An eyebrow pencil from Glossier has been applauded by shoppers for its range of natural colours—in particular, for its grey shade, which is said to give natural definition that’s particularly good for people with grey, silver, or white hair. You may have heard of Glossier for its “skin first, makeup second” ethos, which aims to enhance natural features and focuses on healthy skin as the foundation of makeup.
While I haven’t used the Boy Brow Arch pencil myself, Glossier is a brand I can personally vouch for (their Skin Tint and Stretch Concealer have been my daily go-tos for years), particularly when it comes to natural, barely there makeup that provides just the right amount of coverage.
The eyebrow pencil, dubbed the Boy Brow, has been around since 2015 and has become a cult icon in the makeup world. It now comes in nine different colours, including brunettes, blondes, auburns, and, of course, grey.
On one end, you’ll find the pencil—a soft, precision tip that Glossier says can help mimic the shape and look of natural, fine hairs. On the other end, there’s a spoolie to help fluff your natural brows and blend in the colour. The pencil can be used in conjunction with the Boy Brow gel (which also comes in grey) if you’re looking for extra fullness. The pencil is also extendable, so it does not require a sharpener, something that has earned the product high praise from shoppers. In a review, one customer said: “I love that I don’t need a sharpener to use this and that the angle of the pencil makes it so versatile, whether I need fat fill-in or skinny strokes.”
Glossier claims the pencil is water, smudge, sweat, humidity, and transfer resistant, so it has a staying power of up to 12 hours. In a review, a shopper backed up this claim, saying: “Great colour, minimal smudging, long lasting.”
The product is also made using a vegan formula. You can also buy the Boy Brow bundle, which includes the pencil and the gel and is 11% cheaper when purchased as a set.
Though there are other grey eyebrow products on the market, with the likes of Benefit and Jones Road both providing grey shades, a Glossier shopper said: “The first truly grey eyebrow pencil I have used. You can darken it if you like with buildable colour, but if you have silver/white hair, you don’t want really dark brows.”
In a review, a second shopper added: “Thank you, Glossier, for being the only company that makes a natural grey colour for my brows. It’s the perfect ‘greige’ for silver-haired girls who don’t really have grey brow colour, and taupe just doesn’t work! The only reason for four stars is that I wish it came in a bigger size!”
However, some shoppers have said the grey leans closer towards a brown than a truly cool tone. Some customers also noted that the consistency of the pencil is a little too soft compared with a traditional pencil product. “Love the grey, but it’s a bit more fragile than I like in that it breaks off pieces if you dial it out just a bit more,” commented a shopper review. “But I like how thin the lines are.”
Other shoppers have said they went through the product too quickly, and several shoppers said it lasted them no more than a month.
The Boy Brow Arch pencil is currently £24 and can be bought directly from the Glossier website, though it is also available for the same price at Space NK.
