Like any other part of your makeup routine, this takes time. Trial and error. Lots of practice. Maybe a caterpillar phase. But don't worry. Those fuzzy, extra bold caterpillars will one day become beautiful browterflies.
When it comes to makeup application, I'd like to think there are no rules, but rather guidelines to follow. Express yourself, but keep in mind the techniques of the trade.
I'm sure everyone has seen a chart like this:
My natural brows are shaped well, and they aren't super sparse. My hair is just light and a little fine. So my brow "goal" is to darken and define. Your brow goals might be different from mine. Your brows may naturally take a different shape from mine. I absolutely love the look of "flat" eyebrows, but it just isn't the appropriate shape for my face or my natural brow line.
Luckily, I didn't pluck mine into pencil thin lines in my adolescent years: one great piece of advice from my mother, who in the 70s plucked her eyebrows into nearly nothing. And they never really grew back. But that was the style in her youth. She told me to be extra careful with my eyebrows because they might never grow back.
I've never had my eyebrows professionally tamed. No waxing, threading, etc. I've always been afraid they might make them too thin. If you have a good brow professional in your life, you should kiss the very ground they walk on because eyebrows are probably the most important thing ever in the makeup world. It's true: they frame your face. So be careful with them!
Bold brows are the trend these days. And bold doesn't necessarily mean huge bulky lines on your forehead. As I mentioned earlier, follow your natural lines! Don't go too dark either. When purchasing brow products, look for a shade that works with your skin tone AND hair color. I see blondes who go with darker brows because they have darker skin, and fair skinned blondes choosing lighter brows. So I wouldn't just choose a color based on your hair. Or just on your skin! And what if you have rainbow hair? Do you dare rock blue brows to match your aqua locks? I'm not 100% into that look, but makeup is about expression so do what you want! If you don't want to color match your brows to your vibrant hair, I think a neutral brunette eyebrow is a good choice.
Now that I've rambled about brow etiquette, let's talk tutorial!
I'll start with my products:
I use tweezers rarely to pluck stray hairs. These are those pesky little eyebrows that grow way below your natural line.
Anastasia Beverly Hills dipbrow pomades are my favorite. I've tried powders and pencils, but these gel-like pomades are life. I use two shades: Taupe and Ash Brown to complement my silver hair and fair skin.
I apply these pomades with the ABH #12 brush. The small angled brush allows for precise application, but is also useful for applying more product when needed to fill in larger areas. The spool end is essential for blending. A sacred step one should never skip.
NYX wonder pencil is such a wonderful little product. It's a concealer pencil with many uses, but my primary use is brow cleanup! I use the "light" pencil to cover up any messes on my eyebrows after applying pomade or blending. This step accentuates the shape of the brow even more. I use two different brushes to smooth out the concealer. Both are from e.l.f. so they were super inexpensive. I use the professional concealer brush and the small angled brush. The angled brush is great for cleaning up around your arch.
I finish with ABH clear brow gel!
The following is a (terrible) pictorial of my brow process (aka browcess):
1. This is my natural brow, combed with the spool end of the #12 brush.
2. I use the angled end of the #12 brush to apply dipbrow in Ash Brown to create a line on my lower brow. I follow my natural line.
3. Same as step 2, I use the angled end of the #12 brush to apply dipbrow in Ash Brown to create a line on my upper brow. I follow my natural line. I allow the longer hairs in the front to reach above this line for a more natural look.
4. I use the angled end of the #12 brush to fill in the lines I created in steps 2 & 3. For this step, I use dipbrow in Taupe. I don't fill in all the way to the front of the brow. When I blend in the next step, the gap will be filled in and an ombré look is achieved.
5. To create extra definition, I go back in with dipbrow in Ash Brown using the angled end of the #12 brush. I start around my arch and go all the way to the "tail." This step is optional, but it creates a more dramatic ombré. Then, using the spool end of the #12 brush, I blend blend blend! This step is NOT optional! Blending gets rid of any harsh lines and creates a natural look. I blend from front to back.
Not pictured is the concealing. I apply my NYX wonder pencil anywhere that I may have gone outside the lines. This happens when blending. I use the e.l.f. professional concealer brush to blend the concealer above my brow line in an upward motion, and to shape the front of my brow. I use the e.l.f. small angled brush to blend concealer below my brow line in a downward motion. This brush is perfect for cleaning up your arch as well.
6. Top with clear brow gel to set your shape and done!
And that's how we get this:
I am still learning and still perfecting my browcess. I've reached a point of consistency; my brows look the same every day. And that's a big step for me! Keep practicing. Try different products. Different brands. I tried several different things before landing on this regimin. I encourage you to do the same!
Thanks for "browsing" my pretties!
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