Even though my arsenal of brow products might not be as “exciting” as other makeup staples in my routine—like my stack of glitter eye shadows, for instance—I can’t imagine doing a full face of makeup without one of my favourite trusted brow pencils (followed by a quick swipe of brow gel, duh).
I’m a self-proclaimed minimalist when it comes to my arches, and I personally prefer a pencil when it comes to adding a hint of “oomph” and definition to my brows. I definitely don’t have Cara Delevingne–caliber brows by any means, but most of my friends and family members do, by now, ask me for recommendations when it comes to the best tools. And nine times out of 10, I point them to waterproof eyebrow pencils, as I’ve found them to have the best no-budge staying power regardless of what you throw at them—sweat, water, beating winds… anything!
Obviously, there are a lot of waterproof eyebrow pencils out there, but there are only a handful that I’ve tried and routinely foist onto my friends. The best of all time, in my opinion, is Benefit’s ultra-famous Precisely, My Brow Pencil Waterproof Eyebrow Definer (more on that one below), but there are a few other standout options I’ve gotten people hooked on. Below, eight beauty-editor-approved waterproof eyebrow pencils that will never (ever) let you down. Keep scrolling!
At this point, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen celebs and beauty people whip out this best-selling waterproof eyebrow pencil from their makeup bags. It has a nearly solid five-star rating at Sephora (and over five thousand reviews!), and the brand has even debuted it in a travel-handy mini size. It comes in 12 shades (bless), and the ultra-fine tip ensures each and every stroke looks as hairlike—and therefore as natural—as possible. Plus, it will wear perfectly for at least 12 hours but probably more. You can’t go wrong, and it’s the brow pencil all of my closest friends swear by.
If you want a salon-like finish without sacrificing your waterproof results, this perfectly precise pencil will do the job. It has a creamy texture that makes it easy to apply but refuses to budge all day long.
The fine nib of this brow pencil allows you to create genuinely hair-like strokes, creating natural-looking definition while it works. The best bit, however, is that despite the fact it’s smudge and-waterproof, when you first apply it, you have a little bit of blending time before it sets, meaning you can blur things out with the adjoining spooly for a softer look.
Who doesn’t love a multitasking beauty product? This three-in-one waterproof eyebrow pencil from Shiseido is both a personal and celebrity-makeup-artist favorite. Together, the pencil, powder, and brush ensure you get the customized brows of your dreams.
In case you haven’t noticed, we’re big Chantecaille fans over her. It’s a splurge, but we love the triangular-shaped tip for the perfect, brow-fluffing strokes, and the innovative waterproof formula uniquely blends all of the best benefits of a pencil, wax, and powder, so you’re getting the best of all worlds.
Another budget-friendly options I love! Use the super-blendable pencil to shape and fill your arches to your heart’s content and then relish in 24 hours of budge- and waterproof wear.
Sephora’s in-house makeup collection doesn’t get nearly the amount of love and credit it deserves, in my opinion. It comes in an array of natural-looking shades, and it has a micro tip for seamless filling wherever your brows run sparse.
Sure, this favourite from Urban Decay has an A+ waterproof pencil on one side, but it also has an ink-stain brush on the other for microblading-esque precision. So brilliant.
This story was originally published on Who What Wear US and has since been updated.
