The Best of Brow Gels
Old: Glossier Boy Brow
Why we love it: Boy Brow...the stuff of legend that needs no introduction. Two words that are synonymous with the name Glossier and equally recognizable alone; the pièce de résistance of their easy-to-use, no fuss makeup line. Inspired by a classic pomade, Boy Brow gives brows a soft, flexible hold in a few easy swipes, and fills in sparse brows with a touch of color for a natural brow look. All without stiffening or flaking.
Boy Brow’s forgiving formula and easy application makes it one of the most user friendly brow products on the market. Its texture strikes the perfect balance between being lightweight and dense, offering a good amount of playtime and ability to correct if you’ve layered on product too thick. Not to mention, the tiny spoolie makes Boy Brow a breeze to apply; it sweeps over brow hairs and deposits just the right amount of product.
While Boy Brow scores major points for ease of use and simplicity, it also does a good job in terms of staying power and hold, as well as moisturizing the brows. PVP (a film-former) and a duo of waxes such as Beeswax and Carnauba wax help keep hairs in place, while Soluble Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, and Oleic Acid soften, condition, and moisturize.
The bottom line: Boy Brow is excellent for those looking for a polished, every day brow look.
Areas of improvement: Nada!
Key ingredients: Beeswax/Cera Alba/Cire d’Abeille, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax/Cera Carnauba/Cire de Carnauba, PVP, Oleic Acid, Soluble Collagen
Fragrance: Fragrance-free
Skin types: Great for all skin types
Inclusivity: Room for improvement, only four shades
Product sensory & attributes: Creamy, liquid pomade with a semi-glossy finish
Key product claims: Dermatologist tested; ophthalmologist tested; appropriate for all skin types; formulated without: fragrance or alcohol
Price & fill weight: $16 for .11 oz
Package: Opaque white tube with a silver cap and short spoolie
Application: We recommend starting at the tail end of your brows and working backwards. Mess up your brows first, which helps you get to the root of the brow, and then go through your brows like usual, brushing upwards and out.
New: Kosas Air Brow — Tinted Gel
Why we love it: If you’ve ever used a Kosas product before, you probably understand the craze behind this clean, cult-fave beauty brand. After a cascade of successful product launches over the years, Kosas debuted another hit earlier this year with the release of its first-ever brow products. One of them is a clear stand-out, and challenges the likes of Glossier’s Boy Brow, Anastasia Dipbrow Gel and Benefit’s Gimme Brow.
Kosas’ Air Brow Tinted Gel is arguably the best brow gel ever created. It gives brow-grooming devotees a beautiful, Lily Collins-style thickness and a feathery, laminated brow look that lasts. The bonus? Air Brow is a nourishing formula with hair care actives that condition and promote brow health over time.
The beauty of Air Brow lies in its unique moussey-gel, whipped texture that zsuzh’s up hairs and boosts hair volume, while providing good staying power and hold. Plant-based microfibers (Polylactic Acid) grab onto each and every brow hair to impart fullness, film-former Pollulan (a polysaccharide polymer made of sugar molecules) and natural waxes and gums (Acacia and Xanthan) help hold the hairs in place, while giving body to the formula. Keep in mind that Kosas formulates with high, self-imposed standards of clean and natural ingredients.
Air Brow also promises stronger, healthier brows courtesy of ingredients like Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Castor Oil, and Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, which you’ll often find in lash growth serums. It’s a three amino acid peptide combined with Biotin (Vitamin B7), a well-known supplement for healthy nails and hair.
Last but not least — the packaging and shade selection is a major selling point. Double points for a tapered spoolie that provides precision in the cutest semi-transparent tube. And, we really love that they offer the brow gel in shade Grey.
The bottom line: Air Brow Tinted Gel is excellent for those looking for a more high impact brow look.
Areas of improvement: While they have stayed close to their standards of clean and natural when formulating, it’s always a balance between performance and brand positioning. From a formulation POV, we’d love it if this product had more staying power and hold which is probably compromised due to avoidance of high performance synthetic polymers such as PVP or Acrylates Copolymer and a higher level of conditioning oils and humectants.
Key Ingredients: Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Ricinus Communis(Castor) Seed Oil, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Panthenol, Pullulan, Glycerin, Polylactic Acid, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Trehalose, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel) Fruit Oil
Fragrance: Fragrance-free
Skin types: Great for all skin types
Inclusivity: Shade range is pretty good; 10 shades
Product Sensory & Attributes: Fluffy, moussey-gel with a semi-matte finish
Key product claims: “clean;” cruelty-free
Price & Fill Weight: $22 for .12 oz
Package: Semi-transparent tube with a tapered spoolie
Application: We recommend starting at the tail end of your brows and working backwards. Mess up your brows first, which helps you get to the root of the brow, and then go through your brows like usual, brushing upwards and out.