How to Tint Your Eyebrows at Home, According to Experts

“The primary challenge is getting the intensity and color right."

Two female models with full and defined tinted eyebrows
(Image credit: Getty Images)

If a professional eyebrow tinting session is out of your reach, you shouldn't give up on your dreams of getting the darker, fuller-looking eyebrows you've always wanted. The best eyebrow pencils can give you a daily fix, but if you’re looking for a semi-permanent, more low-maintenance solution, say hi, hello, and welcome to your new favorite product: The best at-home brow tints. “Eyebrow tinting is a non-invasive way to enhance and define existing brow hairs using semi-permanent dye to darken the finer and lighter brow hairs that normally aren’t as visible,” explains brow expert and founder of Kimiko, Dani Kimiko Vincent. “This increased hair visibility creates a fuller, more defined brow that can last from four to six weeks.” 

Yes, dyeing your own brows feels intimidating, but with some expert tips and the best kits in the game, you’ll be set up for success. Here, we’re sharing our favorite at-home brow tints along with expert-approved tips for getting a natural-looking, albeit slightly enhanced, finish.

What to Look For in an Eyebrow Tint

  • Type of Tint

We’re all for a DIY situation, but it’s important to set some ground rules ahead of your shopping spree. Picking the best at-home eyebrow tint for you is largely dependent on your skill level. “At-home kits are meant to be safe and easy to use, but they do require trial and error to get right,” warns Vincent. “The different types include encapsulated powders with activators, cream with developer, and silver nitrate versions.” The latter is going to be the hardest to work with, as the color latches onto the skin and leaves a tint fairly quickly. If you’re new to the at-home brow tinting process, we recommend sticking to a powder or cream kit. And by no means should you attempt to tint your brows with hair dye. “All tints made for brows are semi-permanent. You should never use hair dye on eyebrows, as they are much stronger and not deemed safe for use around the eyes,” notes Vincent. 

  • Shade

Finding the right product is half the battle with at-home brow tints. “The primary challenge is getting the intensity and color right,” explains Vincent. As a rule of thumb, pick a shade that’s roughly two shades darker than the hair on your head. “Brow tinting is not just for the fair-haired, even dark brunettes have finer, lighter hairs that can be amped up to add natural-looking definition to brows.” 

The Best At-Home Eyebrow Tints

The products on this list have been vetted by Marie Claire's Beauty Editor, Samantha Holender (aka yours truly) and Marie Claire's Beauty Director, Deena Campbell; or have been hand-selected by a eyebrow tinting pro. Each and every one is safe to use and is highly rated by reviewers. While the *best* at-home eyebrow tinting kit for you will vary based on personal preference, you truly can't go wrong with one of the items on this list. 

If you're on the hunt for more at-home treatments that give salon-level results, check out the best LED mask, the best at-home keratin treatments, and at-home gel manicure kits. 

How to Tint Eyebrows at Home

Let me preface this by saying that instructions differ on every kit, so please read all the instructions—no matter how many pages they may be. But generally speaking, start with clean, dry brows. You may also want to outline your eyebrows with petroleum jelly (over-the-counter Vaseline is perfect) to prevent dye from running into your eyes. 

Then, it’s time to mix up your tint. “You’ll need a small glass dish and an angled brush.” Vincent’s go-to? The KIMIKO’s Essential Brow & Lash Brush, which is ideal for this type of precision application. Put the product over your entire brow, not just sparse sections, for the most even looking application. Set your timer and let the magic happen. 

If you’re a beginner, Vincent suggests scaling down the time the solution actually sits on your skin. “There is a learning curve to working with these products, so I recommend first starting with a short tinting session to ensure that you don’t over-darken the hairs, which is the main risk of at-home tinting,” she says. “You can always build the intensity with another tint application, but once brows are too dark, the only option is to wait for them to fade with time.” 

Meet the Brow Expert

dani kimiko vincent
Dani Kimiko Vincent

Dani is recognized for her makeup artistry (as seen in InStyle, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, Vogue, and Elle ), her skincare expertise, her less-is-more approach towards makeup and helping clients achieve their best brows. Her method involves teaching and empowering clients to "master their brows," to the effect that she’s been called the Brow Sensei. Equipped with an expansive and discerning product knowledge, it is no wonder Dani further established her place as an industry authority when she developed her Japanese beauty brand KIMIKO®, known for their precision brow products from Tokyo and their intelligent skin-improving makeup.

Samantha Holender
Beauty Editor

Samantha Holender is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and keeps up with the latest trends in the beauty space. She has previously written for Us Weekly, Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Follow her on Instagram @samholender.