Overusing heavy products on delicate eyebrow hairs can damage them, leaving brows dry, sparse and harder to groom, explains Sherrille Riley, brow expert and founder of Nails & Brows Mayfair and Beauty Edit Mayfair. If you do use heavy-duty brow gels, make them the last step in your brow routine, says Baldesberger, so that you aren’t tugging on overly stiff hairs with other pencils, products or tools. “Also, opt for brow gels that have hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid or castor oil,” adds Baldesberger. How you remove your brow gel is just as important. Consider a gentle, oil-based cleanser to dissolve all traces of product. “If you’re not washing the product off effectively, this will cause buildup, which can lead to irritation, clogged pores and potentially breakouts around the brow area,” says Yana Gushchina, founder of London-based brow bar, Browfique. “Likewise, if you’re removing products harshly and constantly tugging or rubbing the brow area, this could make hair fall out, which may result in brow thinning, potentially even causing the hair to stop growing from the follicle over time,” says Gushchina.
