As someone who’s not blessed with naturally full, Brooke Shields-level brows, I’ve tried my share of products aimed at making my arches look a little more there. I’ve had hits and misses, which is true of any brow-defining journey—particularly when it comes to finding the best eyebrow pencils for women over 50.
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“For those of us who survived the ‘90s over-plucking epidemic—plus years of mechanical stress on follicles, slower cellular turnover, and hormonal shifts—we have the perfect storm for sparse brows,” says esthetician Jenneane Rocha. In our chat, what became instantly clear is that not any old tool will quell the storm. “A common mistake I see is women over 50 continuing to use the same hard, waxy pencils they used in their 30s,” Rocha says. “These are formulas designed for younger, resilient skin and hair. They drag across skin, tug on fragile hairs, and create that dreaded ‘drawn on’ look.”
Luckily, the right eyebrow pencils can restore natural-looking fullness, dimension, and lift to aging brows, without damaging fragile hair or skin. Ahead, find the six pencils makeup artists recommend for rejuvenating aging brows.
Best Overall: Make Beauty Nano Brow
- Why We Love It: Pro makeup artist and brow expert Pilar DeMann recommends this ultra-fine pencil to clients over 50. “I like the very skinny, very fine brow pencils,” she explains. “They go on a little softer,” which prevents the pigment from looking too thick or opaque. Designed to dash on realistic, hair-like strokes, the Nano Brow is ideal for those looking to fill in sparse patches for subtle definition and fullness. It has a built-in spoolie to blend color and polish brow shape, and it comes in five highly pigmented hues, ranging from cool taupe to soft black. Other perks? The formula is long-wearing, smudge-proof, and made with lab-engineered natural ingredients designed to minimize the risk of irritation for ultimate staying power.
- Key Ingredients: Candelilla wax, carnauba wax, dimethicone, tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E)
- Best For: Filling in sparse brows; adding subtle definition and fullness
- Shades: 5
Best Chubby Stick: Jones Road Beauty The Brow Pencil
- Why We Love It: DeMann was pleasantly surprised when she tried this Jones Road pencil on a whim. “This is a big, chubby stick that I never expected to like, but I really, really do,” she confesses. “It gives just enough color, and is easy to use.” Made with castor seed oil and shea butter, the smooth-gliding pencil was designed to draw on fluffy, feathery strokes. It can extend, define, and fill in sparse patches, too. And if you’re craving some added lift, be sure to fill in the tops of the arches, too.
- Key Ingredients: Castor seed oil, candelilla wax, shea butter, silica
- Best For: Extending, defining, or lifting brows; adding a fuller look
- Shades: 6
Best Drugstore: e.l.f. Micro-Fine Brow Pencil
- Why We Love It: This drugstore gem is at the top of DeMann’s list. A micro-brow pencil, it’s ideal for drawing natural-looking brow hairs that can extend the brows on either end. The dual-ended pencil has a built-in spoolie and a twist-up top that never needs sharpening, so it’s ideal for on-the-go grooming. Its creamy pigment comes in eight shades, including hard-to-find auburn, and glides easily onto the brow. And once the formula is on, it stays on: The pencil is waterproof, smudge-resistant, and designed for long-lasting wear.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrogenated soybean oil, argan oil, coconut oil, tocopheryl acetate
- Best For: Defining or extending brows’ inner and outer edges
- Shades: 8
Best for Large Gaps: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer
- Why We Love It: With a retractable triangular tip on one end and a spoolie on the other, Anastasia’s versatile tool helps fill, detail, and define aging brows. Its flat side can be used for outlining; its fine tip fills in sparse areas with hair-like strokes; and the broad side of the tip applies wider strokes as needed. The pencil is a go-to for Rocha, who uses it to fill in large gaps. Infused with conditioning castor oil and vitamin E, “The triangular tip creates realistic texture without the stiffness that can break fragile hair,” she says.
- Key Ingredients: Lanolin, mica, tocopherol (vitamin E), hydrogenated castor oil
- Best For: Adding definition and fullness to brows; filling in large gaps
- Shades: 12
Best Ultra-Fine Pencil: MAC Cosmetics Pro Brow Definer 1MM
- Why We Love It: Available in 14 shades—including the champagne-hued Omega and the silvery Thunder—MAC’s ultra-fine pencil is approved by pro makeup artist Michelle Radow. In order to avoid the aforementioned drawn-on look, “Women over 50 should look for natural brow colors that have cooler undertones,” she says. “A common mistake people make is picking a brow color with too much warmth.” Along with its impressive shade range, MAC’s pencil has two more features Radow considers key. It has a twist-up tip, which, she says, is “so much easier to use than a traditional sharpened pencil.” The formula is also waterproof, which helps it stay put on creased, aging skin.
- Key Ingredients: Castor oil, argan oil, coconut oil, carnauba wax
- Best For: Creating fuller-looking brows; detailing, shading, or exaggerating the brow shape
- Shades: 14
Best for Fuller-Looking Brows: Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Fiber Eyebrow Pencil
- Why We Love It: Radow is also a fan of Benefit’s volumizing pencil, which has a 12-color shade range that includes cool light blonde and grey. Made with silk-cotton tree fibers to boost volume and powder to add depth and fullness, the pencil’s first-of-its-kind formula is buildable and easy to blend. Buildable pigment is a must-have in brow pencils for women over 50, according to Rocha. “Heavy-handed application looks harsh against thinner, more textured skin, so you want subtle layering capability,” she notes.
- Key Ingredients: Silk cotton tree fibers, blended pigment particles
- Best For: Volumizing, filling, and defining the brows
- Shades: 12