10 best eyebrow kits and palettes for 2020
Not sure where to start when it comes to your brows? Invest in one of these...
Well-groomed eyebrows not only frame and enhance the eyes, they also help to shape and define the whole face. The fuller they are, the more youthful they look, which is where eyebrow products come in. Most of us can benefit from a little judicious shaping, filling, thickening and setting – all made easier with the right brow kit. Our top picks for 2020 are:
Winner: Best overall eyebrow kit: Guerlain Ecrin Sourcils Eyebrow Kit
Best for shade range: Benefit Brow Zings Eyebrow Shaping Kit
Best value brow kit: L'Oréal Paris Brow Artist Genius Kit
Best for blending: Soap & Glory Archery D-I-Y Brow Bar
Best for beginners:Benefit Fool Proof Brow Powder
Best budget buy: GOSH Eyebrow Kit
Best for creating both day and night looks: Clarins Perfect Eyes & Brow Palette
Best for speed: Billion Dollar Brows 60 Seconds to Beautiful Brows Kit
Best organised: BBB London Dream Brows Palette
Best for sparse brows: Morphe Arch Obsessions Brow Kit
What is a brow kit?
Packed with the essentials, an eyebrow kit is a helpful buy for beginners and can be an economical purchase for those already more refined in their skills. Most often you’ll find them in palette form, with some including extras such as tweezers and ahighlighter stick, or as brow collections with mainly full-sized products.
Related article: Best eyebrow shape for your face
Why should I buy an eyebrow kit?
• They’re easy to work with: Colours and formulations are designed to work together and most come with at least two shades of powder, so you’re rarely stuck for choice.
• They’re perfect for on-the-go: Many kits come in a slim compact with a built-in mirror, which is handy for topping up your brows on your commute (assuming you’re not driving of course!).
• They’re money-saving: Almost always cheaper than buying each of its components separately, a ready-made kit is also a good way to try out a brand’s products.
Related article: Best eyebrow pencils
Brow products and tools explained
Confused by the different brushes and textures? Here’s a quick guide to help you identify what’s what and how to use it:
The tools and brushes
Slanted brush
• Which one is it? – Looks like an eyeliner brush, with bristles cut at an angle
• What is it for? – Use it for precise application of powder
Blending brush
• Which one is it? – The fluffier brush, which has a bristle shape that’s either flat or rounded
• What is it for? – Use it to apply highlighter (it can double up to blend a smokey eye look, too)
Spoolie
• Which one is it? – Looks like a mini mascara wand
• What is it for? – Grooming your brow hairs into place and softening harsh powder lines by blending the colour out. Brush brow hairs in light strokes in the direction of growth with it before and after applying product
Related article: Best eyebrow gels, mascaras and pomades
The products
Brow powders
• Which one is it? – The matte-looking powders in your palette, usually in various tones of brown or beige.
• What is it for? – Use this to fill in the gaps and sparse areas of your brows.
• How to use it: If one colour is included: apply with slanted brush in direction of hair growth. If two colours are included: apply the lighter shade at the inner brows first (nearest to the nose) and swap to the darker shade halfway through the arch and blend, blend, blend with the spoolie. This creates a soft, natural finish.
Highlighter
• Which one is it? – It’s the white or pinky-coloured powder in your palette and may be matte or shimmery. Sometimes it can be in stick or pencil form, too. It’s useful to have, though not always included in a kit.
• What is it for? – Use this under the arches to define the shape of the brows.
• How to use it: Apply lightly to the under-arch area using either the rounded or slanted brush.
Wax and gel
• Which one is it? – Wax is the product with the thickest consistency. A quick test is to rub it with your finger - not much will be visibly picked up. Gel usually comes in a tube with a mascara-style wand.
• What is it for? – Setting and keeping brow hairs in place.
• How to use it:
1)Wax: use the slanted brush to smooth down the brow hairs before applying powder, or dip the wax-covered brush into the powder and apply in the direction of hair growth.
2) Gel: use lightly as the last step of your brow routine to set the hairs in the direction of growth.
Tweezers not included? Check out theGHI’s top tested tweezer
Related article:How to do brows
How we test
We’ve tested 17 brow kits with our panel of over 150 women. The testers assessed each item within the kit for ease of use, performance and longevity. We also asked a professional makeup artist to evaluate the kits, giving scores for a variety of attributes, including staying power and smudge-resistance. Meet our top 10 performers...