Nicely groomed and maintained eyebrows give shape to the eye and character to the face. Unsightly grooming mistakes actually draw attention away from the eyes and other facial features, which is not the goal for a well-groomed appearance. Eyebrow shaping is as simple as shaving or applying makeup and should not be overlooked if the well-groomed look is what you’re going for. The following eyebrow shaping tips will help make eyebrow maintenance simple.
Trim eyebrows to avoid stray and unruly hairs from ruining the overall shape. Use an eyebrow brush to fan the hairs outward and upwards. Trim long or unruly hairs with eyebrow scissors. If you have exceptionally thick or bushy eyebrows, you can trim them by running a fine tooth barber comb through the eyebrow and lifting slightly outward away from the face. Trim hairs that remain sticking out through the comb.
When it comes to eyebrow shaping, finding the shape that is right for your facial structure is important. To do this, place a pencil vertical along each edge of the nose. Any part of the eyebrow that extends beyond the edge of the pencil closest to the bridge of the nose should be removed. On the outer edge of the eyebrow, place the edge of a pencil vertically along the outer corner of each eye. Any hairs that extend beyond the edge of the pencil towards the temples should also be removed.
To determine where the arch of the eyebrow should be, use the same pencil aligned vertically with the iris, or colored part of the eye. The arch of the eyebrow should be directly above the iris. This helps shape the eyebrow to accentuate the eye. Mark each point, the arch and the inner and outer corners with an eyebrow pencil to serve as a guide.
To remove hair, tweeze the hairs rather than shave them and avoid depilatory creams for eyebrow shaping. Waxing is also an option, but is difficult to do alone. If you prefer waxing, locate a full service salon and have them done professionally to avoid eyebrow shaping mishaps. Tweezing is a more precise method of eyebrow shaping when going it alone.
Use tweezers that are in good shape and with ends that meet and align properly. Prepare the eyebrows by placing a warm wash cloth over the eyebrow for several seconds. Pluck hair in the direction of growth rather than against it.
If you have rather thin or very light colored eyebrows, you can fill in the shape with an eyebrow pencil closely matching your natural color, or choose a color slightly darker than your eyelashes. Avoid excessive filling in with the pencil as this will look artificial and defeat the purpose of accentuating facial features and will distract from them instead.
If you have trouble with eyebrow shaping initially, or have never had your eyebrows shape, visit a salon and have a professional shape them and ask them to show you how best to maintain them. For people with unruly brows even after shaping, consider using an eyebrow shaping gel. This product is a clear gel, similar to mascara, and will help smooth and shape difficult brows.