Brow gel 101
News

Brow gel 101: What does it do and how to use it

by Kasper Lindgren on Dec 22, 2024

Excellent Based on 3503 reviews
Dorthe Kristensen

Read through by Dorthe Kristensen

Hairdresser and former co-owner of the award-winning hairdressing chain Zoom by Zoom
With many years of experience in the hairdressing industry, Dorthe has advised many customers about hair and hair care. Dorthe has read through this blog entry to ensure high quality and professionalism. This blog post is professionally updated on December 22, 2024.

Table of contents

Go directly to solution

Well-groomed eyebrows play a key role in enhancing facial aesthetics. They frame the eyes, improve symmetry, and bring balance to your overall appearance. Defined brows can elevate your look, making features appear more polished and harmonious.

Brow gel is a versatile tool that helps keep eyebrow hairs in place while shaping and enhancing their appearance. It’s ideal for taming unruly hairs, adding subtle volume, or setting your brows to last throughout the day. With its simple application, brow gel offers an effective way to achieve a neat, defined style that complements your natural features.

What is a brow gel?

Brow gel is a cosmetic product specifically designed to shape, define, and hold eyebrow hairs in place, ensuring a neat and polished look. It typically comes in a tube with a spoolie applicator, similar to mascara, allowing for easy and precise application.

There are two main types of brow gels:

  • Clear brow gel provides a natural hold without adding any color, making it ideal for taming and setting brows while maintaining their natural shade.

  • Tinted brow gel combines hold with a hint of color, helping to enhance brow fullness and fill in sparse areas for a more defined look.

The primary purpose of brow gel is to groom and set eyebrow hairs, keeping them in place throughout the day. Whether you want to achieve a natural look or a more structured style, brow gel is a simple yet effective tool for creating well-groomed brows that enhance and complement your facial features.

What does a brow gel do?

Brow gel is a versatile product that plays a key role in eyebrow grooming, offering multiple functions to keep brows looking polished and well-defined.

One of the main purposes of brow gel is taming hairs. It keeps eyebrow hairs in place, preventing them from becoming unruly and ensuring a neat and tidy appearance that lasts all day. This makes brow gel ideal for maintaining a well-groomed look, whether for casual wear or special occasions.

Brow gel also works to add volume. Tinted formulations are particularly effective as they deposit color to fill in sparse areas. Some gels include fibers that cling to existing hairs, creating the illusion of thicker, fuller brows. This function is especially helpful for individuals who want to enhance the shape of their eyebrows naturally.

Another key function of brow gel is setting shape. Whether you prefer a natural, brushed-up appearance or a more structured brow style, brow gel locks the hairs into place, ensuring your chosen look stays intact throughout the day.

Benefits for different brow types

The advantages of brow gel can vary depending on your brow type and the style you want to achieve.

For those with sparse or thin brows, tinted gels are particularly useful. They provide subtle color and fullness, helping to fill in gaps without requiring additional products like pencils or powders.

Individuals with thick or unruly brows benefit from clear gels. These provide control, taming stray hairs while maintaining a natural and understated appearance.

Brow gel is also perfect for achieving specific trends like the feathered or laminated brow look. By brushing hairs upward and setting them in place, brow gel creates a lifted and defined effect, enhancing the overall shape and structure of the brows.

Incorporating brow gel into your routine allows for versatile styling and helps ensure your eyebrows remain polished, groomed, and perfectly shaped all day long.

How to use a brow gel

Applying brow gel is a simple and effective way to enhance and define your eyebrows, giving them a polished and well-groomed appearance. By following a few easy steps, you can achieve the perfect brow look.

Start by preparing your brows. Make sure your eyebrows are clean, dry, and free of any oils or makeup residue. Use a gentle cleanser or makeup remover to ensure a fresh base, as this helps the gel adhere properly and last longer.

Choose the brow gel that best suits your needs. A clear gel works well for a natural hold and taming unruly hairs, while a tinted gel adds subtle color and volume, filling in sparse areas for a fuller look.

To apply the gel, use the built-in spoolie brush if your brow gel comes in a mascara-like tube, or dip a clean spoolie into the gel if it comes in a pot. Start at the inner corner of your brow and brush the gel through your hairs using short, upward strokes. Follow the natural arch of your brow as you work toward the tail end, ensuring even coverage and a sleek finish. Remove any excess product on the spoolie beforehand to avoid clumping.

Allow the gel to set for a few seconds to lock the hairs in place. If needed, use the spoolie to make small adjustments to perfect the brow shape and ensure a refined, defined look.

Incorporating brow gel into your routine is an easy way to achieve smooth, defined brows that stay in place all day, complementing your natural features.

Do I use a brow gel before or after applying pencil or powder?

The order of applying brow gel in relation to pencil or powder depends on your personal preference and the outcome you want to achieve. Both methods offer benefits, and the choice often comes down to your brow type and styling routine.

Using brow gel before applying pencil or powder helps set your brow hairs in place first. This is particularly helpful for those with unruly or thick brows, as it creates a tidy base, making it easier to identify sparse areas that need filling. However, applying pencil or powder over brow gel can sometimes feel less smooth, especially if the gel creates a stiff texture once it sets.

On the other hand, applying brow gel after pencil or powder can lock in the color and shape you've created, ensuring your brows stay put throughout the day. This method works well for maintaining a polished look, but it requires a gentle touch to avoid smudging the product underneath.

Both techniques have their advantages, and experimenting with each can help you decide which works best for your brows. If you want more control over the shape before adding color, start with gel. If you prefer a final step to set everything in place, finish with brow gel.

Try our Hair and Brow Stick for well-groomed brows

Achieving perfectly groomed eyebrows is effortless with our Hair and Brow Stick. This innovative product is designed to tame unruly hairs and define your brows, ensuring a polished look that lasts all day.

The Hair and Brow Stick features a mascara-like applicator, making it easy to apply the gel precisely where needed. Its medium to strong hold keeps eyebrow hairs in place without leaving a greasy residue, providing a natural finish.

In addition to brow grooming, this versatile stick is excellent for managing flyaway hairs along the hairline, offering a quick solution for a sleek hairstyle.

Smooth, defined brows made easy

Brow gel is a quick and effective way to achieve well-groomed, defined eyebrows. Whether you need to tame stray hairs, add subtle volume, or lock your brows into place, it offers a versatile solution for all brow types. Clear gels keep brows neat and natural, while tinted options enhance fullness and definition. By incorporating brow gel into your daily beauty routine, you can elevate your look effortlessly. It’s a simple step that ensures your brows stay polished, sleek, and perfectly styled throughout the day, enhancing your natural features with minimal effort.

Get a 10% discount code sent to you

Receive the best tips and tricks for your hair from Lotte and Nanna 🥰