NYX Thick It Stick It vs Rivals: Brow Gel Showdown Guide Now

Brunette vs Cool Ash Brown: Matching Shade to Your Undertone

Brow shade choice is really undertone choice, and it matters more than the depth of the color. The Brunette shade carries warmth, which flatters warm-toned brown and auburn hair but can look reddish on cool-toned brunettes and dark blondes. Cool Ash Brown is the safer pick for anyone whose hair has ash, neutral, or cool tones, because it avoids the warm cast that makes brows look dyed to match a hair color you no longer have. When in doubt between the two, consider your natural brow hair rather than your head hair: dyed-blonde wearers with medium-brown natural brows usually look better in the shade that matches the brows, since brows frame the face at their natural color.

Gray and silver hair is the edge case nobody covers well. Warm browns can look jarring against cool silver hair, while an ashy shade blends naturally. If your brows have gone significantly lighter or grayer than your dyed hair, match the brows you have, not the hair you wish you had. And for redheads, neither standard brown is ideal; a dedicated auburn shade keeps brows from looking muddy or mismatched. The wrong undertone is the single most common reason a brow product looks obviously wrong, more than formula or application.

The Sparse-Brow Technique: Making Fibers Work for You

Thick It Stick It is a fiber-infused gel, which means tiny plant-like fibers physically bulk up each brow hair, and that design is aimed squarely at sparse brows. But the formula's thickness is also its learning curve: reviewers consistently note that the large spoolie deposits a lot of product fast, and on sparse or small brows that means product on skin, clumps, and a heavy look. NYX's own guidance for this exact complaint is worth following: wipe excess gel off the spoolie onto a clean tissue before you start, then apply in light, quick upward strokes rather than pressing down. Less product per stroke, more control, and the tube lasts longer.

For genuinely sparse areas with little hair to grip, layer the approach. Use a fine brow pen first to draw hair-like strokes where skin shows through, then run the fiber gel over the top to thicken and set everything. The gel alone cannot create hair where none exists, but it excels at making existing hair look denser and locking the pen work in place for the 16-hour wear the formula promises. Work one brow at a time because the formula sets quickly; finishing one side before starting the other prevents the patchy, half-set look that happens when you go back and forth.

If the large spoolie still fights you on small brows, the practical fix many reviewers landed on is using a separate small spoolie for application and keeping the product's brush for spoolie-through blending. And if the dried-down feel bothers you, note that the slight stiffness is what delivers the all-day hold; a softer-feeling gel simply will not lock brows for 16 hours. For removing it at night, treat it like any long-wear eye product: an oil or balm cleanser dissolves the fibers without the scrubbing that thins brow hairs over time. Our makeup removal guide covers the gentlest methods, and for eye-area sensitivity concerns, the sensitive-eye mascara tips apply equally to products used near the eyes.

Quick Answers Before You Buy

Will it survive workouts and oily skin? The 16-hour wear claim holds up well for most wearers through normal days, but heavy sweat and very oily skin soften any brow gel; blotting the brow area before application helps it grip. Does it work on brow tint or microblading? Yes, it layers fine over both and is one of the easiest ways to refresh fading microblading between appointments. Can men use it? Absolutely; the clear-look option is Brunette applied very lightly, or simply use it to groom and set without visible color. And if the tube dries out fast, you are likely not closing it fully or are pumping the wand; both habits kill brow gels quickly.