Charlotte Tilbury's Brow Cheat Pencil Is a Shortcut to Your Best Brows Yet

We put Charlotte Tilbury's Refillable Hair-Like Eyebrow Pencil to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review

I'll be honest: Filling in my brows is my least favorite part of getting ready. I don't have the patience to spend ten minutes making them look perfect, even though I wish I did. While I usually use a laminating brow gel and call it a day, spring is approaching, and I'll be glamming up more. So, a good brow pencil will be a must-have.

Garnering rave reviews from TikTok and Byrdie editors alike, Charlotte Tilbury's Brow Cheat Refillable Hair-Like Eyebrow Pencil is beloved for its angled tip and natural finish. But is it impressive enough to change my eyebrow attitude? Read on to find out.

About My Brows: Thick and quick-growing

I've been doing my eyebrows since middle school, so I've tested many brow products over the years. These days, I prefer a simple routine: just a pencil and a gel. As someone with thicker brows, I use a thin pencil to avoid overfilling them. My hair is naturally black, but I have a blonde balayage, so I use a darker brown shade on my brows. I am currently using the Too Faced Fluff & Hold Laminating Brow Wax Gel to achieve the laminated look I'm obsessed with at the moment, and the Lawless Shape Up Soft Fill Brow Pencil to fill sparse areas.

I've always admired how beautiful people's brows looked when shaped by Charlotte Tilbury artists, so I was excited to try Brow Cheat. I used it in my makeup routine for about three and a half weeks, mostly on its own, but I added the Too Faced Brow Gel on some days.

How to Apply: With a light hand

To best use Brow Cheat, brush your brow hairs upward to reveal your brow shape. Then, use Brow Cheat to add extra definition, mimicking the look of natural brow hairs in sparse areas with the precision pencil. Because the tip of this product is thin, I recommend using a light hand at first to avoid breaking the pencil.

The Results: Natural brows that last all day

The texture and pigmentation of the Brow Cheat Pencil impressed me. It is also simple to use: Thin enough to produce natural-looking hair strokes but a good size for filling bare spots. The pencil's perfect slant helped me fill in my brows with greater precision.

After adding this product to my routine, my getting ready time slightly decreased. The spoolie is shorter than other brow pencils I tried, which worried me initially, but it still did the job. It left my brows looking fuller and more natural.

The Value: Worthwhile purchase

The Brow Cheat Pencil costs $26, which is expensive, but the long-lasting pigment and refillable design make it a worthy purchase. When you run out of product, you can get a refill for $16. If you want a brow pencil that glides like a dream and leaves a beautiful brow that doesn't smudge or melt away, Brow Cheat is a wise investment.

Similar Products: You have options

Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow Pencil Waterproof Eyebrow Definer: Add defined hair-like strokes with the Precisely, My Brow Pencil Waterproof Eye Definer ($25) from Benefit Cosmetics, which has an ultra-fine tip. Twelve shades are available, so finding your best match is easy. You get slightly less product with this one than with Brow Cheat. 

Lawless Shape Up Soft Fill Brow Pencil: The Lawless Shape Up Soft Fill Brow Pencil ($21) is perfect for creating a natural brow look. The color payoff is high-quality, and the product lasts all day. Five shades are available, all of which are neutral in tone, which can be hard to find (trust me).