Eyebrow Pencils & Gray Hair

**This post was been periodically updated to reflect the changes in available products on the market and provide some additional options**

I freely admit that I never fully appreciated the whole eyebrows thing until I got older. I've always had plenty to work with in the eyebrows department (too much, actually), and only really started thinking about it when I had to. Now that I am quickly approaching my 45th year, I feel like my caterpillar-like natural brows are starting to show their age. I never thought it could be possible to have brows that look at simultaneously bushy and patchy, but as we all know, age can be a cruel mistress indeed; hair tends to thin out where you want it and migrate to places that you would have never dreamed would need hair.

Eyebrows have therefore sort of become my new obsession. In lieu of a lot of other fancy makeup, which I feel looks kind of strange on me the older I get, brows are actually a really easy way to really enhance the look of your face without having to smear a lot of goop all over it. However, if you have grey, white, or salt and pepper hair like me, it can be a really frustrating thing trying to find eyebrow pencils that are not too warm in shade. Everything you try, even those with the universally-accepted labels of "ash", "taupe", or "charcoal" tend to have ruddy undertones, making them look strange when up against the cool tones of my salt and pepper hair. Sometimes, you don't even realise it, thinking you've found a good product, until you find yourself out and about and happen to catch your reflection in the bright sunlight. I've had several of those moments (I used to feel that way about my hair as well, which is why I stopped dyeing it). There's just something so off-putting to me about catching a glimpse of myself with mismatched, brownish-red brows; like I plucked a couple of wooly bear caterpillars off of the road and adhered them to my face.

In my trials with every shade of eyebrow pencil on the planet, I've found a few that I like (so far). While everybody is different, even those of us with grey hair, these are a few that are worth a looksee if you are a salt and pepper brunette like me. Or perhaps for some of you, even if you're not.

Lorac Pro Brow Pencil in Slate - $19 / £11

This is my hands-down favourite. The consistency is easy to work with and the line is nice and thin. Best of all, the color is a great greyish-taupe without overly reddish undertones. The little brush on the end is nice and firm as well, making it easy to blend.  The downside - it doesn't last nearly long enough.

**UPDATE AUG 2024**

This version of the Lorac Pencil is becoming very difficult to source. A great alternative is the Sephora Collection Retractable Brow Pencil, which has three different shades of a grey-brown variety. Those of you who are completely grey may also want to try the budget-friendly NYX Micro Brow Pencil in grey, which has a true grey option. Their Ash brown and blonde shades are also worth a look as well if you still have a bit of your natural color.

NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Charcoal $12 / £10

This one is a bit smudgier and the brush is a bit softer, making it a bit more of a filling-in tool than something for making short little strokes with. The charcoal color is a true grey, and it works well for dark brunette hair, although I found the color to be almost a little cooler than I would have wanted. Perhaps in another five to seven years when I am more grey than I am now, this will be my go-to.

I use brow gel to help set everything once you've got your brows the way you like them.

**UPDATE OCT 2025** This product for a while was getting difficult to source. It has since returned, but a reliable alternative is the Benefit Gimme Brow Volumizing Fiber Brow Pencil, which has a cool grey option. Like the originally recommended NYX Auto Eyebrow, this product is great for filling-in and adding volume to sparse brows. I daresay, the Benefit actually does a better job of this, albeit at a higher price point.

Elf Ultra-Precise Brow Pencil in Cool Brown $7 / £5

I'd also like to add in a reliable, low cost pencil that has been my go-tp for a while now. This will be of particular interest if you are a deep brunette like me looking for a reliable, cool toned brunette eye pencil that isn't taupey or too blue-grey.

The Elf Ultra-Precise pencil is super thin, easy to use, never needs sharpened, and has a little bruh for blending. I find it looks really natural on really dark brows but blends really well with silver grey hair since it has a cool base. And it's £5!