Our eyebrows frame our face and communicate our emotions. But they need a little help to look their best. Our grooming guide will help with that.
It’s easy to ignore your eyebrows — after all, they’re just sitting there on your forehead, often hidden under your fringe. But your brows matter, and so does keeping them well groomed.
Eyebrows aren’t just for raising at a questionable joke or for furrowing when you don’t understand the latest turn in the global economy. They actually have an important purpose.
Eyebrows protect your eyes from sweat, debris and light, and play a crucial role in nonverbal communication. Consider Roger Moore, an actor with a fairly limited range but great charisma: “My acting range has always been something between the two extremes of ‘raises left eyebrow’ and ‘raises right eyebrow,’ ” he once said. That eloquently raised brow led to a starring role in seven James Bond films.
Eyebrows also have a powerful impact on the way we look. Compare pictures of a young George Clooney, with those furry caterpillars above his eyes, and the more groomed look he sported on NBC TV’s ER, and you’ll see what we mean.
The right eyebrow shape and colour can frame your face and flatter your eyes; the wrong one can make you appear aged, tired or even angry. But there is no universally “correct” eyebrow look. Rather, it all depends on the shape of your face and eyes, as well as current trends. Not all of us could pull off the thick, dark, bold eyebrows of a Cara Delevingne or Lily Collins.
Well-groomed brows can make you look younger, in part by making your eyes look bigger, but also because as we age our brows fade and the hairs grow long and wiry. Well-groomed brows also make you look more refined and pulled together. Plus they can be used to balance what might be seen as flaws — an asymmetrical face or one that’s too round or too long, for instance, or eyes that are too small or too far apart — and to convey a whole encyclopedia of emotions.
Most of us aren’t born with perfect brows. We have to work at them. Here’s what you need to keep yours in good nick.
Everyday care
Clean your brows to remove any impurities that may collect under them. A quick sweep with micellar water or a special brow cleanser will do the trick; just avoid anything that might irritate your eyes. If your brows are looking thin and patchy, you could also try a nourishing brow serum to regrow the hairs. And you’ll want to keep the skin hydrated with a moisturizer and protected from the sun with sunscreen.
Create a Beautiful Shape
Whether your brows are too thick, too thin, too hairy, too patchy, too asymmetrical or just have hairs in places you’d rather they didn’t, you probably need to shape them at least a little bit. You can do it yourself or you may find it easier to pay someone to do it for you at a local brow and lash bar. These are the most common methods for doing so.
>> Pluck: Invest in a good pair of tweezers and pluck the hairs out one by one. It’s a good idea to create some sort of stencil or outline for what you’re trying to achieve; the biggest danger here is overplucking, which can lead to thin, unbalanced and/or patchy brows that take ages to grow back — or never do. If you choose to pluck, follow the natural line of your eyebrows, pluck hairs out one at a time in the direction of growth and grab them as close to the roots as possible. If you have any really long, straggly hairs, you can also trim them with small scissors.
>> Thread: This method of hair removal originated in India and Iran, but has caught on here in the west for its speed and effectiveness. A technician twists a thin cotton or polyester thread and rolls it over unwanted hair, plucking it out at the follicle. The result is amazing and natural, but the process can be quite painful. It’s not something you can likely do yourself.
>> Wax: Warm, melted wax is spread over the hair you want to remove, then a disposable strip is pressed over the wax and quickly pulled off in the opposite direction of hair growth. This can be very painful, but the advantage is that it’s over quickly. The other downside is that your skin can become irritated and look unnaturally bald and shiny. It’s best to have a pro do this.
>> Sugar: Sugaring is both similar to waxing and different. A sugar-based paste is applied to the hair, which is then removed with a disposable strip, but this time pulled in short bursts in the direction the hair grows. That makes it gentler and less likely to cause irritation.
>> Shave: Those who have very bushy brows or low tolerance for pain may opt to shave their brows instead. Known as facial, brow, precision or dermaplaning razors, these fine tools are widely available. You can also find handy little battery-operated razors like the Finishing Touch Flawless Facial Hair Remover, which is even easier to use. Just keep in mind that shaving your eyebrows does have its drawbacks, including faster regrowth, the potential for unsightly nicks and the unwelcome appearance of stubble.
>> Laminate: This popular grooming technique involves straightening and lifting the hairs using a chemical solution that makes the hairs softer and more flexible. That in turn allows them to fill any gaps, for a more defined, even fluffy, look. Lamination lasts up to six weeks, is non-invasive and not permanent. You’ll need a special product to keep your brows maintained, but otherwise this is a high-impact result that’s almost effortless.
Add Defining Colour
It’s not just how your eyebrows are shaped that has an impact; it’s also their colour. Just think of the drama that Audrey Hepburn or Elizabeth Taylor’s brows had. Colour is especially important if you are very fair or if your brows are growing grey; very pale brows can make you look tired and older than you are, or even a bit spooky, as we saw with 2023’s bleached-eyebrow trend. Here’s how to add colour gracefully.
>> Pencil: Eyebrow pencils are an easy-to-use way of adding definitive temporary colour to your brows. Be sure to blend the colour with an eyebrow brush. Just note that the colour can wear off during the day, especially in hot, humid weather.
>> Powder: Eyebrow powder creates a gentler, fluffier look than pencils, but can fade quickly, especially for those who have oily skin.
>> Gel: Eyebrow gel can add volume and colour; most importantly, it sets your brows in place and keeps unruly hairs in line.
>> Tint: If you’d rather not apply colour every day or worry about it rubbing off on your pillow or disappearing just before your big presentation, you can always have your brows dyed. This is ideal for athletes, travellers on vacation or anyone with pale brows, especially because it covers even the smallest hairs and provides definition even when you’re not wearing makeup. You can, technically, dye your own brows, but we always recommend having a professional do it to avoid damaging your eyes or creating an unsightly mishap. It is, for instance, crucial to choose the right colour, and you won’t know you got it wrong until it’s too late. Note that eyebrow tint typically lasts four to six weeks and gradually fades away.
>> Microblade: Microblading is a semi-permanent makeup technique that uses a manual, handheld tool with tiny needles to apply pigment into the upper layers of skin, creating the appearance of natural-looking eyebrow hairs. Unlike traditional tattooing, which is permanent and turns a funny sort of blue over time, these pigments just naturally fade away over a few years.
It is not the end of the world if you choose not to groom your brows, but a little maintenance can make a huge difference in how you look and feel and convey your emotions. After all, as the actor Jack Black once said, “You must never underestimate the power of the eyebrow.”
Photos by Getty & Stocksy
