My first experiment with tweezers did not end well and I have an album of high school photos to prove it. I’d spend countless hours in front of the mirror over tweezing my brows, then painstakingly drawing super-skinny ones on with a hard brown pencil. This all changed when I saw my beauty role model Ali MacGraw in the movie “Love Story.” I loved her strong brows and it was then that I realized what a difference a well-shaped and groomed brow can make.
If you’ve never touched your brows, consider going to a professional who can create a natural-looking shape that will complement your features and your style. Whether you try tweezing, waxing, electrolysis or laser is up to you; I’ve always preferred tweezing because it’s quick and precise. Stay away from tattooing your brows – this is about as extreme and unnatural as you can get. And don’t shave your brows because after a while, they won’t grow back properly.
Upkeep is easy once you’ve changed the shape of your brows. You can maintain them yourself with weekly or biweekly clean-ups. Invest in a pair of tweezers with a flat, angled tip and find a room in your house with good lighting. To keep the pain factor to a minimum, pluck brows after a shower when pores have opened up. Start by cleaning up stray hairs between brows, then tweeze hairs underneath the brows. Tame long or unruly brow hairs by brushing them upward with an old toothbrush and trimming carefully with baby scissors. If you notice in-grown hairs, exfoliate the brow area with a gentle, grainy scrub.
Powder eye shadow the same tone as your haircolor is the most natural-looking and subtle way to add definition to brows. Follow these shade guidelines to find your best match:
Hair color
Blond: Use Taupe shadow color
Light brown: Use Sable shadow color
Red: Use Taupe or camel shadow color
Brown: Use Mahogany shadow color
Black: Use Mahogany or smoke (charcoal and black are too harsh) shadow color
Gray: Use Slate or Gray shadow color
Dip a brow brush (look for one with bristles that are small, flat and angled at the tip) into shadow and tap off excess powder. Begin at the inner corner of the brow and follow its shape, working your way outwards using light, feathery strokes. If color looks too harsh, soften it by pressing loose powder onto brows with a powder puff. You can keep brows in place with clear or colored brow grooming gel.
Member Comments