I have vivid memory of being 14 years old (circa 1996) and dragging my mother to no fewer than five drugstores in search of an elusive tube of clear mascara. I must've read about its brow-taming powers in Teen (RIP), and I needed it.

Now, clear mascara is basically obsolete because there's an entire aisle dedicated to eyebrow gels, pomades, waxes and more. And while brow gel is nothing new, there is a new crop of high-end specialty brow gels that do way more than hold your brow hairs in place.

Plus, these new eyebrow gels look invisible, never flake and enhance your brows in the best possible way. They're a serious upgrade from clear mascara -- my 14-year-old self is extremely jealous.

Image Source: Revolveclothing.com

If you're trying to grow out your brows, LashFood BrowFood Tinted Brow Enhancing Gel Fix, $24, is the eyebrow gel for you. It contains a special peptide blend that helps brow hairs grow longer and thicker. It's also packed with tiny fibers that attach themselves to your brows to make them look instantly fuller while the peptides work over time.

The coolest thing about By Terry Eyebrow Mascara, $38, is that it helps give your eyebrows structure -- think of it as brow scaffolding -- while disguising any bald spots. Even though it's a gel, there's powder built into the formula so it dries to a matte finish.

If you want a clean, natural brow look, skip pencil and use Glossier Boy Brow, $16, on its own. It leaves brows looking fuller and more defined but not overly made up, and it stays soft -- thanks to beeswax and carnauba wax -- so brows don't get crusty by mid-day.

Chantecaille Full Brow Perfecting Gel, $40, is a brow treatment and gel in one. It contains panthenol and peptides to condition and nourish each brow hair, and it softly sets and defines your brow shape. It even leaves behind a healthy, natural looking hint of shine.