most flattering shade. So in addition to how adeptly this long-wearing, retractable pencil coifs arches, we also appreciate having nine different shades to choose from. One reviewer even went as far as to compare this drugstore-priced formula to the much more expensive likes of Anastasia Beverly Hills. “I just bought my first refill of this after loving it the first time! I used to use an ABH brow pencil, and I honestly did not have any complaints switching to Colourpop after I found this one for 1/3 the price!”
Rating: 4.4 stars, 689 reviews. An eyebrow lift for $2? Count us in. Okay, so this best-selling drugstore eyebrow pencil might not actually compare to a super-spendy cosmetic treatment, but the waxy, dual-sided design does create the polished brows of our dreams. Oh, and according to one (very happy) Florida-based reviewer, it will stand up to even the muggiest summer temperatures. “I wear this eyebrow pencil every day. It’s a bit waxy, but for me, I find that it helps to hold my brows in place. The pencil is somewhat thick so if you’re looking for razor-sharp brows this may not be for you, but for a natural filled brow, this is perfect. I started using it when I was living in muggy Florida, and it didn’t move no matter how hot or humid it was. And for the price, you can’t beat it!”
Rating: 4.3 stars, 537 reviews on Ulta. I’ve personally maintained for a long time that Essence is a true diamond-in-the-rough brand hiding at your local drugstore. Every product I’ve tried rivals formulations 10 times the price, and after scrolling through reviews of this beloved eyebrow pencil, the public seems to agree. The beauty of this particular pen is that it’s specifically designed to be creamy and easy to apply, blend, and buff through your brows, but it quickly dries down so you’re brow look has stamina. “I wanted something that matched my eyebrow color well, was easy to use, and proved to be long-wearing. This pencil is all three!” exclaims one Ulta review. “I just like to fill in my eyebrows a little and keep them neat, so this basic pencil is perfect for me.”
Rating: 4 stars, 32 reviews on Amazon. Iman Cosmetics has been around since the early ’90s, and the brand is still one of our all-time favorites for can’t-be-beaten formulas that come at a fraction of the price. Richly pigmented, this pencil comes in one color (a luxe black) to create a beautiful definition that still shows up on even the deepest skin tones. “My favorite eyebrow pencil was been discontinued a long time ago, and since then, I have tried so many pencils,” notes a satisfied Amazon reviewer. “This is the best pencil I have ever had. Plus, there’s no need to buy a sharpener (it comes with one), it’s inexpensive, and it’s long-lasting. I am Asian, but the color is perfect for me. Love it.”
Rating: 4.3 stars, 361 reviews on Ulta. There’s nothing better than a multitasking beauty product that also comes in under $10. This is a fan-favorite eyebrow pencil from Maybelline that A) offers 12 hours of wear B) boasts a definition-enhancing wax pencil on one side and C) has a filling and finishing powder on the other. It’s beyond handy, and you’ll likely want to purchase again and again. The below review on Ulta’s website stands as a testament! “I have bought this several times and love this product. I have very thin eyebrows, and this product makes them look much fuller without looking artificial. Easy to use. I like that the powder fills-in, so I don’t have to be so precise with the pencil.”
Rating: 4.2 stars, 50 reviews on Ulta. There aren’t too many natural eyebrow pencils on the drugstore market, so while Burt’s Bees needs to step up its game as far as shade options go, this is a good option for anyone who has sensitivities to makeup additives and pencils. Plus, conditioning ingredient additions like jojoba oil and shea butter may help better your brow health long-term as well. This review we found on Ulta says it all: “This is one of my favorite holy-grail products! The smooth and creamy texture is really what makes this product so phenomenal. (Not to mention, it comes with a spoolie!) It’s an amazing product for quick, natural-looking brows. I don’t like that every time I sharpen it the product breaks and doesn’t create a sharp point which makes me go through the product quicker, however, I think that has more to do with my sharpener than the pencil, itself. I would also like to see more shades as there are many more colors of hair other than brown and blonde.”
Rating: 4.1 stars, 536 reviews on Ulta. Not to get too corny on you, but true to its cheeky name, this is, indeed, the drugstore eyebrow pencil of your wildest fantasy. For those who like to layer their pencil application with a light coating of brow gel to lock in their work, this dual-ended wand is going to be game-changing. Take it from this glowing review we spotted on Ulta’s website: “This eye pencil is amazing. You can apply as much coverage to your brow as you want. The best part about this product though is the gel side. Once you’ve filled in your brows with the pencil, you can then go over it with the gel, which smooths out your brows and keeps them in place. I go all day without a single strand of eyebrow hair out of place. It’s definitely better than the other brands I have used that are more expensive. LOVE LOVE LOVE this pencil.”
Rating: 4.6 stars, 61 reviews on Ulta. Point blank, this is one of the best drugstore eyebrow pencils to try if you’re looking for a diverse range of options for brown and black hair. There are five different shade options, the very lightest being Taupe and the darkest being Warm Black. Need more proof? Read the review below from a reviewer who is just as devoted as we are. Oh, and did we mention it’s clean?! “I am obsessed with this brow pencil. I use it every day. Any made-up face is incomplete without this pencil. Plus, the color is on point. My brows look so natural yet have a perfect shape. I buy several of these at a time so I never run out. If you’re looking for a new brow pencil, or even if you’re not, this is the perfect one.”
Rating: 4.6 stars, 1,421 reviews on Ulta. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to track down an eyebrow pencil that won’t smudge (or seemingly evaporate) by lunchtime but is also soft and malleable enough to blend. This high-rated option accomplishes both, so you can easily apply, blend, brush, and go without having to worry about any midday touch or pre–Happy Hour touch-ups. Just less than one month ago, one Austin, Texas–based fan dubbed this pencil “the BEST” with the following praise: “I’ve been brow obsessed since I was 12, and I’ve tried literally every brow product money can buy. There are some good ones out there, but this one easily compares with the $20-$50 pencils and beats most of them hands down. Save your money, because this pencil is top-notch.”
Up next, I’ve Had My Eyebrows Laminated, and This New Brow Wax Does the Exact Same Thing
