Arch Angel

A Guide to Really Good Eyebrows by Sarah Fleet

Eyebrows are so important to the face. At first blush, they seem like mostly useless accessories a few inches above the eye, but after imagining what our faces would look like without them (and a quick Google search of celebs without eyebrows- yikes!) their necessity is realized. And even more so in the past year with ‘fleeked’ eyebrows. Scrolling through hashtags of #eyebrowgoals on Instagram can make the quest seem daunting, but some simple tweaks in routine can have you pro in no time.

1. Shaping
Choosing the method of how to shape your eyebrows- or whether to go it alone or seek professional help- is the basis of your results. Choose what is best for you and your needs. Tweezing alone takes a very long time to those with thicker and coarser hair, and can be difficult for anyone with a short attention span. However, you control the results more than any other method. At home waxing is risky (I once removed half my eyelashes in a hard wax incident) but much more effective and quick than tweezing. I would not recommend it for any newbies to the eyebrow situation, however, as it can be very difficult to control, and is best when left only to the between- the-eyebrow- zone. Professional waxing is a great option for someone who doesn’t harbor trust issues, as you are literally putting your face in someone else’s hands. But remember, if something goes wrong, brows grow in very quickly (like, almost too quickly.) A good tip is to look at your aesthetician’s eyebrows. If you go to someone with thin brows, do not be surprised when you end up with thin brows. Just like at a hair cut, it’s a wise idea to bring several images of what you want, though they can’t magically make thin brows thick- that’s for the next step. Threading is my personal favorite, as its uber precise and works well on coarse hair. It takes a good bit longer that waxing, but these ladies know what they’re doing.  Professional eyebrow shapers will know the best shape you’re your bone structure, so make sure to communicate with them to make sure that you’re happy, comfortable, and looking fly.

2. Filling in 
Choosing a product that works best for your needs is just as important as the method of shaping. There are so many on the market that there’s something for everyone, but the most universally flattering tools are simple- concealer, an angled brush, a clear brow gel, and eye shadow that suits your coloring (try not to go darker than one shade deeper than your natural hair color, also stick with neutral tones instead of warm or cool based ones).

Now it’s time to work some magic:

Step one: using your angled brush and some eye shadow, line the bottom of your brow. You won’t need a thick line, but make sure it’s clean, precise, and even.

Step two: starting about one finger’s width in, draw a second outline on the top of your brow. Starting farther in than your natural brow line keeps things from looking too harsh and artificial. Connect the top and bottom lines at the tail of your brow.
Step three: beginning at the tail, fill in your brow. The tail of your brow should be the most bold and filled area, with the beginning looking much lighter and more natural. Use small strokes in the direction of the hair growth. Make sure all lines are well blended and soft.
Step three: use brow gel to set and soften the look.

3. Cleaning up
The most important- yet overlooked- part of a perfect arch is concealer. Simply outlining your finished brows with a small amount of concealer and blending it into your foundation makes your brows look ten thousand times cleaner and precise. Trust me on this guys, its life saving. Plus, concealer under your brow makes an incredible eye highlight.

Obviously, it takes practice to get these steps down to a science. But even if you over fill and look like Groucho Marx, don’t fret, it’s just makeup.