Is Rare Beauty’s Tinted Brow Gel Worth The Viral Hype?

Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty lives up to its name; it’s one of those ~rare~ breeds that can do it all, and do it all *well*. Foundation, lip balm, blush, perfume, body care — there’s no category of beauty that the six-year-old cosmetics company hasn’t made its mark in. So you better believe that when the brand announced it was dropping a tinted brow gel, the Elite Daily team was prepared to be allll over it.

Meet the Brow Harmony Tinted Flexible Lifting Gel ($21). Essentially, Rare Beauty took its holy-grail clear laminating gel and gave it a colorful upgrade with six natural shades. The whole idea is to lift, tint, and set your brows in one quick swipe without dealing with that annoying stiff, sticky, or crunchy feeling.

But does it actually replace a multi-step brow routine? To see if it lives up to the hype, six Elite Daily editors with completely different brow types and shade needs put the new formula to the test. Below, you’ll find our honest reviews of nearly every color (sorry, Warm Brown).

Sarah Ellis, Contributing Editor

Hair type: My brows are super dark brown (matching my natural hair color) and fairly thick, and I like to keep them a little unplucked and messy. I generally love a bold brow, so I use a pencil to fill them in for additional definition and oomph.

Shade tested: Deep Brown

First impressions: The packaging is simple and easily packable in a bag or makeup case, and I loved the rich brown color immediately. If anything, I could have used a slightly darker shade, but Soft Black (the next shade in the range) would have likely been too harsh for my warm-toned skin.

How does it compare to other brow gels? My holy grail is the Urban Decay Brow Blade, which does double-duty as an ink stain and pencil and truly lasts all day and beyond. Still, I’ve been looking for something less bold for my makeup-free days, and with a little bit more hold in addition to offering color. My previous experience with gels has left my brows looking too defined, though (I’m not trying to do the laminated look), so I needed a middle ground.

The results:

Overall thoughts: Color me very impressed! This product offers buildable color without a “hard” or waxy finish, and the brush shape and size distributes the gel evenly without hassle. It’s not as high-definition as my Brow Blade, which I’ll keep using for full-coverage looks, but I plan on incorporating this into my no-makeup makeup days all summer.

Rating: 4.5/5

Hannah Kerns, Associate Editor

Hair type: I have light brow hair, but the shape is pretty filled in (thanks to one waxing experience that scarred me for life — I haven’t been back since). For the most part, I don’t mind my natural brow shape, but they do tend to slant downward, giving me a bit of a permanently-concerned-about-something look. That said, I’m always looking for a gel that will help me lift them a bit (and hopefully look a little less on the verge of a cry sesh).

Shades tested: Soft Blonde

First impressions: The packaging is inconspicuous (and very compact). It didn’t set it apart, but it was functional. I liked that it was easy to use the tube to wipe the excess product off the bristles — a huge win for me, since I typically like to keep any brow products as light as possible. I liked that the shade of Soft Blonde wasn’t too harsh against my lighter features, but still had enough pigment to add some color and definition.

How does it compare to other brow gels? When eyebrow lamination was the big trend, I went through an Anastasia Brow Freeze phase. It definitely worked for some added lift, but it was a little too much. Since then, I’ve been wavering between using a spoolie without any product and tying out Revlon’s Photo Ready Eyebrow Gel. The latter is definitely a good drugstore option, but the pigment is a little harsher and can sometimes stain skin.

The results:

Overall thoughts: I’ve been using this brow gel for about two weeks, and in my (albeit limited) experience, it’s the best. I’m definitely not an expert, but it’s easy to use, makes my brows look lifted (but not in a Maleficent kind of way), and doesn’t leave behind a waxy coating.

My only qualm is the size of the product for the $21 price tag. Right now, I have high hopes that it will last much longer than it looks, but I’m not too confident about it.

Rating: 4.5/5

Maridel Reyes, Interim Executive Editor

Hair type: Thin and sparse (they never fully bounced back from some overzealous plucking), naturally black. As a balayage bronde, I'm forever unsure what color my brows should be. Makeup pros have told me to match them to my dyed hair, and Rich Taupe was the closest fit.

Shades tested: Rich Taupe

First impressions: I was into the minimalist packaging right away. The brush is generously sized, and it's easy to control how much product you're working with before anything touches your face. A few swipes in, I was surprised by how much it read like a laminated brow: upswept, a little wild, with just a hint of color. I wore it to a beach wedding, and it held through wind, humidity, and a full night of dancing.

How does it compare to other brow gels? My usual move is a clear gel plus Glossier's Boy Brow to fake a laminated look. Rare's gel got me there in one step: fluffy, lifted, and natural, which is exactly what I'm always chasing. And unlike a lot of gels I've tried, it didn't leave my brows tacky, stiff, or waxy-looking.

The results:

Overall thoughts: I'm retiring my other brow products for this multitasker. Would absolutely repurchase.

Rating: 4.5/5

Kaitlin Cubria, Deputy Editor Of Experiences & Style

Hair type: My brows are pretty thick, save for the head and inner corner where it’s a bit more sparse. While I’m a natural deep brunette, I recently got some honey-blonde highlights, so I had to really think about my choices. In any case, I decided to test two darkest shades to keep my brows close to the color of my roots.

Shades tested: Deep Brown & Soft Black

First impressions: The packaging is quintessential Rare — clean and minimalistic. It’s also super compact, making it an easy fit for my makeup bag. Since I’m already quite familiar with Rare Beauty’s Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting and Laminating Eyebrow Gel, I was already a pro at using the brow wand. Between my two test shades, I think the Soft Black paired better with my roots and made my inner corners pop just a little bit more.

How does it compare to other brow gels? Here’s the thing: For nearly three years, Rare Beauty’s clear gel has been my go-to; I haven’t strayed unless I was doing short test runs of other brands, so I can’t really compare.

The results:

Overall thoughts: The tinted version is basically like that meme: “I’m you, but stronger.”

Rating: 5/5

Rachel Chapman, Staff Writer

Hair type: My brows are thick and slightly darker than my natural light brown hair. I don’t do much to them, because I witnessed my older sister go through the thin brow phase of the early 2000s and was forewarned about over-plucking. Since then, I keep them pretty natural, but I do love to add some shape with a pencil or gel when I’m doing a full face.

Shades tested: Cool Brown & Deep Brown

First impressions: The packaging is very simple, and easy to travel with or put in your makeup bag. The wand is very similar to other brow gels, and works just like mascara. It took me a minute to find the perfect shade for me. (I must be brow blind.) I eventually settled on the Cool Brown for everyday and the Deep Brown for when I wanted to really have my makeup look standout.

The colors are really subtle and blend in well. I could barely notice a difference between the two shades at first. My immediate thoughts were that I loved how easy it was to apply, and how natural it looked. It does get a little stiff like hairspray.

How does it compare to other brow gels? I used to love Rare Beauty’s Brow Harmony Shape & Fill Duo set because it gave me all the tools to line and fill my brows with two different shades. It also felt more natural, and not as stiff. This is much more heavy duty as a gel. Even though it’s thicker, I love that the application experience is easier with one simple tool that you can bring anywhere. It’s made for the chill girl who doesn't want to do too much, but they want to add some color and shape to their brows with a simple stroke.

The results:

Overall thoughts: I love how easy this was to use and really would’ve loved this in high school when my brows really needed some taming. It’s not the ultimate brow product for every need, but it gives you color and shape in a natural way. The color matching is a bit of a trial at first, so I would recommend going to Sephora to pick your shade.

Overall, this is nice for shaping your brows and giving it just a little more color. It’s not going to fill it in as much as a pencil would, though, so don’t expect that.

Rating: 4/5

Megan LaCreta, Editorial Associate

Hair type: My brow hair is somewhat sparse, so I usually add in some definition with a brow pencil, but I didn’t feel like I needed to after using this product — the tint definitely added the depth and color I wanted.

Shades tested: Cool Brown

First impressions: I’m a sucker for simple, pretty packaging, so I was into the look of Rare’s brow gel right off the bat. I’ve been loyal to the laminated brow look for years now, so it’s been a while since I’ve included a tinted gel with a brush in my beauty routine, but I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the thickness and hold.

How does it compare to other brow gels? To achieve my go-to soap brow look, my brow routine has consisted of a round of the e.l.f. Brow Lift Gel, plus a once-over with a brow pencil to fill in any gaps. But after trying out the Rare gel, I’m converted. I actually like the fluffier look it gave my brows while still delivering the hold of a thicker pot gel. I also appreciated the density the tint provided, without needing to reach for another product.

The results:

Overall thoughts: Selena, you’ve done it again. While I’m not retiring my e.l.f. Brow Lift (sometimes you need to be gelled to the gods), this is definitely taking its spot in my everyday routine.

Rating: 5/5