Brow serums – ingredient lists and INCI analysis

Brow serums are close relatives of lash serums, but they are applied to the eyebrows, often with a slightly larger brush or a spoolie. Some are clear gels meant purely for care, while others double as a light setting gel that keeps brow hairs in place. They are usually applied once or twice daily to clean, dry skin.

The base is typically water with GLYCERIN, PROPANEDIOL or BUTYLENE GLYCOL and a gelling agent such as XANTHAN GUM or ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER. Formulas often feature PANTHENOL, BIOTIN, peptides such as MYRISTOYL PENTAPEPTIDE-17, and oils like RICINUS COMMUNIS SEED OIL. Setting-type products add film formers, for example PVP or VP/VA COPOLYMER, which help hold the hairs in shape.

Some brow products, like some lash serums, contain prostaglandin analogues such as ISOPROPYL CLOPROSTENATE. If you want to know whether a given product includes one, the INCI list is the most reliable place to look, as the name on the front of the pack rarely says so. These ingredients are usually present in small amounts and listed near the end.

Also worth a look: the preservative system, the presence of PARFUM or essential oils, and colourants in tinted versions, which are listed by CI number. Because brows sit near the eyes, many manufacturers keep these formulas fragrance-free. Tinted gels may also list fillers such as MICA. As with any leave-on product, fragrance allergens are declared above a lower threshold than in rinse-off cosmetics.