5 Years on and Kanebo Media Brow Pencil is no longer my favourite

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’ve tried in years. 5 years on, I no longer feel this way.

While I still like Kanebo Media Brow Pencil, I don’t love it. Find out why with this updated review. I’ve also added a new colour, which I now prefer. 

Update Apr 2025: This post was first published in Feb 2020 and updated to include latest opinion. 

 

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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 from the brand was Media BB Cream. I liked it so much I started loading more cosmetic pieces from Media in subsequent Japan trips. 

>> RELATED: Review of Kanebo Media Shiny Essence Lip 

Kanebo Media Brow Pencil: What’s so special?

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 it comes with dual ends. 

One end holds a pencil while the other is a sponge applicator that deposits powder. Use the pencil to outline the brow or fill in gaps, before finishing off with the powder applicator which blends to create a 3D and natural-looking brows. 

Sounds good? Let me share the pros and cons and step-by-step guide on how I use this brow pencil!

 

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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. 

The oval-shaped pencil was cleverly designed as I could twist the angle to create elongated or slim lines. This is especially useful for defining the tail of the brows.

I also appreciate how this brow pencil creates soft lines that resemble crayon than pencil. No matter how many strokes I made, it never produced a harsh line. That’s perfect for beginners. 

2. Achieve full brows in a few strokes  

When I went on to the second step of using the sponge applicator, the powder deposited evenly and 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. 

3. Well-defined & 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. 

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.

Update (2025): Here’s another colour – a darker shade NB-1.  

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 tax-free) offers very good value, considering the kind of quality you get.

 

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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 two full rounds to loosen it. For info, the other end holding the pencil can be pulled out without such twisting action.

I believe Kanebo Media designed it this way for a reason. When the cap is tightly twisted on, the sponge comes in full contact with the powder pot inside, ensuring it’s properly loaded with product. But can they reduce it to just one twist instead? :)

2. Which side is which? 

The photo below clearly shows you which end is the pencil and which is powder. However, the label would fade off overtime. 

As such, it’s a “tikam” (guessing) game each time I try to get the pencil tip on the first try. That said, it didn’t really affect my usage except for spending an extra millisecond or two. 

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. 

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Who would love Kanebo Media Brow Pencil? 

If you have thick, natural brows and not crazy over super-defined arches, Kanebo Media Brow Pencil may interest you. It works great if you’re looking to deepen the shade of your brows. I also love how convenient it is – a quick swipe of the sponge tip covers a wide area effortlessly. 

While I no longer love it as much as I did in 2020, I am fine using it (luckily I got the darker shade). In fact, this has been my go-to everyday brow pencil for the past many months. Rating: 4/5

 

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(This post was first published in Feb 2020, and last updated to include latest opinion.) 

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