Creating your PERFECT eyebrows - published in Cheltenham Echo

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Eyebrows, eyebrows, eyebrows … what is so important about eyebrows, I hear you asking. As a make-up artist, I say EVERYTHING!  Well shaped and defined eyebrows add structure and definition to the face, opening up, lifting and brightening the eyes and making you look years younger!

Eyebrows are a great way to achieve ‘natural beauty’ as, if done right, no-one will know you’ve done anything to them! 

Most of my clients, over the age of 40, openly admit that they have no eyebrows left as a result of years of plucking them into a thin line for fashion.  Whereas thin eyebrows were once all the rage, nowadays beauty is more about being natural with thicker brows being on-trend.  Thicker brows are also more flattering on the face, especially as we get older and our features look smaller and more severe.

So, how do you go about creating perfect eyebrows?  
Whether you have no eyebrows at all or sparse eyebrows that need filling in, the below guide should help.  The techniques are not definitive but will give you an idea of how to enhance the shape of your natural eyebrows (or brow bones for those of you with no eyebrows at all) in the most flattering way.  It’s important to remember that you are aiming to create defined but natural eyebrows, not perfect ones! 

What you will need
  • Tweezers
  • Eyeliner/eye brow pencil - in a color that matches your hair
  • Matte eyeshadow/brow powder - in a color that matches your hair
  • Eyebrow brush/clean mascara wand
  • Pencil
  • Cotton buds
  • Liquid eye make-up remover


Step 1
Pluck out excess hairs below your eyebrows, so the area is hair free but the lower edges of your eyebrows don’t look too severe. Don’t over-pluck!

Step 2
Where your eyebrow starts
Hold the pencil vertically and line up the inside corner of your eye to the outside of your nostril on the same side.  Place a very light dot where the pencil or pen crosses your brow bone.   This gives you an idea of where your eyebrow should start. You may already have an eyebrow there which is great, but if not, this suggests how far to bring your eyebrow in.

Step 3
Where your eyebrow finishes
Hold the pencil on a slant to line up the outer corner of your eye (the part nearest your temple) to the outside of your nostril on the same side. Place a light dot where the pencil crosses your brow bone.  This gives you an idea of where your eyebrow should taper to an end.  Again, you may already have eyebrow there but if not, this suggests where you might want to taper the outer part of the eyebrow to.

Step 4
Your natural arch
Hold the pencil vertically again and line up the centre of your pupil with the outside of your nostril on the same side.  Place a small dot where the pencil crosses your browbone to mark where the highest part of your eyebrow should be, your arch.  Again, this is a guide and not definitive but gives you a good idea of where the highest point of your brow should be.

Step 5
Using your natural brow shape as your guide AND bearing in mind the dots which suggest where your eyebrow would look most flattering, you are now ready to enhance your existing brow (work from the natural shape of your brown bone if you have no eyebrow) in the right places without changing its shape too much.

Lightly load your angled brush with your eye pencil colour, by applying the pencil directly to the edge of the brush or applying the eye pencil to the back of your hand and working from there.  Holding the brush at the same angle as your eyebrow, start from the inner corner (by your nose) and begin softly defining your brows with short feathery lines.  Follow the natural curve of your existing brows (or brow bones if you have no brow) building the colour up gradually until you are happy.  Your brows should be soft with no sharp peaks - a slightly thicker, rather than thinner shape.

Step 6
Using eye make-up remover and a cotton bud, remove any mistakes and the dots if you can still see them.

Step 7
Finish by lightly applying the eyeshadow on top in the same way, brushing through afterwards with a brow brush/clean mascara wand to soften.

Step 8
Repeat with your other eyebrow.


Tips
Do one eyebrow first and compare this side of your face to the other.  You will see an amazing difference immediately!

If you’re not used to having eyebrows, it might initially look strange to you so start by using a small amount of product for minimal definition. You can then use more colour as you feel more confident.

www.sophiechamings.co.uk

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