Four Steps to Perfect Brows

EYEBROW SHAPE & DEFINITION
You have seen what a difference a great frame can make to a painting. It is the eyebrows that form a frame for your eyes. Beautifully groomed eyebrows make a huge difference. It is possible to transform a face with just tweezers, shadow, a brow brush, and brow gel. A professional will help you find your ideal shape. Once the brows have been groomed, it is easy to do your own upkeep.

All brows benefit from added definition. Brow brushes and combs quickly tame and shape the brow hair. Brow shapers define, control, and shape the brows quickly and easily while adding just a bit of colour.

Brow-Grooming Supplies

• Brow brush
• Brow pencil
• Clear brow gel
• Tinted brow gel
• Brow shadow
• Tweezers
• Baby scissors for trimming extra-long or curly hair.

How to Shape Brows
The start of the brow should follow and imaginary line drawn from the outside of the nose to the inside corner of the eye.

Step 1: Trim any wild hairs
Brush brows straight up. With manicure scissors (curved or straight - what matters are the tiny, snippy tips), trim any extra-long brow hairs that that poke out of line.
Note: If you're Asian, your brows may naturally fall downward. If that's the case, brush brows down and trim any hairs that fall below the natural shape, then brush them back up into place.

Step 2: Find your starting point
Rest a brow brush along the edge of your nose horizontally. One end should touch a nostril and the other should pass right over your forehead. Where the brow brush crosses your brow is where your brow line should start. Map out your other brow the same way, and pluck strays in the unibrow section that falls between these starting points.

Step 3: Map out your arch
Starting by the edge of your lips, angle the brow brush diagonally so it passes right over the over edge of your iris, the coloured part of your eye. Where the brush crosses the brow is where your arch should be. Some women have a pointed arch; others have arches that are just slightly cruved. Pluck any stays under this area so your natural arch is defined.

Step 4: Find your endpoint
Again, shift your brow brush so it lays against your nostril and angle it back to the outer corner of your eye. This is where the endpoint of your brow should be. Nix strays that fall outside or below this area for a clean taper from arch to end. In general, full, long brows look more youthful and are easier to carry off than skinny brows.

To minimize pain when tweezing, pluck right after showering, when your hair follicles are more open. Your hair will slide out more easily.

Special Cases

Nonexistent brows
Brows damaged by overtweezing, age, or chemotherapy can be drawn in to look quite natural. Use a pencil the colour of original brows, and softly draw in the shape. Layer a complementary colour of powder shadow with a brow brush to fill in and soften.

Bare spots
Bare spots can be filled in with light strokes of pencil or with powder shadow. If neither works, try layering both.

Brows too far apart
Brows too far apart can be corrected by filling in missing brow areas with light pencil strokes. Balance the brows carefully. Layer powder shadow on top.

Tadpole brows
Tadpole brows can be reshaped with shadow. Fill them in to create a straight line.

1. Choose the colour that matches your eyebrows and hair.
2. For a natural option, use eyebrow mascara to create the look of a natural brow.
3. For more definition, use powder shadow. Start at the inner corner of the brow. Make sure you fill in all the gaps in the brow hair.
4. Bring the brush to the center, creating an arch, and then turn the brush and go down.
5. Make sure the brow is long enough.

Asian Brows
Asian women often have sparse brows and need to fill in the brows to match a full head of hair.

1. Begin at the inside of the brow.
2. Fill in the brow using a shade that matches it. Use the powder to add density so it matches the hair on your head.
3. Lightly stroke along the length of the brow.
4. Continue all the way up the arch, turning the brush as it goes down.
5. Make sure the brow is long enough.
6. Use a clear eyebrow mascara to brush up an unruly brow.

Tweezing It's best to get a professional shaping to begin. It's easier for upkeep. Tweezing after the shower is less painful than at other times.

Tip

Some unruly brows will benefit from trimming long hairs with baby scissors.

Grooming Brows
To fill obvious holes or lengthen overplucked brows, use either pencil alone or a pencil-to-powder method. Using an eyebrow pencil in a shade that matches the brow colour, fill with a light, feathery stroke, mimicking the look of hair. If using a powdered eye shadow, choose one that closely matches the hair and brow colour. Using a stiff, flat, angled brow brush, pick up a small amount of colour, and tap off the excess. Lightly stroke the shadow from the inner corner of the brow along the entire length to fill it in. Stroke colour along the upper edge of the brow to accentuate the arch and give a "lift" to the eye area.

Apply shadow colour only to the hair of the brows.
Finish with a coat of clear brow gel to set and tame any unruly brow hairs.

Look at your brows. Does the shape and intensity of colour look natural and balance the face? A dusting of powder can soften the colour if needed. Use a brow shaper to tame unruly brow hairs.

The Perfect Brow
The start of the brow should be aligned with the inner corner of the eye. The arch is three-quarters of the way across the brow from there.