How to Find the Right Eyebrow Colour

A well-groomed brow can really enhance your features, and choosing the right brow shade is an important part of getting the best result.

Knowing which eyebrow colour suits you can make a real difference and transform your brows for the better.

Whether you prefer using a brow pencil, powder, or gel, having a few helpful tips can make the process easier and guide you towards brows that look polished and well suited to your features.

Finding the correct shade is not just a small detail, it plays a key role in the overall effect and can help your brows look more balanced, defined, and flattering.

With the right approach, it becomes much simpler to choose a colour that works for you and create brows that feel more refined and put together, while still looking natural and enhancing your overall appearance in a subtle but noticeable way.

Filling in your eyebrows is sometimes a difficult task, especially when you have unruly brows. If you want to achieve your best brows, it’s important to shape before you shade. For perfectly shaped brows, we recommend using the Tweezerman Slant Tweezer - Classic for expert precision. Then, follow our Ultimate Brow Guide for brow-shaping tips that suit your face shape.

The next step is eyebrow shading. Shading in your brows helps them look fuller and more defined. The key to shading in eyebrows with a pencil is to use hairlike strokes. Make small, upward strokes that mimic your brow hairs to achieve a natural result.

To colour eyebrows naturally, product should be concentrated towards the centre of the brow and then feathered out. Using the Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil makes this easy, as its precise tip lets you create a soft look that lasts all day.

After you’ve applied your pencil, stray hairs can be put into place with a clear or coloured brow gel such as M.A.C Cosmetics Brow Set. Clean up any mess with a cotton swab. Finally, accentuate your brow bone with a concealer or the Jane Iredale Eye Highlighter Pencil. For an amazing eyebrow starter kit, embark on your journey with the Garbo & Kelly Brow Kit, which includes brow guides for beginners.

If you’re wondering what brow colour to choose, we have some top tips for you. Many people wonder if their eyebrows should match their hair colour. But in most cases, matching your eyebrows with the hair on your head will look too monochromatic.

If you have lighter hair, it’s best to go for a brow shade one or two shades darker. Conversely, if you have darker hair, try going one to two shades lighter with your brow colour. Not only will this look more natural, but it’s also much more harmonious.

Blonde Hair: When choosing an eyebrow colour for blondes, it’s important to remember that less is more. You want to choose a brow colour that isn’t too harsh, or else your brows will look unnatural, and you could wind up looking old or mean! Fill in any sparse areas with a colour only slightly darker than your hair colour. If you have platinum, ash, or golden blonde hair, brow shades that would suit you are Ash Blonde or Taupe.

Auburn Hair: If you have auburn hair, your eyebrows may be lighter or darker than your natural hair colour. You may have red, blonde, and even light brown tones in your brows. Whether you have auburn or truly red hair, you want something that will complement the warmer tones in your brows. Go for shades like Ash Blonde, Caramel, or Auburn.

Brown Hair: Brunettes generally have quite pronounced brows that only need to be filled in lightly. In most cases, you’ll only need to go a shade or two lighter than your natural hair colour. Light Brown and Medium Brown are colours to look for—and maybe even Taupe if you have very light brown locks. For a natural look, try to focus most of the product towards the tail of the brow and in sparse areas. If you want to emphasise your darker brows, we recommend Garbo & Kelly Brow Pomade in Brunette, particularly if you prefer not to use a traditional eye pencil.

Black Hair: The best brow colour for black hair is actually … Black. If you don’t want your eyebrow colour to match your hair, you can easily use a Chocolate or Dark Brown pencil. But going with a Black pencil won’t look overdrawn or crazy.

Grey Hair: Figuring out how to colour grey eyebrows can be tricky. Basically, you have to decide if your want to mask your natural brow colour or embrace it! If you want to cover grey tones in your brows, we recommend applying Maybelline Tattoo Brow Gel Tint, a temporary stain that leaves brows evenly coloured and filled. If you want to keep your eyebrows grey, we recommend using Cool Blonde, Ash, or Taupe shades like Eye Of Horus Brow Define in Husk (Ash Blonde).

If you have a fair complexion, a brow that’s too dark can overwhelm your face and make you look severe. Regardless of whether your hair is light or dark, choose a shade somewhere between taupe and medium brown.

From there, look to your hair colour. Blondes should stick with taupe, while brunettes can get away with light and medium browns. Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil in Shade 01, 02, or 03 would be ideal for fair skin.

For medium to deep skin tones, your brows can range anywhere from a medium, cool brown to a deep, warm brown. If your hair is naturally black, a soft black or charcoal brow colour may work, but you can't go wrong by playing it safe with dark brown.

Benefit Gimme Brow in Shade 03 or 05 works beautifully for medium and deep skin tones. These browns add depth and drama to help your brows frame your face rather than blending in to the skin or looking fake. 

For dark skin tones, the same basic rules for medium to deep complexions apply to you as well. Stick to a deep, warm, rich brown rather than black unless your hair is naturally black and your skin tone very dark. You want a natural, multi-dimensional look, not a permanent-marker swipe.

Black pigments can often appear too heavy regardless of the darkness of your skin. Black also makes the hairs appear monochromatic, which is far from a natural look for your brows. Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil in Shade 04 or 05 is ideal for shaping and filling in brows on darker skin tones.

*Like all Adore Beauty guides, this is a non-sponsored article.