I get it: There are so many ways to style and shape your brows that it can feel kinda really effing overwhelming. No two brows are the same (seriously—stare closely at all of your friends, pls), which means the journey to getting the “perfect” eyebrows is going to look a little different for everyone. That said, there are some general tips, tricks, and hacks you can try out to help get you there. Ahead, 15 kinda-genius ways to get the best brows of your life, including the best professional methods to try, the top at-home products to experiment with, and so much more.
1. Don’t over-pluck your brows
K, this might seem obvious for some people, but let me just quickly remind you: One of the easiest ways to get the best brows of your life is by leaving them alone (!!!). Yes, tweezers are excellent for getting rid of rogue hairs here and there, but they aren’t your best option for shaping your brows (more on that in a bit).
“Try to tweeze pretty far away from your eyebrow—you don’t want to do any actual shaping, so just grab hairs that are out of place or further away from your brow line,” Umbreen Sheikh, founder and CEO of Wink Brow Bar, has told Cosmo. The Tl;dr: Over-plucking is basically a given when you pull out your tweezers, so use them with caution, alright?
2. Find the right eyebrow products
There are so many options when it comes to eyebrow products, which is why it’s super important to make sure you’re using the right one. First: Think about your brow goals. Are you trying to fill in sparse spots and add definition? Grab a brow powder and an angled brush. Are you trying to lightly shape and comb your hairs? Swipe on a lightweight brow gel. Not sure WTF you want or need? Don’t be afraid to play around and cocktail a few products—there’s no right or wrong, so just focus on finding the best product for you.
3. Consider eyebrow threading
IMHO, threading is the best method for enhancing and defining your natural brow shape. Unlike waxing, which is great for targeting large areas of skin (like your legs or bikini line), threading is ultra-precise. “Threading is basically when we take a twisted thread and use it to gently pull the hair from the follicle, which means it can remove hairs that are too short or fine to be waxed,” she says. “And since threading puts pressure on top of your skin, it can even push hairs up from underneath the surface to grab and remove.” BTW: Threading does require some serious skill, so it’s always a good idea to see a professional before you try DIYing it.
4. Shape with an eyebrow stencil
If going freehand with your eyebrow products feels a biiiit out of your skillset (no shade), you should try using an eyebrow stencil, aka a little template that you stick or hold on top of your brows to prevent you from “coloring” outside of the lines of your brows with your powders, pencils, or gels. They come in a ton of shapes and sizes (I like the Anastasia Beverly Hills Stencils and the Ardell Brow Perfection Stencils) and they’re also a great way to experiment with new looks, like a bolder brow, a straight brow or other brow shapes, etc.
5. Apply your brow products with a flicking motion
Okay, please, please, please do not fill in your brows with one single, heavy-handed strike of any product. Tiny, hair-like strokes are the goal here, so you’ll want to use small flicking motions (whether you’re using a powder and an angled brush, or a basic pencil) in the direction of your hair growth to get the most realistic-looking result.
Check out: Brisbane Brow Lamination
6. Keep the tail of your brow in check
Overextending the tail of your brows can create a droopy effect, drawing down your face and making you look, well, a little sad. Your eyebrows naturally stop at a place that lifts your face up and out, and you want to maintain that angle. To measure where the tail of your brow needs to end, place a brow pencil diagonally at your nostril and line it up with the side of your eye. Where the pencil hits your brow bone is where the end of your eyebrow should end (or can be extended to) without it looking fake.
7. Create a believable arch
Too-pointy arches = confusingly mad or surprised. So, if you weren’t born with a high arch but want to create a subtle one, hold a brow pencil against your nostril and line it up diagonally with the center of your eye. That’s exactly where any arch should go naturally.
Next, take a spoolie brush to help comb your hairs downward. Then, with your brow product of choice (a pencil and a light touch is key here!), ever so slightly alter your brow shape, creating a slight peak where your natural arch is. Finally, fluff your brow hairs back into place with your spoolie so they fall nicely and the arch looks natural.
This article was originally published on https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/how-to/a42963/reasons-your-brows-look-bad/
