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As a little girl, I had no idea how much my eyebrows would mean to me someday. Now that I’m an adult, leaving the house with imperfect brows is like leaving the house without pants! Well-groomed brows can make you look polished, while ungroomed brows can make you look messy. Over-tweezed brows are just … well … scary. So, what’s a girl to do? Plenty! Today I’m giving you expert tips on how to get your brows looking fabulous, in just a few simple steps.
1. Get Your Brows Professionally Shaped
This is a life-changing experience. If you have super thick brows, threading is probably your best option … otherwise waxing will do the job just fine. I highly recommend Sorbet when it comes to brow shaping – they offer both options. I’ve been going to them for years to keep my brows in beautiful shape.
If you’ve been an overzealous tweezer in the past and your brows are in a critical state, not to worry – simply head over to the Edgars in Sandton City or Clearwater Mall, or the Red Square store in Cresta and look for the Benefit Brow Bar in the cosmetics section. The brow bar professional will give you a full consultation before reshaping your brows to make sure you walk away happy. And, don’t worry, you don’t need to make an appointment – you can just pop in.
Once you’ve got your brows in good shape, you can start filling them in. I’m going to tell you exactly which products to use and how to use them.
2. Prep Your Brows With A Concealer Or Highlighter
Before you can start filling your brows with powder, you need to prep them with a concealer or highlighter. This will define your brows, opening the area up and giving your powder something to stick to. All you need to do is highlight your brow bone … underneath the entire brow, not just the outer half, so that you ‘lift’ the whole brow.
You can use any matte concealer, or white or pink highlighter pencil to do this. I recommend Clinique Instant Lift for Brows. You can even use your regular under eye concealer … make sure not to use a white or shimmery shadow for this – it will be downright distracting and defeat the whole purpose. Brightening your brow bone shouldn’t be detectable – it should be an illusion that draws light to the area. So blend, blend, blend!
3. Fill Your Brows With Powder
When you pick a powder to fill your brows with, it’s important you go for the right shade. Don’t pick a shade that matches your brow hair. Go for a product that’s a shade or two lighter so your filled-in brows appear natural. For example, if you have brown hair, don’t use dark brown or black; use a caramel or dark blonde shade instead. A fabulous powder to use is Smashbox Brow Tech Duo. This little compact is all you need to fill your brows flawlessly!
Use a small, angled eyebrow brush like MAC 263 Small Angle Brush to apply your powder. The best place to start is under the arch. You may need to lower your arch – the shape should be angled and rectangular, not rounded. Then, move onto the tail. Most girls’ brows aren’t thick enough at the tail, and this is the part that frames your eyes, so it’s important you define it well. You can extend the tail of your brow if you like – just not too much!
Lastly, you need to fill the inner edge of your brow. Like many girls, one of my brows starts further from the bridge of my nose than the other, so I have to fill it in to match. To make sure you’re starting in the right place, line up the start of your brow with the middle of your nostril. This is the trickiest part to fill in, so make sure you don’t have too much product on your brush or you’ll overdo it. You want to lightly fill in the inner so that it appears to “fade” into the rest of your brow.
4. Set Your Brows With Gel
After you’re done filling in your brows, use a brow gel to hold them in place. You can use a clear or tinted gel – it’s up to you. When I’m in a rush and don’t have much time on my hands to work on my brows as well as I usually would, I use a tinted gel like the Benefit Gimme Brow to provide them with a bit of extra volume and colour. I use it in a shade that matches my brow powder.
When I don’t require any further colour or definition, I simply brush a clear gel through my brows. A good quality, affordable one is Palladio Herbal Brow Gel. This product conditions and sets brow hairs really well! It also doubles up as a clear mascara. When you use a gel on your brows, take care not to be heavy-handed or you’ll undo all the work you’ve just put into filling them in. Brushing them slightly upwards is also a great trick to have on hand when using gel.
5. Maintain Perfect Brows With A Few Basic Tools
I suggest having your brows threaded or waxed every 3-4 weeks by a professional. In between these touch up sessions, you’ll need a couple of tools on hand to maintain neatness. You’ll need a tweezer. I love this Sorbet Combo Tweezer. Use it to pluck all the stray hairs to keep your brows looking clean.
Then, you’ll need a pair of manicure scissors to trim your brows when the hairs get a bit unruly. First, brush them up with a spoolie or a clean mascara wand, then trim any hairs that are longer than you want them to be. Trimming your brows when necessary will make them easier to work with.
Lastly, it’s useful to have a tub of organic cold-pressed coconut oil on hand to keep your brows nourished and conditioned. Simply massage a bit into your brows before bed – it will also help stimulate hair growth and promote gorgeous, thick brows!
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