Keeping Your Brows in Shape

Pay ten bucks for someone else to butcher your brows? No, thank you. Somehow they always turn out too skinny, too far apart, or just too painful. 
 
For thin brows: If you have always been an over-plucker, grow them out! No one wants skinny, drawn-in brows like Pamela Anderson. Do not let the nail lady tell you they need to be thinner. A full, shaped brow will frame your face, bring out your eyes, and give you an overall more natural appearance. The week of painfully letting them grow will be worth it when they come in full and beautiful. If your eyebrows are naturally thin, use a brow pencil to fill them in. An old brown eyeliner pencil will do the trick if you don’t want to spend the money.  Make sure to pick a color lighter than your actual hair, but slightly darker than your skin tone.
 
For thicker brows: There is a difference between thick and bushy. Thick is exotic and beautiful; bushy is manly. Forget the models in Cosmo and Vogue trying to prove something. Photoshop could make them look just as great if they were missing two front teeth. That does not mean it is for everyone. If you can pull it off, more power to you – but for now let’s focus on grooming.
 
First thing is first: pluck the stray hairs. The best way to do this is outdoors. I know you may feel weird sitting outside with your neighbors watching you pluck your eyebrows, but if you don’t want to miss anything, natural light is the way to go. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Bathroom lighting makes it easy to miss even the darkest hairs. To alleviate the pain if you are a beginner, pull the skin around the hair taut and pull in the direction the hair is growing. 
 
While plucking, be conscious of the shape of your brow. To create the perfect shape, use something straight such as a pencil. Hold the pencil straight up from the bridge of your nose; this is where the brow should begin. To create the illusion that your eyes are closer together, you can start your brow further in and vice versa. Now look at yourself straight ahead in the mirror and hold the pencil from the edge of your nose through your pupil, this is where your arch should be. To end the brow, hold the pencil from the outside of your nose to the outer corner of your eye. No matter how high your arch, the beginning and end of your eyebrows should always be parallel to each other.
 
Now for the finishing touches! Take an unused mascara brush (these can be found at almost any makeup store or counter in the mall for free) and brush your eyebrows upward, so that you look like a lion. Use a small pair of scissors and carefully trim the hairs that stick up higher than your natural brow. Be very careful doing this, as trimming too short can make the hairs stick straight out. You can also brush the hairs downwards and do the same thing. Finally, brush your brows along the arch to reveal a perfectly groomed brow!