Brow make-up – pencils, gels and pomades: INCI analysis

Brow products are used to fill, define or set the eyebrows. Pencils draw fine strokes, powders are brushed in for a soft effect, pomades are applied with an angled brush, and clear or tinted gels comb through the hairs to keep them in place. Brow soaps are rubbed onto a damp spoolie and brushed upward.

Pencil leads are mixtures of waxes such as CERA ALBA, SYNTHETIC WAX or COPERNICIA CERIFERA CERA with oils and fillers like TALC or MICA. Gels are water-based with film-forming polymers such as ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, PVP or VP/VA COPOLYMER, plus fibres in some volumising versions. Pomades combine waxes with volatile ISODODECANE or silicones for long wear.

The shade is created almost entirely with iron oxides, CI 77491, CI 77492 and CI 77499, sometimes with CI 77891 to lighten. Product ranges sold in many shades may print one shared list with a “may contain” section. Brow tints that dye the hairs are a separate product type with their own instructions and warnings, so check the format before comparing lists.