Hair thinning, including sparser brows and lashes, is a common concern with aging. However, various conditions, both temporary and permanent, can lead to visible hair loss. One such condition is alopecia, an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks hair follicles.
Dani Gilbert, an alopecia advocate and founder of wig brand Dmuse, explains: "My immune system attacks my hair follicles, thinking they are something bad, causing hair loss. The severity can vary from just patches missing (areata), full scalp loss (totalis), and complete body hair loss (universalis)."
For Gilbert and fellow advocate Alex Youmazzo, finding the right beauty products for this level of hair loss is essential. "Cosmetics go far beyond beauty for people with hair loss. It becomes a tool for self-expression, empowerment, and confidence," Youmazzo says, adding that hair loss should be normalized.
Whether you have alopecia, age-related thinning, or other conditions, Youmazzo and Gilbert share their favorite lash and brow products that work even in extreme cases of sparseness.
1. L'Oréal Faux Brow Pen
This double-edged pen mimics real hair with an ultra-fine felt tip featuring two prongs of different widths. "This product is especially meaningful because it was designed with people who experience brow hair loss in mind," Youmazzo says. "It allows me to create realistic, natural-looking brows even when I don't have any hair at all." The ink-like formula dries quickly and stays put. Available in eight shades, including ashy browns, auburns, and black.
- Price: $10 at Amazon
2. Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow Pencil
This waterproof pencil wears up to 12 hours without smudging. Available in 12 shades, it features a firm texture for precise application. "This product has been a staple for me because it allows for natural, hair-like strokes. It gives me control without looking heavy or drawn on," Youmazzo says.
- Price: $28 at Sephora
3. Thrive Causemetics Tubing Mascara
Youmazzo prefers buildable, lightweight, long-wearing mascaras with gentle ingredients for sensitive skin. This tubing mascara creates precision-wrapped tubes that are lightweight, clump-free, and buildable. "I have alopecia, so my lashes are not full on their own, but this mascara helps them appear fuller," one reviewer writes. Available in five shades, it is smudge-proof and water-resistant.
- Price: $26 at Thrive Causemetics
4. NYX Cosmetics Brow Pen
Gilbert loves this ultra-fine, multi-use pen. "As an alopecian, I can use it for multiple things," she says, including thickening brow transfers, creating a natural wing, and lining the lash line. It uses a flexible micro-brush tip for thin to thick lines. Available in 10 shades.
- Price: $13 at Amazon
5. Lilly Lashes Half Lashes
Youmazzo recommends Lilly Lashes for their quality and structure. "When you don't have natural lashes, you need lashes that hold their shape, sit well on the lash line, and still look amazing," she says. This natural-looking option comes pre-cut as half pieces for a cat-eye effect.
- Price: $18 at Amazon
6. Duo Sensitive Eye Lash Glue
Gilbert suggests this gentle formula by Duo. "Those with hair loss and specifically no lashes tend to have more sensitivities as we do not have lashes to protect our eyes," she says. "This glue is gentle and gives an excellent hold with no lifting." Available in clear or black.
- Price: $5 at Amazon
7. Dmuse Hyper-Realistic Brow Transfers
Gilbert's brand Dmuse created these transfers for those with no brows. Applied like temporary tattoos, they come in multiple designs, shapes, thicknesses, and colors that look ultra-realistic and last all day. "They make having no brows a lot less daunting and give you perfect brows within 30 seconds," Gilbert says.
- Price: $9 for 10 pairs at Dmuse
8. Brow Transfers Sheet
For another option, this sheet of 12 pairs features a soft-angled design and medium arch. Available in three shades, they are sweat-, smudge-, and waterproof.
- Price: $14 at Amazon
