Brow Pomades & Powders
Description
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November 1, 2022
By Lisa Petrison
While I have tried a few brow pomades and powders, I have not found any of them to work very well due to my brow hairs being so sparse.
I also prefer a more natural brow look than the one that pomades tend to provide.
For those people who do well with these kinds of products, here are a few cleaner alternatives that may be worth considering.
For the products that I have tried, the ratings are for how well I think that they would work for me if my brows were full enough to use them appropriately.
TOP PICKS
♣ Living Clean Superstars:
EcoBrow Defining Wax ($26)
+RMS Back2Brow Powder ($24)
♦ Not Yet Tried:
+100% Pure Long Last Brows ($26)
+Jane Iredale GreatShape Eyebrow Kit ($35)
♠ Trash Can:
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo ($23)
♥ Lisa’s Choice:
None
Notes:
1) Living Clean Superstars – Products with high scores on both Performance Rating (5) as well as Ingredients Rating (4/5). ^ Product contains at least one ingredient of possible concern (Ingredients Rating = 4).
2) Lisa’s Choice – Products that I would purchase for my own personal use. √ Lisa’s Favorite
100% Pure Long Last Brows – $26
Performance Rating: Not Yet Rated
Ingredients Rating: 
(5 / 5)
The description of this product reads, “Natural brow gel shapes, fills, and perfects. Cocoa and black tea create natural color and texture, while biotin and Pro-vitamin B5 promote healthy hair growth.”
I have yet to try this product.
Size: 0.16 oz.
100% Pure Rating: 4.6 Stars (629 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Yes
EWG Ingredient Rating: 2 (green)
EWG Problem Ingredients: None
Fragrance Ingredients: Oregano extract, thyme extract, cinnamon, rosemary, goldenseal
All Ingredients: Castor Seed Oil, Coconut Oil, Marula Oil, Candelilla Wax, Silica, Tocopherol, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid (Pro-Vitamin B5); Pigments of Cocoa, Apricot, Peach, Coffee, Tomato and Black Tea; Oregano Extract, Thyme Extract, Cinnamon, Rosemary, Goldenseal
EcoBrow Defining Wax – $26
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: 
(4 / 5)
I tried this product in the shade Marilyn.
The description reads, “This true, fleshy taupe with a hint of gold will not turn red or orange and provides soft, natural definition for fair-skinned brunettes and women with all shades of blonde hair. Quite simply, Marilyn is a blonde’s best friend. Naturally Derived. Mineral-based. Paraben-Free. With Vitamin E. Never tested on animals.”
I thought that this seemed like a nice product that likely would have worked well for me if I had bushier eyebrows.
Although natural fragrance is included in the ingredients list, I did not notice that the product had any particular smell and certainly did not find it to be objectionable.
Credo Rating: 4.8 Stars (76 reviews)
Credo Clean: Yes
Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (Natural Fragrance)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 6 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Dimethicone (3), Titanium dioxide (3), Natural fragrance (8)
Fragrance Ingredients: Natural fragrance
All Ingredients: Neopentyl glycol diheptanoate, silica, cetyl acetate, acetylated lanolin oil, ceresin, polyethylene microcrystalline wax, nylon-12, cetyl recinolente, dimethicone, natural fragrance, tocopherol. May Contain: iron oxides, titanium dioxide
Jane Iredale GreatShape Eyebrow Kit – $35
Performance Rating: Not Yet Rated
Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)
The description of this product reads, “Get perfect, natural-looking brows that are lustrous and smooth with this pigmented brow powder and nourishing botanical brow wax. The look is soft, not sticky. Water-resistant mineral-rich brow powder glides on to add color, depth, and highlights. Brow wax botanical formula nourishes and protects. Refined and soft, with no sticky residue. Travel-size rose gold mirrored compact and dual-ended applicator.”
I have yet to try this product.
Size: 1.54 oz.
Amazon Rating: 4.7 Stars (430 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: Meets criteria
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Maybe (Chromium Oxide Greens)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3), Dimethicone (3), Chromium oxide greens (5)
Fragrance Ingredients: Pine bark extract, pomegranate extract
All Ingredients (Brow Powder): Mica, Zinc Stearate, Titanium Dioxide, Dimethicone, Pine Bark Extract, Pomegranate Extract. May Contain: Iron Oxides, Chromium Oxide Greens.
All Ingredients (Brow Wax): Isopropyl Jojobate, Sunflower Seed Oil, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Beeswax, Mica, Stearic Acid, Tribehenin, Titanium Dioxide
RMS Back2Brow Powder – $24
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredients Rating: (5 / 5)
The description of this product reads, “This finely milled powder adheres easily and creates the look of real brow hairs. Cocoa seed butter conditions. Natural minerals add subtle sheen, for soft, defined brows with lustrous dimension.”
This product is available in three shades. I tried Light (“soft, beige taupe ideal for blonde/light brown hair”).
Although this product is not ideal for my thin brows, I felt that I was able to use it to create a reasonably nice look in combination with brow gel.
The powder product felt nice to me and also seemed to work fairly well as an eyeshadow.
RMS Beauty Rating: 4.9 Stars (93 reviews)
Credo Clean: Yes
Clean at Sephora: Yes
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Pregnancy Pick: Yes
EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Tocopheryl acetate (3), Titanium dioxide (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients (Light): Mica, *Cocoa Seed Butter, Kaolin,Cellulose, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Zinc Stearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
All Ingredients (Medium): Mica, *Cocoa Seed Butter, Kaolin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cellulose, Zinc Stearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
All Ingredients (Dark): Mica, Kaolin, *Cocoa Seed Butter, Cellulose, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Zinc Stearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
Shopping List
This section lists products that seem that they may have potential and that I am hoping to try in the near future.
Readers are highly encouraged to bring other relevant products that they have tried to my attention so that I can add them to this list.
Trash Can
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo ($23): This was one of the first brow products that I tried. It seemed very similar to the RMS powder product in terms of how it performed, though I did think that the availability of two different colors was a nice touch that might make it easier to create a natural look. Unfortunately, this product contains parabens, which may have negative hormonal effects on the body and that I think likely should be eliminated from all makeup products. EWG gives the product an 8 (red), citing as problematic the talc (8), tocopheryl acetate (3), phenoxyethanol (4), methylparaben (4), propyparaben (9), and titanium dioxide (3).
About This Website
The Living Clean in a Dirty World shopping website is designed to provide guidance to those seeking out products that are relatively low in toxicity and that provide generally positive user experiences.
Although the skincare and makeup sections have a particular focus on products appropriate for women who are in their 40’s or beyond, the information provided may be useful for other people as well.
The products are curated by Lisa Petrison, who has been focused on helping people to improve their health by avoiding toxicity since 2008 and who heads the Paradigm Change organization.
Her Living Clean in a Dirty World blog site discusses a variety of topics of relevance to those who are working to pursue a more natural lifestyle with less exposure to harmful toxicity.
Lisa is the author of several books, including A Beginner’s Guide to Mold Avoidance (co-written with Erik Johnson).
She also runs the Paradigm Change website (focusing on issues related to toxic mold illness) and the Mold Avoiders Facebook group (designed for the discussion of all topics of interest to those pursuing the mold avoidance approach described in the “Beginner’s Guide” book).
Lisa was born in August 1964 and has yet to try cosmetic surgery, Botox or other cosmetic treatments requiring interactions with a physician, or beauty products containing retinoids.
In her former life, Lisa worked as a business school professor, as a marketing consultant to a variety of large companies, and as a reporter covering the advertising industry.
She holds a Ph.D. in marketing and social psychology from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University as well as B.S./M.S. degrees from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern.
Lisa would like to extend a special note of appreciation to Ellen Kleiman-Redden for her help in trying out products and discussing issues related to this project.
She also would like to thank the many members of the Mold Avoiders community who have shared suggestions of products to be included here.
A Note From Lisa
Products that I have tried or researched and that I have not found to be acceptable from a toxicity standpoint have been omitted entirely from the discussions on this website.
However, since a goal of this project is to introduce people to a range of options in terms of price and functionality, some products discussed on this site include ingredients that may not be appropriate for everyone.
It’s my hope that all individuals making their way to this site will find at least a few options from each product category that meet all of their own needs and wants from a variety of perspectives.
The vast majority of cosmetics marketers now offer affiliate programs in which Internet content creators may earn commissions if people who are referred to the companies’ sites by clicking on links end up making purchases.
I participate in quite a few individual affiliate programs as well as in the Sovrn/Viglinks program (which automatically converts regular links into revenue-generating links).
Links on this page that may result in affiliate income may include – but are not necessarily limited to – those from the following companies: 100% Pure, Amazon, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Credo, EcoBrow, Jane Iredale, Pharmaca, RMS, and Sephora.
Reader comments about products discussed on this website are very welcome.
Thoughts may be shared either by posting them in the comments section at the bottom of this page or by sending them directly to me at the following email address:
info at paradigmchange dot me
Companies that would like to offer me complimentary products to try out may contact me at this address as well.
Individuals who are seeking out less-toxic products or who are interested in pursuing a cleaner and healthier lifestyle may want to sign up to receive occasional email newsletters from Living Clean in a Dirty World.
Thanks very much for visiting the Living Clean shopping site!
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