Grooming eyebrows can be a harrowing experience, especially if you do it for the first time. It is striking the balance between too much and too little that makes the task so difficult. Here are ten tips for grooming your eyebrows that will help you find the right balance and come out looking fantastic. You will pluck and shape your eyebrows like a professional with little to no effort at all.
1. Decide on shape before starting
Don’t just start plucking and hope that everything works out in the end. Start with a good plan as to what shape you are going for and pay particular attention where the eyebrow will peak (the top of the arch). Most people suggest making the eyebrow mirror the shape of the eye. You can get an idea of what the final product will look like by using an eyeliner or concealer that matches your skin tone to color the hairs you plan to remove.
2. Use good tools
All tweezers are not created equal, so don’t just grab the first pair you find. Look for tweezers that has angled ends that come together without gaps or overlap. High-quality tweezers make it easy to grab fine or short hairs and will ensure you pull the hair rather than breaking it. A good pair of tweezers may cost you twenty dollars, but will last a lifetime.
3. Trim versus pull
Sometimes pulling is the right way to go and sometimes trimming is the right way to go. You don’t want your eyebrows to look sparse, so don’t pull any more hair than you need to. The best advice is to start by trimming the brow and then only pull those hairs that are in places where you don’t want any. Never pull hair in an effort to shape a part of the brow where you want it to look full.
4. Never use a magnifying mirror
Stick to a regular mirror because a magnifying mirror can make it look like there is more hair to pluck than there really is. If you use a magnifying mirror to pluck your brow, you may find that everything looks sparse when you switch back to a regular mirror. Eyebrow hairs don’t always grow back after being plucked, so proceed with caution knowing that a pluck could be permanent.
5. Soft arch
The arch that your eyebrows make should be soft and gentle. If you create a steep arch with an acute angle, you will look permanently surprised. Try to avoid creating a notch as well. Start with the bottom of the brow and get the arch shape right on the bottom. Then, and only if absolutely necessary, you can pluck hairs from the top of the brow.
6. Ease the pain
You can ease the pain of plucking your eyebrows by applying either Vaseline or Orajel to your skin. Orajel is a tooth numbing agent, but works well on eyebrows for people with highly sensitive skin. Vaseline will actually soften your skin and make the hairs easier to pull. As an added benefit, Vaseline will moisturize your skin and help tame unruly brow hairs. Avoid ice because it causes the pores to constrict, which will actually make your eyebrows more sensitive to plucking.
7. Never shave
Shaving your eyebrows is a bad idea for several reasons. First, the skin around your eyes is thinner than that on your legs or under your arms. You run a much higher risk of cutting yourself when you shave your eyebrows. More important than cutting yourself, however, is the fact that shaving never looks great. Within a few days of shaving, unsightly stubble will start to appear. Finally, shaving produces uneven results and makes shaping brows substantially more difficult.
8. Quick fix
When you don’t have time for a full trim and pluck, spritz your eyebrow with hairspray and then comb it in short, upward strokes using an eyebrow comb. This will produce a fresh, clean look. You can also use gel, mousse, Vaseline, or even lip balm to achieve the same effect.
9. Take a break
Perhaps the best thing you can do while shaping your eyebrows is to take planned breaks every few minutes. If you walk away from shaping and come back, you are less likely to take things too far. It can be very easy to get into the zone while tweezing and remove too much brow. Taking breaks is a great way to avoid over-tweezing.
10. Use a pencil afterward
Use a pencil or powder to fill in the sparse areas after tweezing. Removing hairs is only part of the solution to great-looking eyebrows. The other part is filling in gaps. Always draw in the same direction as the hairs and pick a product that looks natural. In general, go one shade lighter than your brow hair color.
The bottom line for eyebrow care is to take your time and go slowly. If you groom too much, your eyebrows won’t look natural. You are going for a natural, clean look, so don’t overdo things. Follow these tips to make the process as carefree, pain free, and successful as possible.