The 12 Best Eyebrow Hold Gels of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Anastasia Beverly Hills Strong Hold Clear Brow Gel

View On Amazon $22 View On Nordstrom $13 View On Ulta $22

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Overall Look
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5

After all of our testing, we found no eyebrow hold gel compared to Anastasia Beverly Hills Strong Hold Clear Brow Gel. For starters, it has one of the largest wands — practically the size of a mascara wand — which makes it especially easy to swipe on. And since it’s on the larger side, our tester found that it only took one swipe per brow to fully fluff them up. 

“It didn't leave any film and left my eyebrows looking natural — as though I hadn't applied any brow gel at all,” our tester reveals, noting that her eyebrows stood in place without feeling or appearing stiff. Another characteristic we love about this product is the fact that it takes a couple of minutes to fully dry down, so you have ample time to comb them exactly as you like without worrying about them setting into place. 

“The Anastasia Beverly Hills Strong Hold Clear Brow Gel is the gold standard in brows,” says lash and brow expert Jennifer Blair, who is the founder of the emerging eyelash extension franchise Deka Lash. “This gel is lightweight yet very versatile, so you can easily style your brows without smudging any color you may have added prior to using the gel to set. And it goes without saying that there's no flakiness, residue, or any type of buildup throughout the day.”

Size: 0.64 ounces | Wear Time: 12 Hours | Finish: Polished

Best Budget

e.l.f. Clear Brow & Lash Mascara

View On Amazon $3 View On Ulta $3 View On Target $3

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Overall Look
  4.5/5
• Performance
  4.7/5

In addition to being the best budget option, e.l.f. Clear Brow & Lash Mascara Crystal is a multitasking option that has an end for brows and one for lashes. “This product is perfect for building [fluff],” our tester says, noting that the formula is airy and smooth, which makes it easy to comb through. And all it takes is one dip into the product to perfect each brow. 

“It dries seamlessly: There is no residue, and it looks so natural — I think this product is perfect for any type of brow and is a great beginner option for people that are starting to fill in their eyebrows or are looking for that natural look,” she adds, revealing that it’s a great Glossier Boy Brow dupe.

Of course, the formula isn’t without any faults. “I found this sizzled a little on my skin,” Holmes admits. “While it might perform well due to the high polymer content, anyone with sensitive skin may find it too strong.” Additionally, there is very little product in the tube, so it might not last very long. But at less than $5 a pop, that might not be a dealbreaker for you.

Size: 0.08 ounces | Wear Time: 6 to 8 hours | Finish: Natural 

Best Splurge

Kimiko The Brow Sensei

View On Kimikobeauty.com View On Verishop.com $35 View On Modaoperandi.com $35

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Overall Look
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5

“I love the Kimiko The Brow Sensei,” Holmes shares. “Founder Danielle Vincent is a master brow artist who spent a lot of time on her collection of products. The gel includes a multi-peptide complex, amino acid complex, vitamin E, ginger extract, red clover extract, and castor oil.” In other words, it doesn’t only make your brows look good, but it’s good for them, too. 

To see for ourselves, our reviewer put it to the test. “The texture is incredible,” she marvels. “It feels lightweight, hydrating, and is a slippery gel — in fact, the product is so lightweight that I touched my brush to make sure it came out.”

Beyond the texture of the gel, our reviewer calls out the long, thin spoolie, which easily presses brow hairs into place. Best of all, it dries down imperceptibly. “This eyebrow gel didn't flake whatsoever — there is no detectable residue on my brows, and the gel made them feel natural, even hydrated,” she exclaims. Keep in mind that because the brush is thin, you might need to dip into the gel a few times to adequately tame thicker brows. But, needless to say, if you’re willing to splurge, you now know which item to add to your cart. 

Size: 0.07 ounces | Wear Time: 6 to 8 hours | Finish: Natural 

Best Waterproof

NYX Professional Makeup The Brow Glue Laminating Setting Gel

View On Amazon $9 View On Ulta $10 View On Walmart $10

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Overall Look
  5/5
• Performance
  4.8/5

When testing NYX The Brow Glue, our tester (who is a brow pro) found that the product was lightweight and easy to brush through brow hairs, especially due to the small spoolie, which made it easier to touch up specific areas of the arch. That said, since it comes with a tiny tip, it does require multiple passes to fully style each brow. 

Still, even after two coats of the gel, she found her arches looked beautifully styled without any signs of stiffness or flakiness. “This brow gel has a very comfortable feeling,” she says. “I would recommend this to everyone who needs a clear gel for personal and/or professional use.”

Don’t just take her word for it, though. “I really love the accessibility of NYX; they're high-performing products that are easy to find, easy to use, and always dependable,” Blair says. “NYX The Brow Glue is no different. Like with [most] brow gel, a little goes a long way when applying, but what stands out is how well it dries. There's no flakiness or buildup, and it's sure to last all day.”

Size: 0.18 ounces | Wear Time: 6 to 12 hours | Finish: Natural 

Best Lightweight

Kosas Brow Fluff & Hold Treatment Gel

View On Nordstrom $24 View On Sephora $24 View On Revolve

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Overall Look
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5

Kosas Air Brow Fluff & Hold Treatment Gel in Clear is beloved by over 54,000 Sephora shoppers — and we’re fans, too! A few of the things that stood out most about this eyebrow hold gel are its spoolie, ease of use, and staying power. “The application brush on this brow gel is amazing,” our tester marvels. “It's shorter than your average spoolie and has a particular shape that is ideal for eyebrow shaping — the instructions on the box indicate to use the flat side to fluff and the tapered point for shaping.” 

“I love how creamy this gel is — yet it dries clear and doesn’t flake as long as you don’t play with it once it sets,” shares brow expert Michele Holmes. “The hold is soft yet has staying power. It’s one of the best in the clean space. Plus, panthenol and biotin [which are in the formula] support healthy hair too.”

The only downside of this brow gel is that it does grab a lot of product, so it’s important to wipe off any excess on the edge of the tube so as to not over-coat your arches, which can lead to flaking.

Size: 0.13 ounces | Wear Time: 8 to 12 hours | Finish: Natural 

Best Long Wear

MAC Brow Set

View On Nordstrom $23 View On Ulta $23 View On Maccosmetics.com

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Overall Look
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5

If you’re the type who wants to apply a product and forget about it, look no further than MAC Brow Set hold gel. “This gel is amazing,” our tester exclaims. “It’s clear as the description says and feels light without any flaking.” Additionally, she says that using one application was enough to set her brows and that she was able to brush them into shape before the product set.

The only shortcoming of this long-lasting eyebrow hold gel is that, due to the longer wand, our tester found that it easily picked up too much product, which, if directly applied, could overwhelm your arches. As such, she suggests wiping off the tip before applying it to your brows.

Size: 0.28 ounces | Wear Time: 8 hours | Finish: Polished 

Best Conditioning

Ami Colé Brow Shaping Gel

View On Sephora $20 View On Amicole.com $20 View On Thirteenlune.com $20

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Overall Look
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5

Prefer natural-looking brows over ultra-polished ones? Ami Cole Ultra-Flex Brow Shaping Gel will make you swoon. “The product sets with a light hold that makes my brows feel soft and smooth, not waxy,” our tester reveals. “If I touch my brows with my fingertip, my hairs still move but settle back into place with ease.” In that sense, it’s a flexible brow gel that helps arches maintain their shape without being stiff — even after applying multiple coats, which our tester found was necessary to achieve her desired look. 

Beyond the hold, we love this gel's ease of application.“The applicator's spoolie has a long side to brush the brows into your desired shape and a short side to get a more detailed look (or to deal with unruly flyaway brows),” our tester explains. “The length of the bristles on the longer side is great — I really feel like I was able to get product on the hairs from root to tip. The short side is nice for the wispy ends of my brows.”

While our tester can’t sing enough praise for this conditioning brow gel, Holmes admits that if you have thicker, coarser brows, it may not be the best fit, as it doesn’t offer a strong hold.

Size: 0.17 ounces | Wear Time: 8 hours | Finish: Natural 

Best Multitasking

Maybelline Great Lash Clear Washable Mascara

View On Ulta $9 View On Target $6 View On Walmart $7

Our Ratings

• Feel
  4.5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Overall Look
  5/5
• Performance
  4.5/5

For those that love a multi-use product, Maybelline Great Lash Washable Mascara in clear works as an eyebrow hold gel, too. “The applicator brush is perfect — it's long enough to cover half of my eyebrow, which makes it so much easier to brush the hairs upward,” our tester says, noting that it takes a couple of strokes to shape and set brows. Additionally, she says that the formula dries down within two minutes, so you have time to tweak the style.

On the flipside, we aren’t the biggest fan of the texture of this brow gel. Our tester says it’s cold and wet to the touch and dries to a slightly stiff finish. Still, she says that if you have thin to medium-thick brows, it’s a great starter option. 

Size: 0.44 ounces | Wear Time: 8 hours | Finish: Polished 

Best for Thick Brows

Makeup By Mario Master Hold Brow Gel

View On Sephora $22 View On Kohls.com $22 View On Makeupbymario.com

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Overall Look
  4.8/5
• Performance
  5/5

Whether you have ultra-thick brows or simply like to secure your brow style in place, Makeup By Mario Master Hold Brow Gel is a great option. “The combination of the brush and the gel consistency makes shaping and molding my brows easy,” our tester reveals. “The applicator has spoolie bristles, but the cool thing is that one side has longer bristles that look like a comb, and the other side looks like a traditional spoolie with shorter bristles.” 

All in all, we find that the spoolie grabs the perfect amount of product in one dip. “The tool deposits the gel very evenly onto my eyebrows — there is no goopiness or excess product, but there is enough to actually make a difference,” our tester adds.

It’s worth noting, though, that this brow gel is not for the faint of heart. If your goal is to achieve soft, natural brows, this is not the gel for you. “I would say this gel has medium to strong hold,” our tester shares. “It dries down in about 30 seconds, and after one full minute, my brows feel pretty hard to the touch. So, I think for someone to enjoy it, they should really want something that will keep their hairs in place — this is not a light-hold gel.”

Our only other complaint is the value. “There is so little product in the tube,” our tester complains. “The tube is absolutely tiny, and this isn't cheap. I think if someone used this consistently, they would have to repurchase every few weeks.”

Size: 0.1 ounces | Wear Time: 12 hours | Finish: Natural 

Best for Thin Brows

Joey Healy Brow Structure Clear Set

View On Joeyhealy.com

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Application
  4.5/5
• Overall Look
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5

With a spoolie that mimics a mascara brush, Joey Healy Brow Structure Clear Set streamlines styling arches in a single swipe. According to our tester, the gel easily molds brows into place without giving them a frozen finish. “It was very easy to mold and shape because the gel is lightweight,” she says, noting that it doesn’t clump or flake. 

Our tester isn’t the only one to give this brow gel high praise. “Joey Healy thought of everything here: This brow gel is strong yet soft, water resistant, adds subtle shine, works well with makeup, and you can use it on your lashes. Check, check, check,” Holmes exclaims. 

Size: 0.25 ounces | Wear Time: 8 hours | Finish: Natural 

Best Drugstore

W3ll People Clear Brow Gel

View On Ulta $13 View On Wellpeople.com View On Walmart $16

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Overall Look
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5

W3ll People Expressionist Clear Brow Gel offers a lightweight, flexible hold that’s ideal for creating natural-looking arches. “The gel is cool and lightweight and doesn't dry immediately, leaving time for it to shape,” our tester says. “It set well into my brow hairs — without any flakes — and it doesn't leave them looking frozen in place.” 

Because of this, we highly recommend the product to anyone looking for an affordable, easy-to-use formula. Plus, since it’s formulated with aloe vera and olive oil, it doubles as a brow conditioner. Just be patient for it to set because it does take a few minutes (so you may not want to use it if you’re rushing out the door).

Size: 0.24 ounces | Wear Time: 6 to 8 hours | Finish: Natural