‘The eyes are the windows to the soul,’
...so says an old English proverb.
While
good eyebrows can define our eyes and make for the best looking windows possible, bad eyebrows can drastically affect our appearance—making us look old or like we are in a constant state of surprise.
Have you been the victim of a brow crime? Have you committed these crimes against yourself? Here are the common 'brow crimes' and how to recover from them.
Brow crimes:
- over-tweezing
- under-tweezing
- too short
- sparse
- misshapen
- badly drawn
- wrong shade
These "crimes" against our face can happen even to the best of us, but there is hope. Follow these tips the next time you start a brow taming session.
1. Do decide on the eyebrow shape first
You need a plan of action on deciding where your brows are going to start, end, and where to place the peak of the arch. Use a white eyeliner or concealer on the hair that you want to remove, so you don't stray off course. If you use
salon eyebrow waxing - be sure to discuss this first with your esthetician.
2. Do use a quality pair of tweezers
Most people opt for
tweezers when shaping brows at home. You'll be frustrated, and end up taking twice as long if your tweezers slide off or break the hair instead of pulling them out- or can't grab onto short hairs. A good pair of
salon professional tweezers is worth the small investment.
3. Do trim brows if needed
Here's a very important eyebrow shaping tip. A big mistake people make is taking out more hair when trimming the excess length really is what needs to go. This helps women achieve that perfectly defined look.
4. Do clean up top of brows
While I'm not suggesting going into the main shape of your brow, experts agree cleaning up the stray hairs above the shape create a more defined, clean eyebrow and can help trouble brows look even with one another.
5. Do use an eyebrow pencil, powder or mousse for filling or correcting
If you have sparse brows, over plucked, or are growing out brows, filling them in will give you the look you want. Use the wrong products or technique and they will look painted on, instead of natural. You can also consider
salon eyebrow tinting.
6. Don't stand too close to the mirror when shaping
With some distance from the mirror you will be able to better see to balance your brows and see the 'whole picture', and have less chance of making brows uneven. After you have your shape achieved, you can then get close-up to better reach the finer, lighter hairs.
7. Don't use a shape that isn't flattering to your face
Arching your brow doesn't mean creating two perfect half circles or arches, which doesn't complement anyone's facial features. It does mean to clean up the excess hair to better frame your eyes.
8. Don't use ice to numb skin
Cold tightens the pores and can make a firmer hold on the hair follicle. You want to soften skin and hair by using a warm washcloth on brows, or do your shaping after your come out of the shower.
9. Don't shave eyebrows (EVER!)
I know there are little razors sold out there specifically for your brows. Think twice…or even thrice…before employing them. They are notoriously difficult to maneuver with any skill. When working on your brows yourself, it’s best to work with tools that alter only one or two hairs at a time.
10. Tweeze for less pain
For less tugging and pain use your free hand to hold skin taut while tweezing. If the hair is just too short for tweezing, don't push the tweezers into the skin. Scraping, bleeding or even scarring can
result if you get a little too forceful with your tweezers. Having some hair is a better option over broken skin. Instead, just wait until the hair is a bit longer and can be easily grabbed on to.
