BROWS, BROWS, BROWS! and a thought

Ha! I'm back, after a LONG time. Oh well.

Number one, I was thinking of moving  leaving blogspot, in the sense of exporting my blog on another site...well. It's because of the layout, impossible to work with, and my unconditional love for a clear-cut, comfy, state-of-the art, well designed platform I can actually blog on...not something that crashes and never recovers...but i'll be thinking about that.

This post is a reply (really belated) to a comment I got, about eyebrow shapes. Unfortunately my camera batteries are dead, so no new pics available for now, however i do have an array of (old) photography supply I can document my little research with and also the .com, which is truly going to help in this case.

Firstly, you can take a look at my previous brow-related post- http://mariesbeautyblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/all-about-eyebrows-part-1.html. It's not the best piece in the world but it will definitely answer some questions if you're confronted with the eternal brow question: to thin or not to thin.

Secondly, the question that remains unanswered is HOW to shape them. Filling in, that comes afterwards, because even the most admirably executed tweezer job demands a little bit of polishing from time to time, especially when it comes to (evening) makeup.

These are my simple rules for shaping the eyebrows. I've screwed up MANY times, mostly on my own brows (phew!), in the sense that it wasn't always a perfect result, or the shape changed accordingly- once the hairs grow out, you'll get not only regrowth, in the shape of small hairs around the eyebrow, but longer, more difficult to tame hairs that can modify the aspect of your brows.

The following section is for girls, or anyone who wishes to sport a more feminine eyebrow look. I will also talk a little about the 'manly' eyebrow design as well.

Here we go.

Rule number one: 

Work with your natural shape.

If it isn't severely distorted, if it doesn't make you look surprised/angry/sad etc. in an excessive manner, don't try to alter it all at once; you'll most probably going to end up with something that doesn't suit your face frame or bone structure, thus will have to resort to penciling them in to fix the damage. Go as slowly as possible, especially if you're a newbie, or after a regrowth. Don't worry- you've spent so much time with 'those' eyebrows, a couple of days won't really matter. It's better to pluck one hair at a time than to give yourself a dramatic makeover you might regret shortly after.

Rule number two:

Don't always trust salons. I swear, if I had a nickel every time I heard this....now let's clear this out. It is obvious that trained professionals (cosmetologists or makeup artists) are the most indicated people to create a good looking brow shape; however, I strongly suggest you first go in their salon/studio, witness some 'demonstration' on another person, or just find out about a salon by word of mouth- recommendations from friends, co-workers, etc. 

Don't be shy- if you see something really beautiful, don't be afraid to ask. I've made an enormous amount of purchases- fashion-wise- that I absolutely loved based on anonymous recommendations from complete strangers I met on a daily basis. Anyways, as I said, don't trust a salon just because they're a salon, pop in and completely abandon yourself (and your eyebrows) on the chair. It's better to do it yourself or save some money and go to a reputable makeup artist/cosmetician to do the job for you than screw up and feel miserable for two, three months. 

My problem with getting the eyebrows done at the salon derives from the fact that eyebrows are not facial hair. It's about having aesthetic norms, so to speak, or just an eye for what suits one's face- probably like a designer has got to have insight, talent and creativity. Because you might end up with something completely different from what you wanted just because the lady at the salon 'likes' that shape. No-no. Another issue I've had with salons stems from terrible cases of male eyebrow destruction I've encountered. Poor guys go to expensive places and have their brows plucked the hell out until they look like Dame Edna. But, being told they're okay by someone with a diploma, they continue living in a lie. Oh well. 

So, go for it if you're SURE. 

Rule number three:

It's better thicker than thinner. I know, sad but true. However, you should read this like 'it's better moderately thick, natural-like, than sharpie brows that looked crayoned on the forehead'. The Marlene Dietrich-type of eyebrow is not only out of fashion, but terribly aging for the face. It makes the skin lose support and, in many years' time, gives you droopy eyelids. Thick eyebrows are also out of discussion if you don't have baby-like facial features- a young Brooke Shields, Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova,  or Gemma Ward, etc. If you look 'normal', go for 'normal'. Etcetera. You get my point. 

Rule number four:

TRIM your eyebrows. Don't pluck the hair that stands out- it might change the shape of your entire brow or end up causing a hole in it. Just gently trim about a millimeter of the hair length and see what happens. Brush the hairs carefully, trim, brush one more time, trim again, and so on. Not only it will take care of those rebel hairs, it might actually improve the shape/refresh a brow job in between plucking. 

Rule number five:

Try to envisage your final version of the 'perfect brow' along the process, or even before. Try to see the contour of the brow among the hair you want to remove, and imagine yourself with it. I have never used a white pencil, just some stencils, and for fun only, so I really can't comment on this aspect, using an additional tool to design your 'new' brow contour. 

If you feel comfortable with using some sort of instrument- that's great. Just make sure the result looks normal, not too thick/thin, etc. And even if you like some 'brows', remember they might not look good on you. Just because Megan Fox has a certain brow shape doesn't mean it will work on your face. Don't try to force your natural contour. You can give it a lift, of course, and clean it up, or the opposite, making it look demure, with a natural slant. But don't overdo it. You'll end up crying over plucked eyebrows, cruising the aisle looking for pencils to fill them in. 

Rule number six:

That's a lucrative one. It's about my own taste and what I personally see as working for most people. So you can take this advice or not. My suggestion would be to try keeping the difference between the beginning of the brow and the portion that follows as small as possible. Meaning don't leave a big, thick front part of the brow to immediately pluck everything out and get pencil-thin brows.

I like the more natural approach, the one with a gentle crescendo of the process and not an abrupt beginning of thinness. I think it looks clean, natural, refreshes the face and makes the eyes look wider, more awake. That's one important rule I always apply when doing my eyebrows or anyone else's, for that matter. 

Rule number seven:

You CAN pluck/wax/shave the hairs off the upper part of the brow, just do it as gently as possible. I couldn't stress this enough. The upper edge of the brow must look natural, otherwise...it won't. Just be VERY, very careful. I couldn't stress it enough. If you leave it in pristine condition, it might or might not look untidy, depending on your natural shape. I strongly suggest you to be extremely light-handed, or better, if you don't trust yourself, let someone with more experience help you. Screwing up your eyebrows is one thing, per se; chipping them from above equals disaster and you don't want that to happen.

Rule number eight:

Don't let your eyebrows grow too much or you'll ruin a potentially good shape, especially if you got the right one and are afraid you won't nail it the second time you're trying, or if you went to Anastasia of Beverly Hills or something. Just play a little with the tweezers every two-three days, to keep the canvas clear. It's very simple and easy :)

Rule number nine:

If you think your eyebrows are too 'long', thick, bushy, etc in the beginning, namely at the base of the nose, pluck whatever it is to pluck (the unibrow) in between them but try trimming the hairs instead of plucking everything out. You don't want to create a large space between your brows, or the opposite- leave a narrow 'escape'. Gently trim, and if you get square angles- trim those too. Very, very gently. I know, i might seem obsessed but attention to details is what makes a good eyebrow design, and well, all design in general. Square edges equal rigidity, sharpness and well, an unnatural aspect. Don't go too deep or you'll have to adjust the brow with some powder/pencil. Step-by-step!!!

Rule number ten:

You don't have to invest in expensive brow maintenance products, just find the correct tones for your skin/hair color. Apart from that, i strongly suggest several pieces for your brow survival kit- translucent powder, to pat around and on your eyebrows, remove any excess of pencil/brow powder and give the brow makeup a mellow aspect; a highlighter- any brow bone will look cleaner, fresher and give a bit of lift to the entire face if covered in a soft light- whether you want a satin finish or opt for a matte one; a brow comb and (transparent) gel to fix them- it makes a huge difference, especially after a long day, when your makeup is all melted, or could use some serious sprucing up- your brows will still be ok. 

Rule number eleven (VERY important):

If it ain't broken, don't fix it. If you have naturally full eyebrows, just got a brow job and you're feeling good about it, don't fill it in. Don't overdo it. You'll end up looking unnatural and having wasted some good $ for the  brow beautification process...if you're still filling in your eyebrows. There's no need for that, honestly. I am saying this because yesterday, while researching for brow-related issues, I have encountered some blog posts I can't quote, for obvious reasons, in which the author proudly described and photographed her eyebrows...and the pencil. The shape was quite ok but the color was a major mistake since it appeared too intense due to excessive zealousness. So ladies and gents, don't overdo your brows if you're happy with them. At most just carefully 'spoolie' them in with a tiny bit of ashy brown powder and call it a day. 

For the gentlemen (or the ladies who pluck their eyebrows):

There's nothing worse than a lad with sharpie eyebrows. The best way to do it is to make it seem you DIDN'T do it. The 'secret' is plucking the hairs without perfect definition- take a look at the L'Oreal ads, for example. Even the girls have natural-looking eyebrows though all photography is digitally retouched. I like that look, very natural yet nicely defined, without looking like you've actually worked on it. 

I was 'honored' in the past with trustworthiness of male friends, thus had them allow me groom their brows a little bit. 

What seems to work best is:

-using wax strips/warm wax/whatever substance/tool you're comfortable with, even thread, (if your subject tolerates pain) to remove the little hairs around the brow, on the outer sides of the brows, on the upper part etc. It just 'cleans up' the area and gives a more refreshed look without looking like something was actually done there.

-using the tweezers to carefully remove ONLY what's to be removed; the ideal way of 'measuring' whether you're doing it right or not, i.e. taking too much hair or the opposite, is checking out for the beginning of the areas where the hair starts to grow thicker and thicker. Once you've hit/ you're very close to that skin portion, time to wrap it up. NEVER give a man a prominent arch, he will look ridiculous if that's not the effect he's going for. CLEAN UP and nothing more; the perfect brow job for a man is to have the lines of the brows as natural as possible, with a couple of hairs sporting out to delude the eye. I guess I don't even have to mention the infamous sharpie brows...and what they look like on men. Hello, Jersey Shore.

Products we all love (at least I do, and heard some gals like them as well):

Cheapsters- H&M brow powder, H&M brow pencil in Light Brown, Isadora brow pencil in 22 Light Brown, Max Factor brow pencil in 02 Hazel; 

Higher end stuff:  Clinique brow liner in Soft Brown and Deep Brown (02 and 03), Clarins brow pencil in Light Brown, Anastasia Beverly Hills pencil in Medium Ash (universal shade, can be worn by anyone, regardless of hair color), etc. 

It's hard to find a good quality brow pencil/powder, and sometimes even high end brands manage to screw up and present something awful (shame on you, Lancome!), mostly with reddish undertones. However, there are so many nice products out there, and so many are drugstore, that the task of achieving the perfect eyebrow is no longer impossible.