Just like how you’d set your hair with a hair setting spray after spending hours styling it, you should set your eyebrows and lock the shape in place with an eyebrow gel after sculpting them. Eyebrow gels come in mascara-like tubes and are great for controlling unflattering growth patterns and unruly, wily hairs.
There are two different types: clear and tinted. Clear eyebrow gels are there to simply set your eyebrows in place. You’ll often need to use some other type of brow product, like a liner or a powder, to fill in your brows and give it the shape that you want. Tinted eyebrow gels can fill in your brows for you.
- How to Choose the Best Eyebrow Gel
- Top 10 Best Eyebrow Gels 2026
- 1. Best Overall Eyebrow Gel: Maybelline Great Lash Washable Mascara
- 2. Best Budget Eyebrow Gel: NYX Professional Makeup Control Freak Eyebrow Gel
- 3. Best Premium Eyebrow Gel: Wunderbrow Waterproof Eyebrow Gel
- 4. Best All-in-One: Milani Stay Put Brow Color
- 5. Best for Light Brows: NYX Professional Makeup Tinted Brow Mascara
- 6. Best Waterproof Eyebrow Gel: Maybelline TattooStudio Waterproof Eyebrow Gel
- 7. Best for Sparse Brows: Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Fiber Gel
- 8. Best Hold: L'Oreal Paris Unbelieva-Brow Tinted Waterproof Brow Gel
- 9. Best Volumizing: Elizabeth Mott Queen of the Fill Eyebrow Tint Gel
- 10. Best Vegan: Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel
- A Complete Guide to Eyebrow Gels
- Get Picture Perfect Brows Every Time With Eyebrow Gel
How to Choose the Best Eyebrow Gel
Choosing the right eyebrow gel can be difficult. Most of these gels come in tubes like mascara, and they all boast being able to hold your eyebrows in shape.
A good product, however, can do a lot more than that! It’ll nourish your brows, add volume or give it a boost of color.
To make your shopping experience simpler, we’ve done the research and come up with a list of some of the best eyebrow gels on the market and looked at three factors (formula, hold and other notable features) in detail.
Formula
It’s always worth it to take a peek at the ingredients in the formula. It can tell you a lot about the product’s texture and what it can do for your brows. Some eyebrow gels contain vitamins, like vitamin B and E, and other extracts that may nourish and condition your brows and prevent them from becoming brittle or dry.
Water vs. Silicone Base
Water-based gels have water at the top of the ingredient list. These products tend to be a lot more spreadable and lightweight. You won’t get any waxy residue or texture, and these products are great for those looking for a natural finish.
Silicone-based gels, however, tend to have a stronger hold, and your eyebrows may hold its shape for days after the initial application. These gels may be more difficult to work with, as they tend to be waxier.
Hold
The hold of the product is also important. Look for something that will, at the very least, last you the entire day! Some eyebrow gels can hold your eyebrows in place for days!
Choose a product that doesn’t leave behind any type of residue for a natural finish. These products also tend to be easier to work with and shape.
Last but not least, consider how easy it is to wash the product off. A gel that comes off without any tugging or scrubbing will be gentler on your brows and will be less likely to cause any of them to fall out.
Other Notable Features
The last factor that we should look at is whether the eyebrow gel has any other notable features worth mentioning. If we’re looking at tinted eyebrow gel, it’s always worth mentioning if the product comes in many different colors. The Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Fiber Gel, for example, comes in a cool grey, so it’s great for seniors. It’s one of the only brow gels that can accommodate grey hair!
Other notable features may include the packaging that the product came in or whether it’s a good choice for those with sensitive skin.
Top 10 Best Eyebrow Gels 2026
1. Best Overall Eyebrow Gel: Maybelline Great Lash Washable Mascara
Editor’s Rating:
Overview
The Maybelline Lash Washable Mascara is a great overall product for those who want natural-looking lashes. It’s also an excellent gel that can go over eyebrow pencils and powders. It comes with a classic volume brush spoolie that will add volume to both your eyebrows and your lashes. The gel will groom and separate each individual hair and lock it in place.
This is also a very affordable eyebrow gel. If you’re just learning how to apply makeup or if you’re not sure whether an eyebrow gel is the right product for you, this is the perfect entry product! You’ll get to play around with a high-quality product without breaking the bank.
While we love this product, we do have one gripe with it. It’s not cruelty-free. If this is a deal breaker for you, take a look at the NYX Professional Makeup Control Freak Eyebrow Gel. That eyebrow gel is both vegan and cruelty-free; however, it doesn’t contain any vitamins like this product, so it is a bit more drying.
Formula
This is a water-based eyebrow gel, so it’s relatively lightweight and will not leave behind any residue at all. The most interesting thing about this formula is that it contains panthenol, also known as vitamin B. Panthenol will condition your eyebrows and lashes to prevent them from becoming brittle and dry!
Hold
If you’re looking for a product that will last for the entire day, this will do the trick! This eyebrow gel offers all-day wear without any discomfort. You won’t feel put off by any sticky residues, and your lashes and eyebrows will be locked in place until you wash it off.
Maybelline experts recommend using 100% oil-free eye makeup remover to remove this eyebrow gel. It’ll come off with ease without any rubbing, scrubbing or tugging that could damage your brows. It takes only seconds to remove this product from your eyebrows and eyelashes.
Other Notable Features
There are many other reasons why this is one of the better clear eyebrow gels on the market. For one, it can double up as a clear mascara and set your lashes in place. The volume brush also adds volume to both your lashes and your eyebrows, so you get a natural, fuller look!
This eyebrow gel is also a great choice for those with sensitive skin and for those who wear contact lenses. It won’t irritate the eyes one bit! It’s also been tested by ophthalmologists, so you can rest assured that your eyes will be in good hands.
Pros
- Affordable
- Holds eyebrows in place and conditions them
- Doubles up as a clear mascara
- Suitable for those with sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers
- Adds volume to lashes
Cons
- Not cruelty-free
2. Best Budget Eyebrow Gel: NYX Professional Makeup Control Freak Eyebrow Gel
Editor’s Rating:
Overview
The NYX Professional Makeup Control Freak Eyebrow Gel is perfect for those who want to set their eyebrow without adding any volume or color. This is the perfect product for applying over eyebrows that are already filled in. It works well over powder or pencil. It’s also a great choice for those who want natural-looking brows!
In comparison to some other eyebrow gels out there, this is a super affordable product. It also comes with an easy-to-use spoolie.
Formula
This formula is lightweight and non-sticky because it is water-based. The primary ingredient found in this is water, which means that it won’t leave behind any sticky or greasy residues. It also won’t give you that sticky feeling that might make you feel uncomfortable.
Some of the other main ingredients found in this product include acrylates copolymer, which is an adhesive and propylene glycol. Propylene glycol can dry out hair, but it’s present in such little amounts that it shouldn’t be a problem to your eyebrows. If you’re concerned about this, check out the Maybelline Great Lash Washable Mascara, which contains panthenol!
The formula also doesn’t contain any vitamins or oils that might be good for your eyebrows. On the bright side, this product is one of the only eyebrow gels on the cheaper end of the market that is both vegan and cruelty-free.
Hold
This eyebrow gel boasts all-day wear. Apply this product onto your brows and those wily hairs will be set in place throughout the entire day. The only problem is that this eyebrow gel has a water base with acrylates copolymer as the second ingredient. It doesn’t have a lot of waxes or silicones that can offer a super strong hold on coarse eyebrows.
If you have really coarse eyebrows, like Cara Delevigne and similar stars, this product will still work for you; however, it may not hold for the entire day. If you’re looking for a product that offers a better hold, take a look at the Wunderbrow Waterproof Eyebrow Gel, which is silicone-based!
Other Notable Features
This product can double up as a clear mascara. It can tame your eyelashes, just like it does with your eyebrows and put flyaways in their place. If you apply this product onto your eyelashes, it will lock your curls in place and set your lashes. It can also be used as a primer to give your mascara an extra boost of volume.
The spoolie that comes with this eyebrow gel is really easy to work with, and can coat each individual brow hair (as well as eyelash!). It’s thicker on one side, so you can brush your hair in place and also use the lighter side to shape the hairs ever so slightly.
Pros
- Lightweight, non-sticky, water-based formula
- Comfortable all-day wear
- Doubles up as clear mascara
- Affordable
- Vegan and Cruelty-free
Cons
- Not the best hold on coarse eyebrows
Editor’s Rating:
Overview
Since 2015, Wunderbrow has been designing high performing eyebrow products. The Wunderbrow Waterproof Eyebrow Gel is waterproof, long-lasting and smudge-proof, so you feel and look your best no matter what life throws at you.
This premium tinted eyebrow gel will add volume to your eyebrows. It comes in 5 different colors and the consistency of the gel is just perfect. It doesn’t leave behind any greasy or sticky residues and can hold your lashes in place for days. It also possesses Permafix Technology, which locks in the color pigments and prevents them from flaking or fading.
Formula
This eyebrow gel has a silicone-based formula that’s oil-free and alcohol-free. The main ingredient is isododecane, which is an emollient that will coat your eyebrow hairs and retain moisture. This may prevent your brows from drying out.
The formula is also infused with hair-like fibers that will attach to your natural eyebrows to give them more definition. It can also make your eyebrows look a little bit longer, and give you more to work with if you have sparse brows.
Silicone-based formulas are not as spreadable as water-based formulas, like the Maybelline Great Lash Washable Mascara. The thicker consistency allows these gels to lock in even the coarsest eyebrow hairs.
Last but not least, this product is also cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny Certified.
Hold
If you’re looking for something that will hold throughout the entire day and more, you can’t go wrong with this premium eyebrow gel. It’s waterproof, transfer-proof and can hold your eyebrows in place for up to 3 days! Once you apply this product, you won’t have to worry about a thing. Your eyebrows will look perfect for quite a while.
Thankfully, the gel is also easy to remove with a makeup remover. You won’t need to tug at it at all.
Other Notable Features
This gel comes in more shades than most of the other brands on the market. You’ll have 5 different colors to choose from: blonde, brunette, auburn, black/brown and jet black. You should go for a color that is closest to the shade of your natural eyebrows or at most one shade up. Tinted eyebrow gels, like this one, can add more volume to your natural eyebrows.
If you already have really thick brows, a tinted gel might be a little too much for you. In which case, try out a clear one first. A clear gel won’t give you as dramatic effects as a tinted one.
If you have really light brows that almost look nonexistent, the blonde may still be a bit too dark for you. The NYX Professional Makeup Tinted Brow Mascara is a much better match.
Pros
- Available in 5 different shades
- Waterproof, transfer-proof and budge-proof
- Infused with hair-like fibers to give your brows more definition
- Can hold eyebrows in place for up to 3 days
- Oil-free and alcohol-free
Cons
- Not as easy to spread
4. Best All-in-One: Milani Stay Put Brow Color
Editor’s Rating:
Overview
The Milani Stay Put Brow Color is similar to a gel liner for the brows; however, it’s not only used for coloring and filling in your brows as it also does a great job at locking every strand of hair in place.
It comes in a pot, which makes it easy for you to reach every last bit of the product. You also have more control over how much product you use.
This product is vegan and cruelty-free.
Formula
This gel is silicone-based, so it has good hold and can easily sculpt individual hairs, so you get the perfect eyebrow shape for your face. Since it’s silicone-based, it’s not as spreadable as water-based eyebrow gels, so it can take some time for you to master applying it.
Furthermore, this product doesn’t come in a tube with a spoolie brush. It comes in a pot and with a professional, dual-ended brush. The dual-ended brush makes it easy for you to set your eyebrows and to fill them in.
A little goes a long way, so you’ll only want to use a small amount of this pomade to outline your brows. Fill your brows in by applying the gel in the same direction of hair growth, and use the spoolie end to blend and groom. Make sure to remove as much excess product from the brush as possible.
The formula doesn’t contain any paraben preservatives, so it’s much gentler on your brows and on your skin.
Hold
Get up to 16 hours of wear time with this eyebrow gel. This is the perfect product for most people, as they aren’t likely to be out for more than 16 hours. The gel will sculpt your eyebrows and hold them in place throughout the entire day without smudging or transferring.
Other Notable Features
This eyebrow gel comes in 8 different shades: soft brown, natural taupe, medium brown, brunette, dark brown, auburn, chestnut and dark chocolate. The darkest color is the dark chocolate, which is more of a dark brown and not a black. Those who are looking for a jet black eyebrow gel should go with the Wunderbrow Waterproof Eyebrow Gel.
One of the best things about this product is that the color is buildable. You can add another layer if you want a more intense color. With that said, you’re never going to achieve a black with this color. However, a dark brown could look more natural in some cases.
Pros
- Comes in 8 different shades
- Offers up to 16 hours of wear time
- Comes with a professional, dual-ended brush
- Sculpts your eyebrows while adding some color
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons
- Takes some time to master how to use
- Doesn’t come in a really dark color
5. Best for Light Brows: NYX Professional Makeup Tinted Brow Mascara