28.6.10

How to Shape Your Brows

 Eye brows frame your eyes.  They are very important.  Yet shaping your brows is extremely difficult.  I have read countless articles and forum posts about what NOT to do.  We naturally notice, and comment on, poorly shaped brows.  But how the heck do we get our brows off the DON'T list?

Here is everything I learned about eye brows in my quest to tame my own bushy brows.

To determine where your brows should begin and end, as well as where they should arch, you will need a chopstick, or pencil, or straw.  To determine the START of your brow, hold up your chopstick from the bottom edge of your nose to the inner corner of your eye.  Your brow should start where the chopstick touches transects your brow.  Similarly, hold the chopstick from the edge of your nose to the outer edge of your eye, to determine the END of your brow.  Use your chopstick to indicate your brow's ARCH by holding it from the edge of your nose to the middle of your iris.
When shaping your brows, the most important thing to remember is that the part of the brow before the arch should be one thick line.  That is, if you draw a line at the bottom of your brow, and another line at the top of the brow, those two lines should be parallel.  Since my brows are quite thick and bushy, I use brow scissors to trim the top of the brow to give me that straight shape.  A common mistake is to over-pluck the bottom area in an attempt to emphasize the arch.  This leads to the 'comma brow', where you get a bulb at the inner end, and then a thin brow from there.  I sported one of these for quite some time.

Past the arch, your brow should taper.  It's best to just follow your brow shape here.  I usually don't mess with this part of my brow.

Also remember these brow shape guidelines when you're filling in your brows.  Sometimes our brows just don't grow all the way to where they should on the ends.  So use a pencil or an eye shadow that matches your brow color or is slightly lighter, to lightly feather in any sparse areas.

Accept your brows for what they are.  Some people have naturally high arching brows, others don't.  I have almost no arch to my brows.  And the more I tried to fight that shape, and the more I tried to give myself an arch, the worse my brows looked.  About a year ago, I stopped fighting it, and went with the flow.  It took forever for my brows to grow out.  But I'm so much happier with their shape now.

We hear this over and over.  And yet we still are tempted to make this number one brow mistake. We pluck and we pluck.  STOP!  Don't do it!  Step away from the tweezers.

I was recently watching GossMakeupArtist on youtube talk about the way we unnecessarily age ourselves.  Over-plucking was near the top of his list.  He also made a very good point I never considered before:
 Ever notice that the princess has nice full brows, and the evil queen has over-arched, super thin brows?  

So next time you're shaping your brows, remember that you're the princess, and not the evil queen!



Post added to:
Tuesday Tag-Along

16 comments:

Untypically Jia said...

Following back from TTA.

Okay seriously chica, I so need this. I hate my brows. they're really light blonde so I often don't give a crap about plucking and such, but then I went to the mall and was assaulted by those eyebrow threader people and I cried.

But my brows looked wicked awesome.

http://colormeuntypical.blogspot.com

Amy said...

A new follower from tuesdays....
www.misavings.blogspot.com

and to Untypically jia, i had my eyebrows threaded...owwwie, but they turned out great (i have dark brown eyebrows that needed taming)

Holly Lefevre said...

Good tips. I had the most amazing lady to do my brows and have not been able to find anyone up here...so I am on my own...yikes!

Kat Ibáñez said...

Oh I love the last phrase about the next time we shape our brows...The image of the evil queen is not a nice one!! ;)

Have a nice day!!

http://catherinelovesroses.blogspot.com

Jennifer Sikora said...

I have always wondered how to do that. I just pluck the stuff out! I am your newest follower! http://www.jennifersikora.com/2010/06/follow-me-back-tuesday.html

Shanna said...

Great post!
I am your newest follower! Looking forward to reading more of your blog! Have a Terrific Tuesday! =]
~Shanna
http://mommyofoneandcounting.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Tuesday Following! Good advice!! Like the comment about the queen and princess...totally true!

Erin Wallace said...

Here following from TAT - fab guide to tweezing! Hope to see you at Dropped Stitches!

xo Erin

furygirl3132 said...

Thanks so much for all of the great tips, I could definitely use it!
I am a new follower from Tuesday Tag Along, so glad to have found your fun blog. Hope you have a wonderful evening!

Eloise
Mommy2TwoGirls
http://mommy2twogirls.blogspot.com/

Mama Hen said...

Very cool!Thank you for the tips! I am here from Tuesday Tag Along! You have a new follower! Come visit Mama's Little Chick.

Mama Hen
www.mamaslittlechick.com

Lourie said...

Oh man, I was just looking at my brows yesterday and thinking...eeeh! When did THAT happen! Thanks.

Island Gal said...

Thanks for the tips!

Btw I have been nominated for "Best Eye Candy" on the 2010 Blogluxe Awards! Would you be kind enough to vote for me (NYC Island Gal)?
http://www.socialluxelounge.com/phpQ/blogluxevote.php
Thanks!

Mhel said...

wow! what a cool blog! i agree. eyebrows are really important and often neglected. It frames your eyes, and contributes some of facial expressions. thanks for following. im following you back now! have a grreat day!

diarydays said...

Hey, I am new to the blogging world and have come across your blog. I am your newest follower :)

Thank your for the great tips - very helpful.

Come by and visit.

S.

little t and me said...

lol, I love the princess vs evil queen remark.

La Familia Garcia said...

Stoped by from SITS! Cute posts...I liked this one and the ironic one (SORRY about that!)

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