This is not my first time sharing about my eyebrows. To be fair, they are a source of anxiety for me. In their most natural state, they’re mostly nonexistent (thanks for the genes, Dad!). And I’m still figuring out how to fill them in without going overboard or doing too little. The upside is that I’ve literally never had to have them waxed or tweezed, because, well, there’s nothing to work with.

Unfortunately, that’s where the benefits end. In my almost 30 years of living, a significant chunk of my budget has gone toward pencils, pomades and gels, simply because I need a lot of these things to make my brows visible, let alone presentable, on a daily basis. Up until I took the microblading plunge—which is totally worth it if you’re in the same boat as me—I tested innumerable brow pencils, with unsurprisingly varied results.

MORE: 5 Things I Learned After Refreshing My Microbladed Eyebrows

Some were too thick for my smaller brow shape. Other formulas turned out to be too clumpy. On rare occasions, I even had trouble finding a color that matched my dark-brown hair shade. Few have garnered a repeat purchase and even fewer have made it into my regular rotation. And there’s only one I’d actually rave about, since it’s become my, “oh, I have just enough time to throw on a brow without the fancy extras” whenever I’m running late to work.

So far, the only one to wear this badge of honor is Givenchy’s eyebrow pencil. I know what my fellow bargain hunters are thinking: Girl, $27 for a tiny little brow pencil?! Hear me out for a sec.

MORE: The Best Eyebrow Shapes to Flatter Your Face

First of all, this thing has lasting power, as in I’ve only bought two over the past three years. And my brows require major fill-in. Typically, I use it to fill in the middle and tail end of my brow, in addition to filling in the top half when I want a bolder finish, like the below:

Courtesy of Author.

There’s also the formula, which includes talc. I’m convinced this is what causes it to stay put all day because it provides hold, in addition to giving off a finish that’s equal parts powdery and smooth, so I don’t necessarily need to go over it with a brow gel. (In those instances, I use either It Cosmetics’ Ready. Set. Brow! or Milk Makeup’s Kush Brow Gel.)

MORE: 9 New Eyebrow Products for Mastering Your Arch This Year and Beyond

Also, how could you pass up a brow pencil that has a spoolie brush attached?! Before I even use the pencil end, I always brush my brows up to create the illusion of a fuller appearance. And because the brush is right there, I never forget this step.

Seriously, if you’re in sparse hell like me; live for a natural-looking, slightly bold finish; and don’t want to buy a new pencil every other week, this is your perfect match.