How to Apply Brow Gel

Co-authored by JoAnn Solomon

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References

Eyebrows are very important, but often neglected. They help frame your face, and making them appear too thick, too thin, dark, or sparse can change your look, and not necessarily in a good way. Fortunately, brow gels can make your eyebrows appear neater and well-groomed. Tinted brow gels can even replace eyebrow pencils and powders by tinting your brows and keeping them looking neatly groomed. There is a trick to applying brow gel. It is not very hard, but once you get the hang of it, it will become practically second-nature to you!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Applying Clear Brow Gel

1
Start with your usual skincare regime. Clean your face using your usual facial cleanser, and follow up with some toner and moisturizer. If you plan on wearing any foundation, put it on now. You can do your lips and blush as well, but hold off on the eyeshadow for right now.
2
Groom your eyebrows. Start by tweezing out any stray or unruly hairs. Next, take out a clean spoolie, and comb the hair on your eyebrows, following the direction that they are naturally growing in. For most people, this would be straight up on the inner corners, outwards along the arch, and down towards the tail end.^{[1]
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JoAnn Solomon
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- If you want your eyebrows to appear higher, brush them upward first.^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  JoAnn Solomon
  Master Beauty Consultant & Celebrity Makeup Artist
  Expert Interview. 8 September 2020.}
- If you want your eyebrows to look a bit more tamed, brush them up, then down towards the edges.
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3
Apply eyebrow pencil or powder, if needed, then comb them back into shape with a spoolie. Filling in your brows is completely optional. If you already have thick, full brows, you probably don't have to do this. Start with a medium taupe shade; it works well with dark and light-colored eyebrows without appearing too pale or too dark. If your eyebrows are red, consider a light, reddish brown pencil or powder instead.^{[3]
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- Fill in your brows using short, hair-like strokes instead of simply coloring them in. This helps mimic the texture of brow hair and provides better visual density.
- Use a lighter shade if you have very dark eyebrows. Never use straight black. Instead, opt for a very dark brown or charcoal. It will look softer, more natural, and less harsh.^{[4]
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- Vary the shades on your brows. You can stick with the same color, but use a lighter hand towards the inner part, and concentrate the product towards the ends.^{[5]
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4
Apply clear brow gel following the direction your eyebrow hairs are growing in. You can use the spoolie that came with your tube of clear brow gel, or you can use a new spoolie. Following the same technique as before, comb the spoolie upwards at the inner part of your eyebrows, straight towards the arch, and back down towards the tail.
- If you applied eyebrow pencil or powder, it might be a good idea to dip your brush in brush cleaner and wipe it off with a clean towel before each application. This way, you won't risk tinting the clear gel with any residual eyebrow pencil or powder.
5
Finish off with the rest of your makeup. Now that you have your eyebrows done, you can finish putting on the rest of your makeup, such as your eyeshadow and eyeliner. Of course, you can always skip those if you want something more natural.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Applying Tinted Brow Gel

1
Start with your usual skincare regime. Clean your face using your usual facial cleanser, and follow up with some toner and moisturizer. If you plan on wearing any foundation, put it on now. You can do your lips and blush as well, but hold off on the eyeshadow for right now.
2
Groom your eyebrows to give them definition. Tweeze out any stray or unruly hairs. Next, use a clean spoolie to comb the hair on your eyebrows upwards and out.^{[6]
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3
Apply a small drop of brow gel to the back of your hand. If your tinted brow gel came with a spoolie applicator, choose a thin, angled brush, and run it along the spoolie instead. You will be using the thin brush to apply the brow gel along the bottom edge of your brows first.
4
Outline the bottom edge of your eyebrow. Get out a thin, angled brush and pick up some of the brow gel. Outline the bottom of your eyebrow using short, light strokes. Stay within your eyebrow, and don't let the brow gel extend past the hairs. Outline from the inner corner of your eyebrow all the way to the outer corner.^{[7]
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- Use a brush with stiffer bristles, like the kind you'd use to apply lipstick. Avoid brushes with soft bristles, like an eyeshadow blending brush.
- Avoid applying too much. Remember that less is more; you can always apply more layers later.
5
Blend the tinted brow gel upwards. Gently wipe off any excess brow gel from your brush. Next, use the brush and light, feathery strokes to blend the brow gel upwards and into the body of your eyebrow.^{[8]
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6
Fill in your eyebrow. Use the flat side of and angled brush and long strokes to fill in the arch and tail end. Use a short, stubby brush, and quick, upward strokes to fill in the inner part. Make the arch and tail of your brow darker and more defined. Make the inner part of your brow softer and lighter. This will look more natural.
- If your brow gel came with an applicator, you can comb the applicator through your eyebrows instead. Be sure to follow the direction that the hairs are growing in, however.
7
Outline the upper edge of your eyebrow, but only the outer part. Use your angled brush to pick up more eyebrow gel. Then, starting at your arch, outline the upper edge of your eyebrow. Don't outline right above the inner corner of your eyebrow; this will give you a softer, more natural look.^{[9]
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- Once you're finished applying the gel, use your finger to blend and press it a little into your skin. It'll look more natural and polished.^{[10]
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  Expert Source
  
  JoAnn Solomon
  Master Beauty Consultant & Celebrity Makeup Artist
  Expert Interview. 8 September 2020.}
8
Use a clean spoolie to comb your brow. Use the same techniques that you did at the beginning of the method: upwards towards the inner part of your eyebrow, and outwards and down towards the end of your eyebrow.^{[11]
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9
Clean it up with some liquid concealer. Choose a concealer that either matches your skin tone or is one shade lighter. Using a thin brush, apply the concealer along the bottom edge of your eyebrow. Apply it just below the hairs so that it doesn't accidentally smudge the brow gel.^{[12]
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- If your concealer came with an applicator tip, you can use that instead.
- You don't have to use the concealer on a daily basis; it's great for whenever you want something more dramatic.^{[13]
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10
Blend the concealer downward. Using short, light strokes, blend the concealer down towards the crease of your eyelid. You can do this using your finger or a foam eyeshadow brush.^{[14]
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- Soften the concealer up with a Q-tip.
11
Finish off with the rest of your makeup. Now that you have the hardest part of your makeup done, you can do the rest, including your eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, and anything else you wish to put on.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do you apply eyebrow gel step by step?

JoAnn Solomon
Master Beauty Consultant & Celebrity Makeup Artist
JoAnn Solomon is a Celebrity Makeup and Hair Artist, Beauty Consultant, and Founder of JoAnn Solomon Beauty, a beauty service in New York, New York. With over 15 years of experience, JoAnn specializes in beauty consulting and writing, makeup and hair artistry, product training, and creative directing. She is a licensed cosmetologist and esthetician and is certified in Airbrush Makeup. JoAnn has been published in Glamour Magazine and Lipstick.com. She is also a beauty contributor for Condé Nast, The List, Essence, Style Bistro, Family Circle, and Nylon Magazine. Her looks have been showcased in editorial, fashion, television, and red carpet events. A few of JoAnn’s celebrity clients include Beyoncé Knowles, Dr. Joe Biden, Alicia Keys, and Quincy Jones.

JoAnn Solomon

Master Beauty Consultant & Celebrity Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

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First, make sure you brush your eyebrow in the direction you want it to flow. Brush upwards first if you want your eyebrows to appear higher, or brush up and then down towards the edges if you want them more tamed. Then, apply the eyebrow gel. Afterwards, use your finger to blend the gel a bit into your skin, for a more natural look.
Question

What do you do with brow gel?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

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Brow gel helps hold your eyebrows in place and may contain pigment to darken them slightly. Apply it with the included applicator or a spoolie brush and comb your brows into the desired shape (usually up and out toward the outer corners).
Question

Can you use eyeliner gel on your eyebrows?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

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Eyeliner is usually heavily pigmented and will tend to look too dark on brows. In a pinch, you could apply a light brown eyeliner gel and comb through your brows after to break up the pigment.