Allow us to paraphrase “Millionaire Matchmaker” Patti Stanger: Great eyebrows—everyone wants them, but not everyone has them. A lucky few are born with brows that look neat and polished without doing a single thing. The rest of us? Whether they’re super bushy, sparsely grown, too dark or too light, we study up on insider tricks to make our brows look as beautiful as we can.
Luckily, we live in a time when there has never been more options to make our brows, and the skin around them, look amazing! Here are our top tips for the best brows, no matter what you’re starting with.
If your brows are bushy:
- First of all, thick brows are in right now. Brooke Shields was definitely on to something all those years ago, because today, celebs from “It” model Cara Delevinge to pop princess Rihanna can’t get their brows thick enough. So instead of waxing your caterpillars into inchworms, consider just owning your thick-browed look.
- Still want to bushwhack those brows? Decide whether you would rather pluck, wax or thread to shape your brows.
—You can pluck your brows at home with a good pair of tweezers (and a mirror!). We recommend the Precision Tweezers by Anastasia Beverly Hills, $28, whose sharp, thin tips make them ideal for plucking even the smallest hairs. Save your cheap drugstore tweezers for pulling out splinters and invest in a quality pair of tweezers for your brows only.
—Waxing your eyebrows involves spreading hot wax onto your unwanted hairs and then ripping them off with a piece of fabric. It hurts for just a second, though! You can get your brows professionally waxed at a spa or nail salon, or wax at home. We recommend Bliss Poetic Waxing Wax Strips for Face, $25. The time it takes your brows to grow out of their shape will vary by person, but generally it takes about two weeks between waxing appointments.
—Threading your brows involves plucking lots of brow hairs at once with a thin piece of thread. You can do it at home, but it’s tricky until you get the hang of it—so definitely go to a professional first.
If you’ve tamed your brows and you still have unruly stray hairs:
- Brow maintenance isn’t just about scheduling “major events” like regular wax appointments; you’ll want to maintain their upkeep every day in between.
—Use your tweezers to pluck stray hairs as they appear, but be very careful not to go overboard. Many a great woman has fallen (okay, not really) after plucking a few stray hairs here and there turned into accidentally reshaping her brows to oblivion.
—Slick back unruly hairs with a brow gel or brow wax. Brow gels come in a tube similar to clear mascara (in fact, you can use clear mascara in a pinch) and hold your brow hairs in place. We like TRUE Issac Mizrahi’s Finish Brow Gel, $17. A brow wax works similarly, but comes in pencil form and you just swipe it over your eyebrows to hold the hairs in place. We like Wet ’n Wild Color Icon Brow Shaper ($2).
If your brows are too thin or too light:
Yes, some people think those of us with bushy brows are lucky! There are dozens of products out there to fill in thin and light eyebrows. Generally speaking, choose a color a shade or two darker than your hair color.
—A good brow kit is your new best friend to fill in sparse brows. Whether you prefer to use powders, such as Benefit’s Brow Zings Brow Shaping Kit, $32, or pencils, such as MAC Veluxe Brow Liner, $20, is up to you. (Remember, if you use brow pencils, you’ll want to also get yourself a good sharpener.)
If the skin around your brows is wrinkled or saggy:
Getting great brows is not just about the eyebrows themselves—you also want the skin around them to look amazing.
—Getting a brow lift may be too drastic, but what if you could lift the brow without going under the knife? Ultherapy is a non-surgical procedure that uses ultrasound energy to lift skin around the brows and eyelids. The procedure is FDA-cleared to tighten and firm the skin around the brows, as well as the chin and neck, giving you a more youthful look. Visit the Ultherapy website to find a doctor that performs treatments in your area.
—Last but not least, the skin around your brows will look younger and fresher if you use a highlighter on your browbone. An illuminating brow pencil in a pearlescent or white shade will emphasize the natural arch of your brown bone and brighten the area around your eyes. We like Benefit’s High Brow Pencil, $22. Apply with a light touch and blend with your finger for a natural look.
This post is brought to you by YouBeauty and Ultherapy.
The non-invasive Ultherapy® procedure is U.S. FDA-cleared to lift skin on the neck, on the eyebrow and under the chin as well as to improve lines and wrinkles on the décolletage. For indications in your country, and full product and safety information, including possible mild side effects, visit Ultherapy.com/IFU.
1005436A
