To get the best brow shape for your face, it's often ideal to have an expert attend to them first.



i) Tweezing pros: The most popular technique, plucking guarantees a clean, shapely arch. Cons: Since it requires precision, it can take time and be pricey.

ii) Waxing pros: This inexpensive and fast method pulls hairs out by the roots. Cons: With less control than tweezing, mistakes are more common. It's not a good option for people with sensitive skin or those using retinol-based skin creams, because when skin is fragile, it can peel off with the wax.

iii) Threading PROS: In this ancient technique from the Middle East and Asia, a technician twists threads together and pulls out the hairs caught between them. It's inexpensive, and unlike tweezing, which removes single hairs, it catches several at once. cons: Some regard it as unsanitary (one end of the thread is held in the technician's mouth), and skilled threaders are often hard to find.

iv) Electrolysis PROS: A technician inserts a thin metal probe into each hair follicle. The probe delivers an electric current that, after several sessions, should destroy the root per­manently. Cons: Our brows typically thin as you age, so you may end up with none when you get older.

v) Staying in Shape

To keep brows looking more Dietrich than Groucho after a professional shaping, follow these simple upkeep steps.

1. In a well-lit area, with a slant-tip tweezer, nip away the stray hairs between your eyes, underneath your brow bone, and nearyourtemples. If these areas are excessively hairy, consider using a precision waxing product or a mini razor (for product suggestions, see page 202). To find your natural arches, brush your brows upward and out using a makeup comb or a clean toothbrush.

2. Tweeze the hairs outside the arch. Pluck only a few at a time. Every so often, step away from the mirror to gauge your progress.

3. Post-tweezing, ease redness by rubbing an ice cube over the area. A dab of hydrocortisone cream, enough to cover the tweezed area, can also help. If necessary, define brows or fill in thin spots with a pencil, powder, or pomade. Unruly brows can also be set with a clear gel, or just spray some hair spray on a brow brush or a clean toothbrush and comb it through.

Brow Powder

Brow powder can be used alone to emphasize a brow shape, or it can be applied over brow pencil for a more natural look than pencil alone. Powder adds texture and dimension, and it's good for someone whose brows are not particularly thick. Dip a slant-angled brush into the color, tap off any excess, and apply it in short strokes, starting at the inside of the brow and working outward. (Avoid brushing on the color in one stroke).

Scissor Comb

BROW GROOMER SCISSOR: This type of two-in-one is safer than using sharp nail scissors near your eyes, and it makes snipping long hairs a cinch. Everyone should own a scissor-comb combo to trim regularly, because brows do grow to different lengths. The comb to brush hairs toward your temples, then cut smidgens at a time to avoid chopping off too much. Another tip: Hide it from the men in your life. Or, better yet, give them their very own.

BROW DEFINING PENCIL

Pencils are perfect for hairless gaps or extending shorter brows. Many contain wax bases, which adhere to the skin better than powders do. Choose a pencil that's neither too soft nor too hard. When applied, the pencil should not crumble or pull the brow hairs or the skin underneath. Choose a pencil that comes in three shades, creates soft, defined strokes; the grooming brush blends in the color. For accuracy, sharpen the pencil before each use. Apply it in small, hair like lines, then blend.

Tweezers

To keep your brows in neat arcs, you need a sharp, slanted tweezer and possibly some extra implements, depending on your personal needs. The darling device of the pros, tweezers work for anyone who can bear the pain of individual hair removal. Choose a handmade, high-grade stainless-steel type. Unlike cheaper brands, it has a slanted tip with rounded edges to provide both control and precision, and it won't poke or break the skin. For best results, always pluck hair in the direction of its growth. Going against the growth can bend the hair follicles and cause ingrown hairs.

How to Fix Common Mishaps

The only way to fix a botched brow is to let it grow. But to make it less conspicuous, try one of the following camouflage techniques.

THE MISTAKE: The slant of your brows was perfect, but you plucked one row too many. Now you look both perpetually surprised and angry. THE FIX: Shade the narrow area under your arches with pencil, then cover with powder to soften the harsh points and give the brows more body.

THE MISTAKE: You concentrated too much on the outer halves of your eyebrows. Now the inner brows look thick and bulky in comparison. THE FIX: Tweeze the undersides of the bushy parts to even out the halves. If you have little hair to spare, fill in the thin outer halves with pencil, then dust with translucent powder for a natural look.