Anastasia Brow Wiz review: still the most versatile brow pencil you can buy

The point of a micro pencil is to draw individual hairs where there are none, and the Brow Wiz does this better than anything else we have used. The tip is fine enough that a single stroke is the width of a brow hair, and the formula is firm enough that the stroke stays a line rather than spreading into a smudge. Drawn in the direction of growth and tapered at the end, the strokes disappear into real hair at conversation distance.

It is also forgiving. Softer pencils give colour faster but turn into a block if you hesitate; harder pencils stay precise but look drawn-on. The Brow Wiz sits in the middle: light pressure gives a faint, buildable line, firmer pressure gives definition, and the spoolie on the other end blends either without lifting the colour.

The shade range is the final reason. With more than a dozen shades across cool and warm undertones, it covers pale blonde to black and most of the awkward in-betweens, which is where cheaper pencils with four shades fall down.

Twist up no more than a millimetre; the tip is thin and snaps if extended too far. Start at the tail, drawing short upward strokes that follow the direction of the hair, then work back towards the front with lighter pressure so the inner brow stays soft. Brush through with the spoolie to blend and remove excess.

Wear through an 8-hour day was clean in our use, with no transfer onto glasses or fingers and no fading at the tail. Setting with a clear gel such as the Benefit 24-HR Brow Setter extends it further. The amount of product per pencil is small, and daily users will replace it every six to eight weeks.

Strengths

• The finest, most controllable tip we have used
• Hair-like strokes that blend into real brow hair
• Broad shade range with proper cool and warm options
• Clean 8-hour wear with no transfer
• Built-in spoolie for blending

Weaknesses

• Small amount of product for the price
• Fine tip snaps if extended too far
• Slower than a soft pencil if you want full definition fast

Anyone filling gaps or a sparse tail who wants strokes that look like hair, and anyone who is not sure which pencil to buy: this is the safe default, and the shade range means it will match. It is the pencil we recommend for over-plucked brows during regrowth, when the aim is to draw hairs that are not there yet; see the regrowth guide.

If you want defined brows quickly rather than individual strokes, Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat is softer and faster. If budget matters, NYX Micro Brow delivers much of the precision for a fraction of the price. See the full brow pencil ranking.

Which Brow Wiz shade should I pick?

Go one shade lighter than your brow hair unless your brows are black. Choose cool undertones (Taupe, Soft Brown, Medium Brown) for most hair colours; the warm shades suit visibly red or auburn hair.

Is the Brow Wiz waterproof?

It is smudge-resistant and holds through sweat and humidity in our use. It is not designed to survive swimming; a setting gel helps on very long days.

How long does one pencil last?

With daily use, roughly six to eight weeks. The product volume is small, which is the main reason it loses points on value.

Brow Wiz or Brow Definer?

Brow Wiz for hair-like strokes and gaps; Brow Definer, the brand's triangular-tip pencil, for fast shading through fuller brows. Most people with sparse areas want the Wiz.