If you know me at all, you know that my eyebrows are one of the most important parts of my beauty routine. Left to their own devices, my brows are okay, but with the right tools, I’m able to take them to the next level.
Last time I got my eyebrows done, I went to celebrity makeup artist and brow expert Dani Kimiko Vincent, founder of Kimiko. After plucking my brows to perfection, Vincent filled them in with Kimiko’s Super Fine Eyebrow Pencil Automatique, which she spent years refining.
I’ve never been a brow-pencil person. Until recently, I swore by Glossier Boy Brow as my one-stop shop for good arches. But something about Kimiko’s brow pencil is too good to pass up, and it’s all in Vincent’s precise formulation. "A good brow pencil has the right texture, tone, and pigment level,” Vincent says. "A pencil that’s too soft will not apply finely and will not have the same longevity as a harder pencil. The ideal texture is stiff enough to deposit pigment in a thin line, like hair, but not so stiff as to tug at the brows.”
It’s not just the texture of the pencil. Vincent reveals that brow pencils also need neutral undertones to look as realistic as possible since undertones that lean too warm or ashy can look unnatural on the face. The fineness of the pencil also plays an important role. "The finer a pencil’s tip, the more you can control the shape of the brow and naturally fill sparse areas, as well as add overall density without overfilling,” says Vincent. "A brow pencil should have a pigment intensity that can be built up and allow for versatility. This gives it the ability to take the brows from lightly filled to really amplified for a bolder look.”
Kimiko’s pencil is the ideal—fine-tipped, easy to apply, and natural-looking. I’ve seen Vincent twice, and she’s used the shade Coffee on me both times, even though between appointments, I dyed my hair quite a bit darker.
My before-and-after photo.
My brows using the shade Coffee after my appointment with Vincent last summer, when my hair was highlighted.
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My brows after my most recent appointment with Vincent, still using the shade Coffee.
Vincent revealed to me that Coffee is essentially a universal shade that looks good on nearly everyone. Intrigued by this, I enlisted my colleagues at WWW to try the same shade pencil and report back to me. It’s one thing for me to be obsessed with a beauty product, but for nine editors at WWW to love it too? That’s impressive. See below for my colleague’s impressions—and their incredible eyebrows.
Paulina Galoostian, Director, Influencer Marketing
I was hesitant to try this product at first! I have (almost) black hair and thick Armenian eyebrows. When the Kimiko brow pencil arrived in the color Coffee, I thought, This is going to wash me out. I usually wear the E.l.f. Instant Lift Brow Pencil in Deep Brown. Using the Kimiko Brow Pencil, I realized the E.l.f. Brow Pencil gave me too much bold definition, especially at the arch of my eyebrows where I have the most sparse hairs. Using the Kimiko Brow Pencil, I was able to create a feather-brow look. I actually loved the lighter shade because it brings less attention to the areas that need to be filled, making it less overwhelming in the arch and instead complementing my entire eyebrow. Like I said, my "problem" area is my arch, so the real hero product for me was the Brow Sensei, a gel-based eyebrow styler by Kimiko that helps keep my eyebrows exactly where I want them throughout the day. I use the technique TikTok guru Mikayla learned from Makeup by Mario, where I brush my eyebrow hairs down with the gel, then up to where I want them placed while the gel is still wet. Best hack ever!
Erin Jahns, Senior Beauty Editor
Here's the truth: Out of all of the eyebrow pencils I've tried in my life (honestly, it has to be at least 50), there are only two (TWO!) that I'll touch with a six-foot pole. While I value the pigment payoff, shape, and size of the pencil—and how easily it glides onto my skin and blends—my biggest gripes usually have to do with the shade and undertone. I'm very fair and have very blonde hair, and while I do lean into the whole blonde-hair-with-darker-brows vibe, if a pencil color veers too dark, it instantly makes my whole eye area look too heavy and intense. Therefore, when shopping for brow products, I only ever consider taupes or darker blonde shades. Obviously, testing Kimiko's brow pencil in the shade Coffee (the middle tone out of the three color options) was a departure. That said, here I am eating my words! In all honesty, I would still be curious to try the brand's lighter shade called Latte, but I was still shocked by how remarkably flattering Coffee is. It is a little darker than I'm used to, but since I have some major root growth at the moment, it actually ended up looking pretty balanced, and since the pencil delivers light pigment, it didn't look like I had taken a dark brown crayon to my brows. Instead, they still had the defined, light, and feathery aesthetic I love. Now, I can happily say there are only three brow pencils I'll touch with a six-foot pole.
Anneliese Dominguez, Fashion Editor, Branded Content
I was shocked by how naturally this shade matched with my actual brows. I have pretty dark brown brows, so I definitely thought that this shade would be too light—but I was so wrong. The pencil filled my brows perfectly and didn't make me look too sharp or intense. With just one use, this officially became my new go-to.
Sarah Yang, Managing Editor, THE/THIRTY
I usually gravitate toward brow gels and powders. I find them much easier to use and a bit more foolproof than pencils since I'm not exactly the most precise or patient when it comes to my makeup. So I didn't think I would ever feel such strong feelings towards any eyebrow pencil, but wow, this one was really a game changer for me. It goes on smoothly and blends in well, so the end result is a completely natural look. And to my surprise, it was so easy to apply! I was able to fill in and groom my brows in less than 10 minutes—and I think I'll get faster once I start using the product more and more (which I will!). I'm also obsessed with the Brow Sensei, which tamed my brows and made them actually stay in the shape I wanted them to—that's a big deal for me since my brows grow downward and can be hard to wrangle at times.
Eliza Huber, Fashion Editor
I've never been one to do a full face of makeup, but I do like to give my brows a little extra love. Because of that, I jumped at the chance to try out Kimiko's cult-favorite brow pencil. I only did a light penciling in, mostly on the outer brows since they're pretty thin. The color is really subtle and natural, which I loved, and when paired with the brand's Brow Sensei, a transparent gel with the best applicator, it creates the perfect no-effort brow look. Tip: If you're not a mascara person, put a little of the Sensei on your lashes for a low-key lift.
Candice Aman, Social Media Editor
When it comes to doing my brows, I’m very much a one-and-done type of gal, which means I typically avoid anything that requires more skill than a swipe of tinted brow gel. While I was initially intimidated by how superfine (it’s in the name, after all!) this eyebrow pencil was, I simply followed Kimiko’s step-by-step and basically foolproof guide on how to fill any sparse brow hair. When I tell you that it takes mere seconds to achieve the really feathery and full-looking brows of my dreams, it’s the truth, and I’ll happily add one more step to my beauty routine.
Clara Shader-Seave, Graphic Designer
I usually avoid brow products, as I find they can be easy to over-apply. My hair is already quite dark, and too much color can be a little intense for my liking. I was pleasantly surprised by this pencil. It went on very lightly and looked really natural, even when I used a heavier hand. The shade was great, too; other pencils I’ve tried have been too red for me, but this one has a flattering neutral undertone. I am officially a brow-product convert!
Shawna Hudson, Associate Beauty Editor
This pencil actually works really nicely with my natural brow color! I'll admit I wasn't too sure since my hair is an extremely dark shade of brown (almost black), and I normally just use a black pencil. But this espresso-like shade gave my brows a really nice, natural look. Now, I'll also admit that I'm no brow expert. I'm not one to spend a ton of time on them, as it usually ends up being too much if I go for a look that's too sharp or bold. This provides the perfect amount of natural fill, and it didn't take me long to use at all. I'll definitely be incorporating it into my daily makeup routine!
Complete your Kimiko brow routine with its eyebrow gel:
Other brow pencils we like:
