If you discover that your brows are sparse due to stress, aging, or thyroid issues, try testing an eyebrow revitalizer likeTalika Lipocils($60) which can help spur growth. If you’re looking to give your arches a bit of extra love, adding a growth serum to your daily routine can result in thicker, healthier brows in the long run. Tran recommends coating the brows in eyelash growth serums, while Bellavance loves the Benefit Cosmetics Browvo! Conditioning Primer, which contains keratin and soy protein to help brows look thicker, fuller and healthier. On top of that, brows are rarely symmetrical, which means you will likely need a little makeup magic to achieve an even look. Trying to match them up by removing hair could result in brows that are thinner than what you were going for.
“The whole point of tweezing is that you’re pulling by the root and the hairs grow back later over time,” Vuetaj explains. Vucetaj, who has groomed the iconic eyebrows of celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker and Rihanna, immediately noticed that my brows were not living up to their fullest, fluffiest potential. If you’re having flashbacks to your high school tadpole brows, fear not! Shaping your eyebrows has evolved past the over-plucking of the early aughts. The once-scary DIY beauty project is easier than you think. We’ve ditched thin and angular for eyebrows that are bolder, freer, and fuller. Eyebrow shaping can really change the look of your face.
The Brushed-Up Brow
Once you’ve determined your perfect shape, it’s time to carefully clean up errant hairs with tweezers. But before you start plucking, break out a black or bright-colored eyeliner pencil and outline the shape you want. Get really close to your mirror and, using slanted tweezers, only remove what is outside the pencil lines.
Popular Eyebrow Looks
Maribeth Madron, a makeup artist and eyebrow specialist in New York City. With the help of some of the top brow groomers and makeup artists, we’ll teach you how to reclaim your ideal brows. If you’re often in a hurry and don’t have time to perfect your brow shape, microblading could be your time-saving solution. To help speed up growth for thick, healthy brows, Redzikowski recommends rubbing a drop of castor oil into the brows nightly. “As tempting as it may be to grab multiple hairs, go for one brow hair at a time,” says Bailey.
Tweezerman Slant Tweezer
The most difficult part of DIY brow grooming is the trim, but a good trim job can change your entire look for the better. Just make sure to use a quality pair of slant-tipped tweezers to avoid breaking off the hair close to the base and causing unnecessary pain.
If there’s one thing you need to make sure to have before you tweeze your eyebrows, it’s really, really good lighting. The worst thing you can do is try to pluck your eyebrows in a dimly lit bathroom where you’re pretty much asking for a beauty disaster. Bring a handheld mirror to the most lit area in your home so you can see all those tiny hairs you need to pluck. Rotate the pencil outward (like it’s one of the hands on a clock), stopping at the outer edge of your iris. This is where the brow would naturally arch—Healy says it’s typically two-thirds of the way from the head to the end of the tail. Mark that spot and move the pencil further, stopping at the outer corner of your eye.
“I wouldn’t recommend attempting a complete brow overhaul,” Bailey says. “This isn’t something you want to do if you only have ten minutes before a Zoom meeting,” adds brow specialist Joey Healy, owner of the New York City-based Joey Healy Brow Studio. Set aside about a half hour of your time, and follow these simple steps to shape your eyebrows at home. Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. Read more about Brazilia here. In journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Remember, you don’t want blotchy or patchy trimming, so don’t go crazy and cut all your hair at the same time! While your wax is warming, cleanse your entire face of any makeup and oils. Having excess makeup or debris on the face can prevent wax from fully adhering to the hair. It’s very important to have all the tools necessary in your home and ready to be used before you dive in. No one wants to realize they’re out of wax strips AFTER they apply the wax. However, wanting the best brows can be easier said than done, especially if you don’t have the time or extra money to regularly visit the salon. Finally, be sure not to trim all the way down to the base of the hair — stick to the tip.
Lighter blondes can go for golden shades, while darker blondes call for a taupe-y tone. To maintain your ideal brow shape over time, keep brow hairs in line by trimming (this is also ideal if you are trying to grow out over-tweezed brows and want to avoid tweezing). The Anastasia Beverly Hills Scissors are professional-quality, carbon-steel eyebrow scissors made to help you achieve salon-quality brow grooming. Its ultra-thin straight blades are made of durable carbon steel and allow you to trim hairs in a precise, straight line like a pro. Whether you’re a brow newbie or shaping your eyebrows is a regular part of your routine, creating a stunning eyebrow shape freehand can sometimes be a bit daunting.
Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more. She previously interned for Almost 30, a top-rated health and wellness podcast. In her current role, Hannah reports on the latest beauty trends, holistic skincare approaches, must-have makeup products, and inclusivity in the beauty industry. You’ll want to grow out your brows a bit before shaping. Try not to touch them for a few weeks so all of your potential brow is present to be shaped. You can even add an eyebrow growth serum to your routine should you want to speed it up.