Have patchy brows? Here’s how to fill them in like a pro

Not everyone is #blessed with of-the-moment brows, and TBH it’s kind of a crapshoot as to why. The full, bushy brows of today would’ve been wildly over-plucked in the stencil-thin ’90s. Meanwhile, these days, many of those with over-plucked and patchy eyebrows are gunning for them to look bigger and bolder. It turns out it’s easy to make good on this with just a brow gel and a pencil, which should both be the same shade as your hair.

As Well+Good’s beauty editor, Ali Finney knows a thing or two about achieving natural-looking brows, and her secret to mastering the technique? Starting with your weaker brow. First swipe on a brow gel to define your arch, then make tiny, pencil-like strokes in the patchiest areas, moving outward toward the tail and stopping short of where your natural hairline ends in order to prevent a hard edge. “I’m just doing tiny little dashes that mimic hair—you don’t want to do anything that’s harsh,” Finney says in the tutorial below.

Next, she recommends using the spoolie at the other end of the pencil to blend in the product. Then, after checking to make sure your eyebrow starts at the inner corner of your eye—and filling it in with tiny, hairlike strokes if you need to—move onto your other brow, trying to mimic the same arch as your weaker brow. The next thing you know, you’ll be the proud new owner of a pair of much-thicker eyebrows. Easy peasy.

Try Jenna Dewan’s $6 secret for full brows. Or, learn how to achieve Rihanna’s fierce “hair-sprayed” eyebrows for less than $4.