Lilybyred Am9 To Pm9 Eyebrow Pencil Review 2026: Worth Trying?

You know that tiny panic when you check your brows in a car mirror at 4pm and half of one eyebrow has quietly left the building. That is the exact moment that made me look for a brow pencil that actually stays put. The Lilybyred Am9 To Pm9 line built its name on one promise, colour that holds from morning coffee to clocking out.

I tested the eyebrow pencil for weeks, through heat, long shifts and one very sweaty gym class. This review shares what worked, what annoyed me and who should buy something else instead. If your brows fade by lunch, keep reading. This one might surprise you.

In a Nutshell

• The tip is the whole story. It measures just 1.5mm at the point, so you draw thin strokes that look like real hair instead of a flat block of colour. I could fill the tail of my brow without touching skin that should stay bare.
• The formula is hard, and that is on purpose. A firm lead stops the pencil from dumping too much pigment in one pass. You get soft buildable colour, though you do need light pressure and short strokes to see real payoff.
• Oil control keeps it in place. Lilybyred added sebum absorbing powder to the formula. My brows survived a hot commute and a full workday with only a small fade at the very ends.
• You get six shades across retailers. I confirmed 01 Light Brown, 02 Medium Brown, 03 Dark Brown and 05 Taupe Brown on major listings. Stock changes by store, so check the swatch before you order.
• The spoolie end earns its keep. One minute of brushing after drawing softens every stroke. Skip this step and your brows will look drawn on, not natural.
• The price sits around $10, but you get 0.09g. That is a small amount of product. Heavy daily users will finish it in roughly two to three months, so budget for repurchasing.

The short version is simple. This is a precise, travel friendly pencil for people who want thin hair like strokes and a finish that holds most of the day. It is not a bold, creamy pomade pencil. If you want instant dramatic brows with one swipe, this is the wrong tool for you. If you want quiet, natural definition that survives real life, it is a strong pick.

What Is The Lilybyred Am9 To Pm9 Eyebrow Pencil

Last update on 2026-10-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Lilybyred is a Korean brand that built a following on affordable eye makeup with strong wear claims. The Am9 To Pm9 name refers to 9am to 9pm, the idea that your makeup should survive a twelve hour day. The eyebrow pencil carries that same claim into brow care.

The product itself is compact and light. It weighs in at 0.09g of lead and looks like a slim pen in your hand. One end holds the retractable pencil, the other end holds a soft spoolie brush. The retractable design means no sharpener, no mess and no broken tips in your bag.

The lead is a hard formula. Lilybyred designed it for people with sparse brows who want to draw individual hairs. A soft creamy pencil smudges into a blur when you try thin strokes. A firm lead holds the line instead.

The formula also includes sebum absorbing powder. That powder soaks up oil from your skin, which is the main reason brow makeup slides off by mid afternoon. Sweat resistance sits at the centre of the marketing, and my testing agreed with most of it.

The pencil suits daily wear. It also suits people who wear glasses, since the thin strokes stay visible behind frames. It costs about $10 depending on the seller and shade. That price puts it in direct competition with drugstore giants like NYX and Etude.

Shades And Swatches: Which One Fits Your Hair

Shade matching decides whether a brow pencil looks natural or costume like. Lilybyred sells six shades across retailers, and the four I confirmed most often are 01 Light Brown, 02 Medium Brown, 03 Dark Brown and 05 Taupe Brown. Some stores carry 04 Grey Brown too, so availability shifts by region.

01 Light Brown works for bleached hair, very light blonde and platinum tones. It carries a yellow base, so it blends with warm hair instead of turning ashy. If you have cool toned blonde hair, test this one on your hand first.

02 Medium Brown suits most natural brown hair. It is the safest middle option and the shade I used for testing. On my skin it looked soft in daylight and never turned orange.

03 Dark Brown fits deep brown to soft black hair. It reads rich without looking like a marker pen. People with black hair often find this one strong enough without going full charcoal.

05 Taupe Brown is the pick for ash brown, grey brown and cool toned hair. It carries less warmth, so it mirrors natural brow hair on many people with muted colouring.

Grey and ash lovers should look for 04 Grey Brown where it is stocked. It softens the brow and avoids the reddish cast that warm browns create on cool skin.

One tip that helped me. Match the pencil to the darkest part of your brow hair, not your scalp hair. Hair at the roots is usually deeper, and a pencil that matches the mid shaft looks too light at the tail. Buy two shades if you sit between colours, then blend them.

Design And Build: A 1.5mm Tip Plus A Spoolie

The build quality matters more than people expect. A brow pencil with a wobbly tip ruins precision, and precision is the entire point of a fine lead. Lilybyred keeps the barrel slim and light, and the tip stays stable when you press.

The 1.5mm point is the star. It draws lines roughly the width of a brow hair, which lets you build density where you need it. You can fill a gap with three strokes instead of smudging colour over half the brow.

The retractable mechanism clicks in small steps. That gives you control over how much lead shows. I kept mine short, around 2mm, because a long lead on a thin pencil snaps easily. If you twist out too much, twist it back down before you use it.

The spoolie is dense enough to separate brow hairs and soft enough that it does not scratch skin. It blends freshly drawn strokes into the hair you already have. This single step is the difference between drawn brows and believable brows.

The cap clicks shut with a firm hold. I carried the pencil loose in a tote for two weeks and the cap never opened on its own. That small detail matters if you travel or keep makeup in a bag all day.

The downside is product volume. At 0.09g the pencil is light on actual lead. Thin leads and daily use add up, and mine started showing real wear after about eight weeks of steady use. Value hunters should note this before they commit.

Top 3 Alternative for Lilybyred Am9 To Pm9 Eyebrow Pencil

If the Lilybyred pencil is out of stock in your shade, these three options cover the same needs at different price points. I picked them because each solves a slightly different problem.

Etude Drawing Eye Brow brings a wider triangular lead and a built in brush. It costs less and offers softer payoff, so beginners find it forgiving. The trade off is less precision at the tail of the brow, and it fades faster on oily skin.

Last update on 2026-10-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil is the premium choice. The ultra fine tip rivals the Lilybyred for control, and the creamy texture deposits colour with almost no pressure. It costs more than double, so it suits people who treat brows as their main makeup step.

Last update on 2026-10-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

NYX Micro Brow Pencil is the widely tested drugstore standard. It pairs a fine tip with a spoolie and comes in a large shade range. Wear time is solid for the price, though oily skin types still need a setting powder on top.

Last update on 2026-10-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How to choose between them. Pick Etude for softness and value. Pick Benefit for luxury texture and rich pigment. Pick NYX for shade range and easy local replacement. Pick Lilybyred when you want the firmest, most controlled hair strokes and a finish that resists oil. Each one wins in a different situation, and none of them is a wasted purchase.

Application: How I Draw Natural Brow Hairs

Application decides the result with a pencil this fine. The wrong technique turns a good product into a harsh outline, so I follow a routine that keeps things soft.

I start with clean, dry skin. Any moisturiser or serum on the brow area weakens grip. Then I brush the brow upward with the spoolie to see the natural shape and spot the thin patches.

Next I draw short upward strokes, following the direction of hair growth. Short strokes beat long lines every single time. Long lines look drawn, short strokes look grown.

I begin at the sparse inner corner with light pressure, then build toward the arch. The arch needs the least product because it already has density. The tail needs the most, since that area thins first for most people.

After drawing, I brush through again with the spoolie. That step softens edges and blends the new strokes with existing hair. Do not skip it, this is where the natural look comes from.

For extra hold I press a tiny amount of translucent powder onto the brow with a small brush. On very hot days I add a brow gel on top. The pencil alone held well for me, but powder plus gel pushed it closer to the twelve hour promise.

If you overdraw one side, wipe with a cotton bud and start again. The hard formula lifts cleanly, which is another quiet advantage over creamy pencils that stain. Cleanup takes seconds and saves the whole face.

Wear Test And Longevity Through Sweat And Oil

Claims about twelve hour wear need testing, so I tested properly. I applied the pencil at 8am on a warm day with a long commute and no touch ups allowed.

By noon the brows still looked crisp. The tail kept its shape and the inner corners showed no fading. That is better than most pencils I have tried in this price range.

At 4pm the arch looked slightly softer. The colour was still visible and the outline still clean. I could see a small amount of fade where my oily T zone meets the brow, which is normal for any pencil without a setting product.

At 9pm the brows had faded noticeably but had not smudged or transferred. There was no grey cast and no patchy gaps. The colour looked lighter, not messy, which is the better outcome of the two.

One sweaty gym session gave the honest answer. The pencil faded at the outer edges but did not run down my face. A quick brush and a small amount of powder brought it back.

Very oily skin will need help. Sebum breaks down pigment over hours, so pair this pencil with powder or a brow gel. Dry and normal skin types can likely wear it alone all day.

Compared with soft drugstore pencils, the Lilybyred clearly held longer. It also beat a few premium pencils I own on transfer resistance, though it lost on pigment richness.

Pros And Cons Of The Lilybyred Am9 To Pm9 Eyebrow Pencil

Here is the honest balance after weeks of use.

Pros

• The 1.5mm tip draws thin, hair like strokes with real control.
• The hard formula prevents heavy handed blocks of colour.
• Sebum absorbing powder keeps oil from breaking down the colour.
• The spoolie blends fast and separates brow hairs well.
• The retractable design needs no sharpener and travels safely.
• Six shades cover light blonde through deep brown and ash tones.
• The price sits near $10, so testing it is low risk.
• The formula lifts easily if you make a mistake.

Cons

• The hard lead needs light pressure and takes longer to build colour.
• The tiny 0.09g lead runs out faster than most drugstore pencils.
• The thin tip can snap if you twist out too much product.
• Oily skin still needs powder or gel for full day hold.
• Shade stock varies by retailer, so popular tones sell out.
• It will not deliver bold, dramatic brows in one pass.

My honest take. The pros carry more weight for daily natural brow wear. The cons matter more if you want fast, bold definition or you hate repurchasing small products. Neither list is a deal breaker, and both tell you whether this pencil fits your routine.

Who Should Skip This Pencil

Not every product suits every person, and this pencil has clear limits. Knowing them saves you money and frustration.

Skip it if you love creamy, buttery pencils. The firm lead needs patience and light layers. People who press hard will find the payoff too slow and may drag the skin. If you want instant colour with one stroke, look at a pomade or a soft twist up pencil instead.

Skip it if you have very oily lids and brow area with no plans for setting powder. The oil control helps, but it cannot beat heavy sebum production alone. Pair it with a brow gel or choose a wax based product.

Skip it if you want a bold, full brow for photos or events. A fine 1.5mm point builds thin lines, not massive volume. Bolder looks need more pigment per pass.

Skip it if you dislike small product sizes. At 0.09g this pencil empties faster than a chunky drugstore stick. Daily users should plan for repurchases every couple of months.

Skip it if you need a shade below light blonde or above soft black. The range stops before those extremes, so very platinum or jet black hair may need another brand.

It also may not suit shaky hands. Thin precision tips demand steadiness, and the fine strokes take practice. Beginners can still learn quickly, but the first week may feel slow.

Lilybyred Versus Drugstore Favourites

Comparison makes a review useful, so here is how the pencil stacks up against three popular names. Prices sit close enough that the choice comes down to formula and tip.

Against NYX Micro Brow, Lilybyred wins on oil resistance and loses on shade availability. NYX is easier to find in stores and comes in more tones. Lilybyred holds a sharper line for longer on oily skin.

Against Etude Drawing Eye Brow, Lilybyred wins on precision. Etude offers softer colour and a wider lead that fills faster. Beginners often prefer Etude for speed, while detail lovers pick Lilybyred.

Against Benefit Precisely My Brow, Lilybyred costs roughly half and resists oil better. Benefit wins on pigment richness and glide. Budget conscious buyers get 80 percent of the result for 40 percent of the price.

Against the popular ABH Brow Wiz style pencils, Lilybyred sits firmer. Softer pencils blend faster but blur easier. If you want crisp hair strokes, firmness helps.

One clear pattern appears. Lilybyred targets people with sparse brows who want a soft, natural finish and long wear. Products built for bold brows fail that brief by design. Match the tool to the job and satisfaction follows.

Price, Value And Where To Buy

Last update on 2026-10-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The pencil sells for around $10 on most listings, with small differences between shades and sellers. Korean beauty retailers like YesStyle and Olive Young also stock it, often at a similar price.

Value needs context. A $10 pencil with 0.09g of lead costs more per gram than a $12 drugstore pencil with 0.3g. You are paying for the fine tip and the wear time, not volume.

My view is that the trade is fair. Thin leads deliver precision, and precision is the whole reason to buy this product. A cheap pencil that fills fast but needs touch ups costs you time instead of money.

Shipping matters more than price here. If you already order Korean beauty products, add this pencil to a bigger cart and skip the shipping fee. Buying one pencil alone rarely makes financial sense online.

Check the shade stock before you commit. Popular tones like 02 Medium Brown sell out first. Retailer photos also vary, so read the shade description rather than trusting a single swatch image.

Look out for multipacks and bundle deals. Some sellers list two pencils for a small discount, which offsets the small lead volume. That bundle is the smartest buy for daily users.

Tips To Get The Best Result From This Pencil

Small adjustments change the finish more than most people realise. These are the tricks that improved my results.

Keep the lead short. Twist out around 2mm and no more. A long thin lead snaps, and a snapped tip ruins precision for the rest of the pencil.

Warm the lead first. A few small strokes on the back of your hand softens the formula before it touches your brow. This matters in cold weather when the lead sets hard.

Brush before and after. Pre brushing shows the gaps, and post brushing blends the strokes. Two brushes, ten seconds each, and the brows look real.

Build in light layers instead of pressing hard. Three light passes give better control than one heavy pass. The hard formula responds to layers, not force.

Set with powder on oily days. Loose translucent powder pressed on with a small brush locks colour without adding shine. Avoid a heavy hand, or the brow looks dusty.

Store the pencil tip up. Gravity pulls moisture away from the lead and keeps the texture consistent. It sounds fussy, but my second pencil performed better than my first.

Common Mistakes That Ruin Sparse Brows

The pencil is only half the result. A few habits undo good technique, and fixing them makes any brow product work better.

Drawing one solid line along the brow edge is the most common mistake. It creates a stamp that looks flat. Short strokes along the hair direction always look better.

Starting at the arch is another trap. The arch already has hair, so extra colour there builds density in the wrong place. Start at the sparse inner corner and tail instead.

Choosing a shade that is too dark is a quick way to look harsh. Many people pick the shade of their scalp hair. Match the darkest brow hair instead, then blend upward.

Skipping the spoolie leaves hard edges that catch light. The brush is not optional, it is a finishing step.

Applying pencil over skincare residue causes patchy grip. Wipe the brow area dry before you start. Oily lids plus wet base equals a faded brow by noon.

Over plucking between sessions thins the frame you are trying to build. Let the hair grow back for a few weeks if you can. The pencil fills gaps, but real hair does a better job.

Final Verdict: Is It Worth Your Money In 2026

The Lilybyred Am9 To Pm9 eyebrow pencil delivers what it promises. It holds colour through a working day, resists oil and draws strokes thin enough to pass as real hair. For a natural brow finish, it earns its spot in a daily routine.

Is it perfect? No. The hard lead needs patience, the lead volume is small and very oily skin still needs setting powder. Those limits are real, and you should weigh them against your own habits.

Buy it if you want precision, soft definition and long wear at a low price. You will like the control and the clean finish.

Skip it if you want fast bold brows, creamy glide or a huge amount of product. Other pencils serve those needs better.

My score lands around 8 out of 10 for the price bracket. It lost points for the small lead volume and the learning curve. It gained points for wear time and control that beat several pricier pencils I have used.

For anyone with sparse brows and a busy day, this is a smart buy. Start with one shade, learn the pressure it needs, and add a second shade later for blending. That approach gets the most from a genuinely good Korean brow pencil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Lilybyred Am9 To Pm9 Eyebrow Pencil Waterproof?

It resists water and sweat well for a brow pencil. It is not fully waterproof, so a long swim will fade it. Light rain and sweat caused no running in my tests.

How Long Does One Pencil Last?

One pencil holds 0.09g of lead. Daily use with light strokes lasted me about eight to ten weeks. Heavy daily use shortens that to roughly six weeks.

Can I Use It On Oily Skin?

Yes, and the oil control powder helps a lot. Very oily skin still benefits from translucent powder or a brow gel on top. That pairing holds closer to a full day.

Does The Pencil Need Sharpening?

No. The lead twists up and retracts, so no sharpener is needed. Twist out about 2mm at a time to avoid snapping the thin tip.

Which Shade Suits Black Hair?

03 Dark Brown suits most black and deep brown hair. It stays rich without looking like a marker. Ash black hair looks softer with 05 Taupe Brown blended at the edges.

Is It Good For Beginners?

It works well once you learn the pressure. The firm lead prevents heavy blocks of colour, which helps new users. Practice short strokes for the first week to build control.