I was so glad to have picked up Kanebo Media Brow Pencil when shopping in Japan about 5 years ago. I’d loved it so much that I thought it was the best brow pencil I’d tried since the discontinuation of Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils. 5 years on, I no longer feel this way.
While I still like Kanebo Media Brow Pencil, I don’t love it. Check out this updated review. I’ve also added another colour for reference.
Update Apr 2025: This post was first published in Feb 2020 and updated to include latest opinion.
The Brand: Kanebo Media
Media (媚點) is a sub-brand by Kanebo and is widely available not only in the land of origin – Japan – but also in Taiwan.
The first product that I got a few years ago from the brand was Media BB Cream. It turned out to be quite good and that prompted me to load up more cosmetic pieces from Media in subsequent trips to Japan.
As at time of writing, Kanebo Media has six types of brow products to suit different needs, e.g. liquid, pencil or powder. The product we are reviewing today – Kanebo Media Brow Pencil – differs from the rest as one with dual ends.
Dual-ended to offer two types of finishes – pencil and powder
One end holds a pencil while the other is a sponge applicator that deposits powder. According to the product description, the pencil can be used to outline the brow or fill in gaps, while the powder applicator blends to create a 3-dimensional and natural-looking brows.
Sounds good? Let me share the pros and cons and the step-by-step guide on how I use this brow pencil!
What’s Great about Kanebo Media Brow Pencil?
1. Convenient & easy to apply
The first thing I did was to follow the instruction and use the pencil to outline my brows, as well as fill in gaps caused by sparsely-grown hair.
Why Bald Brow Patches? Some parts of my brows were “bald” due to years of over-plucking, when skinny brows used to be a fashion statement in the 90s’ and early 2000s.
So remember, constant plucking can retard hair growth and even cause permanent balding.
These kind of brows were so hot in the 90s and early 2000s
The oval-shaped pencil was cleverly designed as I could twist the angle to create elongated or slim lines when I need to, e.g. towards the end of the brows.
I also appreciate how this brow pencil produces blurred lines that look more like crayon than pencil. No matter how many strokes I made, I couldn’t create a single harsh line. That’s definitely a good thing for beginners.
Update (2025): While I’ve shared how smooth the pencil was, I no longer feel the same in 2025. It works, but it’s not butter-smooth. Not sure if my expectation has gone up or the formula has changed.
Oval-shaped pencil proves to be versatile and easy to use
2. Achieve Full Brows in a few strokes
When I went on to the second step of using the sponge applicator, the powder that was deposited evenly gave me fuller and more blended brows.
I appreciate how the thick sponge made it quick and effortless to fill thick brows in just a few strokes.
This sponge applicator deposits powder and blends the brows
3. Well-defined & Yet Still Natural-looking
I’ve never thought that a brow can be both well-defined and natural-looking at the same time. Kanebo Media Brow Pencil proved me wrong.
It is one of the few brow products I’ve used that offers well-lined brows that’re still so natural looking. I could go to the market and not feel like I was overdressed. I also love the soft finish that gave good definition without an obvious drawn-on effect.
In the collage below, you can see me applying Media Brow Pencil. I’ve only applied it on my left brow (your right) to let you see a better before-after comparison.
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Step 1: Pencil / Step 2: Powder
4. Very Wearable Colour
This brow pencil from Japan comes in three colours, all of which are different shades of brown. The one I bought – “LB-1″ – is the lightest shade and is translated as a “tea” colour.
Here’s how color LB-1 looks on my inner arm. It’s a lovely brown tea, isn’t it?
The shade created by the pencil tip (top) is slightly darker and warmer in shade, while the powder (bottom) offers an ashy cool tone.
Pencil on top and powder below (2020)
Update (2025): Here’s another colour – a darker shade NB-1.
Media Brow Pencil in colour NB-1 (pencil on top and powder below)
5. Price is good
I’ve got an amazing deal as Kanebo Media was having a brand-wide 25% discount when I was touring in Osaka. Even without discount, I thought Media Brow Pencil (priced at ¥1200) offers very good value, considering the kind of quality you get.
What’s Not Great about Media Brow Pencil?
While I’d thought Kanebo Media Brow Pencil was flawless 5 years ago, I no longer felt that way and have added point 3 in 2025.
1. Twist to Open One End
One end of the brow pencil – the sponge tip – took longer to uncap than what I was used to.
Specifically, you need to twist the cap 2 full rounds to loosen it. For info, the other end holding the pencil can be pulled out without such twisting action.
I believe there’s a reason why Kanebo Media made us work harder on the sponge-end as the original state (twisted-in) can ensure maximum contact between the powder pot (set within the cap) and the applicator. But can they reduce it to just one round instead?
2. Which Side is Which?
The photo below clearly shows you which end is the pencil and which is powder. However, after using it for a short while, the label has completely faded off.
As such, it’s a “tikam” game for me to get the pencil tip on the first attempt. But it didn’t really affect my usage except for spending an extra millisecond or two.
The label indicator faded off after a short while
3. The same colour felt too light in 2025
I’d repurchased the same tea colour (LB-1) during my trip to Fukuoka. Though I loved the colour in 2020, it felt too light in 2025. Did I get tanner or did the formula change?
Luckily, a second colour that I bought – a darker brow (NB-1) – gives me the shade that I need.
Who would love Kanebo Media Brow Pencil?
If you have thick, natural brows and not crazy over well-defined brows, Kanebo Media Brow Pencil may interest you. It works great if you want your brow to have darker shade. I also find it very convenient as one quick swipe of the sponge can cover a large surface area.
While I no longer love it as much as I did in 2020, I am fine using it. In fact, this has been my everyday brow pencil for the past many months. Rating: 4/5
That’s me wearing the darker shade – NB-1
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