...or you just get it sharpened perfectly, and the point falls off!

It's not just the sharpeners that bug me. It's the pencils themselves, but eyeliner more than brow. If it is firm enough not to be chewed up by the sharpener, then it is so hard that it hurts to apply. If it is soft enough to apply, then the sharpener chews them up or breaks them. I usually put the pencil in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before sharpening and that takes care of that problem. But that thing about it sharpening it so that there is only wood on one side really bugs me. I don't know if that is the fault of the pencil or the sharpener. I'm thinking the pencil, because I haven't had that happen to me in a while.

Ok, here's the dumb question of the day but I have never used an eyebrow pencil. I have dark brows.. am I suppose to be using one? How/where do you use it? Or is it mainly just used to fill in places for people with scarse or lite brows or who pluck too much?

I do use an eye liner pencil though and have never had any problems with wood on one side, lead falling out, etc.. I think it's a Cover Girl one and I think the sharpener
is Cover Girl too.

Does everyone use an eyebrow pencil except me?

well, if you have dark eyebrows, you may not need it. I thought my eyebrows were dark enough (brunette) but when I had a "makeover" done at a Dior cosmetic station, she told me that thinning eyebrows are a real "age give away". We need a bit something to frame the eye better. She didn't put on much and feathered it well, and it did help. I have been doing it every since and I notice most women would benefit if they tried it also.

Not everyone, Hamster. I tried using one, but didn't like the look/wasn't able to apply it properly(?) so I don't bother.

carla- I have dark brows, too. I use a brow powder just to fill them in and make them look nicer. I don't have sparse or overplucked brows- they are pretty normal but the powder just makes a world of difference in defining them.
I tried a brow pencil- whoa- it was scary but the powder worked really well.

I use an eyeliner but not the wood pencil kind- they do hurt. I use the kind that sharpens as you twist it out of the wand- it is a little more soft and gives a softer look.

Thanks guys, I tried using my dark eye liner pencil on my brows and I thought I looked like I was on stage or something. It was just too much.

I'm not picturing what you are talking about, groomingal. What is brow powder? Is it the same thing as the pencil that sharpens itself that you mentioned? I can't even seem to picture the pencil that sharpens itself. Can you or anyone give me a brand name and what color would be best for me? I have dark hair, and brows, but fair to medium skin. Thanks.

Use an actual art pencil sharpener, like from an art supply store. I use it for eyeliner pencils since I don't use brow pencils.

carla, brow powder goes on with a brow brush that is usually stiff and slanted....soft brown eyeshadow comes in a million shades and works with the brush too so your investment may just be the brush if you have shadows in a drawer you aren't using on your eyes, use it up on your brows.

Or if you want it really fast, there are brow gels that come in a tube with wand, like mascara for your brows. Paula Dorf, McEvoy, Chanel - all the spendy brands have them. If you are looking for a little definition and shape without adding color, Maybelline has a brow mascara in clear, maybe in colors too, not sure. So easy, so fast and hard to make a mistake you might wear all day :)

I never have a problem sharpening eyebrow pencils, I only sharpen them half way, not to a real pointy point. My eyebrows are sparse and I only do a soft stroke of the pencil, progressively filling in the blanks for a less "drawn" look.

I have sparse, medium brown brows. Now that my hair has gone silver, I use Maybelline's charcoal pencils. The problem is, the pencils are too short..the sharpener chews them up..and I only get a couple of weeks' use out of them. Why can't I find a simple charcoal pencil in a usable length?

Never liked the eyebrow pencil nor eyeliner pencil for that matter. When I started noticing gray in my eyebrows, DD introduced me to "brow gel". It comes in clear and every color to match your natural :)) hair color. Works like mascara only on your eyebrows.

I just recently had my eyebrows waxed at the salon, and couldn't believe how much better they looked. I was worried they would make them too thin, but the girl promised just a "clean up" and that's just what she did. I think eyebrow waxing is something like a cheapest of facelifts. Something about it just lifts the whole look of your eyes.

The brow gel covers the gray and also makes a more finished look since I only wear mascara not much else in the way of makeup. I use Revlon's brow gel, but I am sure there are more brands that work just as well.

I use the Avon sharpeners, they seem to be the best.

Here's a tip for sharpening your pencils.
Place your pencils in the freezer for 10 min then sharpen. Perfect everytime!!!