Brow Makeup DeMystified

Makeup Question of the Day:  How do I fill in my very thin eyebrows so they look au natural?



Use a stiff angled brush to add shadow or brow powder.

The short (sort of) answer:  The best way to softly enhance thin or sparse eyebrows, is to use a brow powder with a small stiff angled brush.  If you really have next to no hair, then a few faint pencil marks before using the powder will help give the illusion a boost. You want to create the illusion of thicker brows by simulating the shadow behind the actual brow hairs you have.  You can, at the same time, change the shape of the brow or lengthen it.

Choose a color as follows:     Warning…you might need help from the nice lady at the makeup counter…as this is the one area of color cosmetics that tends to be better found at the department or specialty store vs. the drugstore.

Cool Dark Brunettes & Black Hair: 

Choose a medium toned gray/beige color (more to the gray with a touch of beige…not silver/blue gray) powder that is a few shades lighter in depth than your hair/brow color.  If you choose a dark brown or black shade, in my experience it becomes very difficult to make the color subtle and controllable… without ending up like Baby Jane.  Make it easy on yourself, and choose a lighter color than you think you need—definitely several shades lighter than the hair on your head.


Wow!  What a difference!

Strawberry Blondes, Gingers and Red/Orange Based Brunettes (Auburns): 

Choose a beige color with the slightest tinge of a red-head-ish tone when it is placed on your skin.  Test this on the back of your hand.  If you are not a natural red-based hair color, then you natural brow color will be a “giveaway”, so you need to increase the red/orange tone in the beige OR you can find a red-head based eye-brow gel to actually color the hairs (much like mascara, but without the thickening properties).  The darker the hair on your head the slightly darker the overall shade of the powder that you choose.


Notice brows are slightly lighter than hair.

Blondes, Dark Blondes, Light Browns, Light Brown w/Greyish, Salt and Pepper: 

Choose a gray/beige color (“taupe”), lighter to medium in tone.  You should choose this color on a lighter basis the lighter the overall color on your head--unless you want a very dramatic look (like platinum blonde with dark brown brows).  The grayer the hair on your head, the less beige (light brown) in the taupe—and the more grayer.  The more “golden” your blonde, the more slightly golden the beige/taupe can be.

Before and After for a light brown model.

Notes on the Theme:



This diagram shows where arch should go.

Where to place the arch is a perennial question, which I think the photo on the right answers pretty clearly.  It varies from face to face, but the proportions don't...so take a long thin stick (bamboo skewer?) and check your brow's beginning, end and arch to see that they alight with the points on the photo.  All starts at the out edge of the nose, the arch should align with the middle of the eyeball, the edges of the eye align with the beginning and end points for the brow.  This helps you know where to tweeze; or more likely...where to let the hairs grow back if you have over-tweezed.

For the platinum blondes in the group:  if your brows are too dark, bleaching them (oh so carefully) is an option…if you want a visual lesson in how changing the eyebrows changes the ENTIRE look of the face, simply look at photos of Madonna through the years (one album to the next)…the shape and color of the brows has almost as much impact as her revolving hair color/style in “reinventing” her look. 

I don’t always use brow makeup, but that is because my brows are pretty thick naturally…I do have to tweeze and shape them weekly (only the stragglers that fall outside of the shape I want).   If you  try a new “brow powder” and the color is going on too strong, try either blotting the area with a tissue first (if it is shiny from oils—natural, or from moisturizer—it will “grab” the color and make it darker and resistant to blending) or patting on a sheer layer of face powder prior to your next application.

Notes on Tools: 

·         You will need a proper brush to accomplish the look.  This is an angled, stiff, brush; specifically for dry-eyeshadow lining and powder brow color.  Sonia Kashuk makes a very nice one at Target for $5!

·         A “spooly brush” (like a clean mascara wand) is also very helpful to soften and blend brow color that has just been applied. 

·         Try using a clear Mascara (I like Covergirl’s) as a brow gel to keep the brow hairs from getting messy and unkempt during the day.

 

See how varying the shape of the eyebrow works with the overall shape of your face?

 In case you still have questions about brows, I found a website that sells “brow” stencils (no, I don’t think you want/need these AT ALL) that has a pretty comprehensive amount of brow information.  It talks about the shape of your face and what the shape of your brow can do to enhance it.  It also talks about (and sells stencils for) celebrities brow shapes!  Use it for informational purposes, though, as I  don’t have any idea of the quality of their products.   www.eyebrowz.com