NYX brow glue was the brand's first instant brow styler, and it still sets the standard for a brushed-up, held-in-place brow. This edit covers the NYX brow pencils and the glue itself, a few more NYX favorites for lips and eyes, and the clear gels from other brands worth trying.
NYX Brow Glue and the Gel Shelf: Brows That Stay Brushed Up
NYX Professional Makeup was created in 1999 in Los Angeles by entrepreneur Toni Ko, who wanted high-quality, on-trend professional color cosmetics that ordinary people could pick up and use, not only artists working backstage. The brand says it has been cruelty free since day one, and in 2014 it signed an agreement to be acquired by a much larger beauty company. Among everything it has made since, nyx brow glue is the product I reach for most.
The Brow Glue Laminating Setting Gel is what the brand calls its first instant brow styler. It comes in four tinted shades plus one clear gel, and the brand says the formula gives up to 16 hours of non-sticky, flake-resistant hold. That is the real draw for me: no crunch, no white flakes at noon, and a brow that looks like it was brushed up in a salon. I use a small amount on the spoolie and brush upward, then slightly outward, starting from the inner edge.
It helps to think of the glue as a finishing step and the pencils as the drawing step. The Micro Brow Pencil is for single, hair-like strokes in the sparse spots. The Precision Brow Pencil is a bit broader, good for shaping the tail. The Fill & Fluff Eyebrow Pomade Pencil is the one I like when a brow needs more body, with a soft, fluffy finish. Lift & Snatch Brow Tint Pen is a tint in pen form, a quick way to stain the brow for a few days of easier mornings.
My usual order is tint if I am using it, pencil for gaps, then glue to set. It takes about two minutes once you have done it a few times. The brow is the one feature that frames the rest of the face, so a little practice pays back every single morning.
The rest of the NYX bag
NYX makes more than brows, and its other products are the kind I slip into a bag without a second thought. This grid is the collection I would tell a friend to pick from, for everything around the face.
Butter Gloss is the everyday gloss, soft and comfortable on the lips. Fat Oil Lip Drip is the shinier, juicier one, good over a lip liner or alone. Slim Lip Pencil Lip Liner gives the lip some definition and keeps gloss from sliding away, and I like pairing it with either gloss for a softer, more designed mouth.
Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner is a liquid liner with a fine tip, made for a steady, sharp line, and waterproof is something to consider if you are going to a wedding or a humid day. Matte Finish Setting Spray is the last step, a mist that settles the face so the work you did on your brows and eyes stays put.
The simple idea is to do the brows first, since they frame everything else, and then build around them. If the brow is brushed up and set, a soft lip and one sharp line on the lid is honestly all you need.
A small tip: set the brow glue before you spray, and close your eyes while you mist, holding the bottle at arm's length. Let the spray dry before you touch your face. I also keep the liner capped tightly and stored flat, since a dry tip makes a wobbly line.
Clear gels from elsewhere
Sometimes I want a gel that is not glue, something softer that still does the job. These six are the clear and fiber gels I would try, and each has a slightly different personality.
Rare Beauty's Brow Harmony Laminating Eyebrow Gel goes for the brushed-up, laminated look, so it is the closest cousin to the glue. Anastasia Beverly Hills' Clear Brow Gel is a classic clear option for brows that are already well shaped. Benefit Cosmetics' 24-HR Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel is the long-wear one, made for brows that have a mind of their own. e.l.f.'s Brow Lift Gel, Clear is a simple, clear choice for everyday use. ILIA's In Frame Clear Eyebrow Gel is the quiet one, a light hold with no color. Milk Makeup's KUSH Fiber Eyebrow Gel adds fibers, which gives a fuller, thicker-looking brow.
What I would skip: layering a gel over wet brow product, and loading the spoolie until it drips. Too much gel leaves flakes and a stiff, shiny brow. Skip brushing back and forth too, because it spreads product onto the skin and pulls the hairs out of shape. Take the wand out of the tube, wipe the excess on the rim, and brush once, upward. If you need more, add it after the first layer dries, not before.
Learning to brush up
The way to learn a brow gel is to try it on a quiet morning, not five minutes before the door. Brush the hairs up first, before you pick up a pencil, then fill the gaps, then set. Look at the brow from a few steps back and in daylight if you can.
If it feels stiff, you used too much. If it looks flaky, the skin underneath was probably damp or oily, so dry it first. A good brow is one that looks like your own, with a little help. Keep one pencil and one gel in your bag, and the rest can stay on the shelf. When a new product arrives, use it alone for a few days before you add anything else, so you know what it is actually doing for your brows.
