By Elizabeth Siegel & Sophia Panych, Allure
Restoring botched brows can be a major pain in the arch. (Hyuck, hyuck.) We asked top groomers how to reshape eyebrows and get the fullest, shapeliest, most face-flattering results, minus all the growing pains. Whatever your brow problem, from over-tweezed brows to grown-out brows, we'll teach you how to whip your brows into shape.
How to Reshape Brows That are Over-Tweezed
Anyone with a magnifying mirror and tweezers can recklessly prune their brows, but patiently growing them back? That takes real pluck. Here's how to undo the damage.
1.
Retire the tweezers.
It takes three to four months to see real change, and up to a year for brows to grow back entirely. "The first week is the hardest. It feels like the hairs are mocking you," says Ramy Gafni, a New York City brow groomer. "But if you leave them alone, those random little hairs will eventually form a full brow." If a stray is growing at an odd angle, resist the urge to tweeze — trim it instead.
[post_ads]“You want to resist the urge to touch your brows," says makeup artist Maribeth Madron. "It usually takes that long for brows to grow out unless you've removed a lot of hair. Then it might take a year or more." Lose your salon's phone number, avoid the mirror when you're PMS-ing, and freeze your tweezers in a glass of water, says Madron. "If you can't get to the tweezers immediately, the urge to pluck will pass."
There’s one exception, however, to the no-tweezing policy: If you're prone to sprouting a few hairs between your brows, we're not going to tell you to walk around like Ernie from Sesame Street for four months. To make sure you're not over-plucking, Madron recommends using your finger as a guide. Place your index finger between your brows and draw a line on either side of it with an eyeliner pencil. Remove your finger and only tweeze the hairs in between those two lines. "You don't want to remove too much hair from the inner corners," says Madron. "It's very hard to get the hair to grow back in those spots, so I always err on the side of caution."
It takes three to four months to see real change, and up to a year for brows to grow back entirely. "The first week is the hardest. It feels like the hairs are mocking you," says Ramy Gafni, a New York City brow groomer. "But if you leave them alone, those random little hairs will eventually form a full brow." If a stray is growing at an odd angle, resist the urge to tweeze — trim it instead.
[post_ads]“You want to resist the urge to touch your brows," says makeup artist Maribeth Madron. "It usually takes that long for brows to grow out unless you've removed a lot of hair. Then it might take a year or more." Lose your salon's phone number, avoid the mirror when you're PMS-ing, and freeze your tweezers in a glass of water, says Madron. "If you can't get to the tweezers immediately, the urge to pluck will pass."
There’s one exception, however, to the no-tweezing policy: If you're prone to sprouting a few hairs between your brows, we're not going to tell you to walk around like Ernie from Sesame Street for four months. To make sure you're not over-plucking, Madron recommends using your finger as a guide. Place your index finger between your brows and draw a line on either side of it with an eyeliner pencil. Remove your finger and only tweeze the hairs in between those two lines. "You don't want to remove too much hair from the inner corners," says Madron. "It's very hard to get the hair to grow back in those spots, so I always err on the side of caution."
2.
Fill in eyebrow gaps like an expert.
Even though you can't pick up your tweezers, you can still pick up your makeup. There's no avoiding it: Your brows will go through an ugly phase during the grow-out process, and makeup is going to come in really handy. "This is where brow fillers, pencils, waxes, and putties come in very handy," says Madron. "If your brows are a good shape but you're filling in holes, pencils and powders are best." Madron recommends Maybelline New York Brow Define and Full Duo, $6.94, walmart.com (she's a spokesperson for the brand, but we're also a fan), which is a dual-ended stick with a pencil on one end and a powder on the other.
If you're growing out more than just a few sparse patches, pencil won't cut it. "What you want to do is paint on the brow shape you're desiring," Madron explains, "covering up all the patchy, new growth inside the lines with a wax/powder combination or a putty-like product, both of which are more forgiving, allow for less precision, and tame stubborn hairs." Madron likes Maybelline New York Brow Drama Pro Palette, which contains both wax and powder. As for putties and pomades, we're fans of Giorgio Armani Eye & Brow Maestro and NYX Tame & Frame Tinted Brow Pomade.
If you're growing out more than just a few sparse patches, pencil won't cut it. "What you want to do is paint on the brow shape you're desiring," Madron explains, "covering up all the patchy, new growth inside the lines with a wax/powder combination or a putty-like product, both of which are more forgiving, allow for less precision, and tame stubborn hairs." Madron likes Maybelline New York Brow Drama Pro Palette, which contains both wax and powder. As for putties and pomades, we're fans of Giorgio Armani Eye & Brow Maestro and NYX Tame & Frame Tinted Brow Pomade.
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For stubble or sparse hairs growing in at the tail end of your brows, you can cover them up with a very dry concealer, like Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage.Maybelline New York Brow Drama Pro Palette, $10.99, target.com, Giorgio Armani Eye & Brow Maestro, $34, sephora.com, NYX Tame & Frame Tinted Brow Pomade, $6.99, ulta.com or Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, $34, sephora.com.
For stubble or sparse hairs growing in at the tail end of your brows, you can cover them up with a very dry concealer, like Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage.Maybelline New York Brow Drama Pro Palette, $10.99, target.com, Giorgio Armani Eye & Brow Maestro, $34, sephora.com, NYX Tame & Frame Tinted Brow Pomade, $6.99, ulta.com or Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, $34, sephora.com.
As far as color is concerned, go one to two shades lighter than your hair if you're a brunette, or try taupe if you're blonde. "Otherwise you'll look like Joan Crawford," says Gafni. His advice? Use short, angled strokes in the direction of hair growth to beef up bald spots, but stay within your natural brow line. "Never create an arch with makeup," says Gafni. "Even the right shade can look obvious. Your bone structure should create the arch for you."
3.
Facilitate eyebrow growth by conditioning at night and taking hair growth supplements
A brow conditioner will help speed the growth process along. Madron's favorite is RevitaBrow, which she recommends to many of her clients. But one conditioner doesn't necessarily fit all. "You may need to try different products with different active ingredients," says Madron. Talika's new Eyebrow Lipocils Expert is quite good, as is the Crave Collection Brow Braun Eyebrow Conditioner. If all these fail, try talking to your dermatologist about prescription-strength options. RevitaBrow Advanced Eyebrow Conditioner, $110, nordstrom.com. Talika Eyebrow Lipocils Expert Supplement, $57.50, amazon.com. Crave Collection Brow Braun Eyebrow Conditioner, $65.99, amazon.com.The same supplements that help your hair grow — biotin and Viviscal (if you have an iron deficiency) — will also help brow hairs sprout. "That way, you're supporting the issue from the inside out," says Madron. Try Viviscal Extra Strength Hair Nutrient Tablets, $39.99, ulta.com.
As far as color is concerned, go one to two shades lighter than your hair if you're a brunette, or try taupe if you're blonde. "Otherwise you'll look like Joan Crawford," says Gafni. His advice? Use short, angled strokes in the direction of hair growth to beef up bald spots, but stay within your natural brow line. "Never create an arch with makeup," says Gafni. "Even the right shade can look obvious. Your bone structure should create the arch for you."3. Facilitate eyebrow growth by conditioning at night and taking hair growth supplements.
How to Define Fuller Eyebrows
If you prefer thinner, more arched brows, here's how to make it happen. "Strong brows need to have shape and separation," says Streicher. "Otherwise they'll overwhelm your face."
A brow conditioner will help speed the growth process along. Madron's favorite is RevitaBrow, which she recommends to many of her clients. But one conditioner doesn't necessarily fit all. "You may need to try different products with different active ingredients," says Madron. Talika's new Eyebrow Lipocils Expert is quite good, as is the Crave Collection Brow Braun Eyebrow Conditioner. If all these fail, try talking to your dermatologist about prescription-strength options. RevitaBrow Advanced Eyebrow Conditioner, $110, nordstrom.com. Talika Eyebrow Lipocils Expert Supplement, $57.50, amazon.com. Crave Collection Brow Braun Eyebrow Conditioner, $65.99, amazon.com.The same supplements that help your hair grow — biotin and Viviscal (if you have an iron deficiency) — will also help brow hairs sprout. "That way, you're supporting the issue from the inside out," says Madron. Try Viviscal Extra Strength Hair Nutrient Tablets, $39.99, ulta.com.
As far as color is concerned, go one to two shades lighter than your hair if you're a brunette, or try taupe if you're blonde. "Otherwise you'll look like Joan Crawford," says Gafni. His advice? Use short, angled strokes in the direction of hair growth to beef up bald spots, but stay within your natural brow line. "Never create an arch with makeup," says Gafni. "Even the right shade can look obvious. Your bone structure should create the arch for you."3. Facilitate eyebrow growth by conditioning at night and taking hair growth supplements.
How to Define Fuller Eyebrows
If you prefer thinner, more arched brows, here's how to make it happen. "Strong brows need to have shape and separation," says Streicher. "Otherwise they'll overwhelm your face."
4.
Divide and conquer.
When hair verges on the dreaded unibrow territory, you need to grab the tweezers. Hold a pencil vertically from the outer edge of your nostril to your eyebrows to determine where each one should start.
5.
When hair verges on the dreaded unibrow territory, you need to grab the tweezers. Hold a pencil vertically from the outer edge of your nostril to your eyebrows to determine where each one should start.
5.
Make the cut.
Removing bulk from your brows doesn't always mean pruning them. Nine times out of ten, a trim is all you need. Comb your brows straight up with a spoolie eyebrow brush, then use eyebrow scissors to trim only the longest hairs, staggering the length as you go. "Cut one hair a little longer and one a little shorter, so your eyebrows don't get a crew cut," says Streicher. Follow up with a brow gel to keep hairs in place.
6.
Removing bulk from your brows doesn't always mean pruning them. Nine times out of ten, a trim is all you need. Comb your brows straight up with a spoolie eyebrow brush, then use eyebrow scissors to trim only the longest hairs, staggering the length as you go. "Cut one hair a little longer and one a little shorter, so your eyebrows don't get a crew cut," says Streicher. Follow up with a brow gel to keep hairs in place.
6.
Shape up.
Define the arch (the brow's highest point, just beyond the iris as you look ahead) by yanking a few hairs beneath it. "The most common mistake I see is people taking too much off the ends," says Kristie Streicher, an eyebrow groomer at Warren-Tricomi salons in New York City and Los Angeles. Eyebrows that fall short look tadpole-y, and they age our faces, since the ends thin as we get older, she says.
7.
Define the arch (the brow's highest point, just beyond the iris as you look ahead) by yanking a few hairs beneath it. "The most common mistake I see is people taking too much off the ends," says Kristie Streicher, an eyebrow groomer at Warren-Tricomi salons in New York City and Los Angeles. Eyebrows that fall short look tadpole-y, and they age our faces, since the ends thin as we get older, she says.
7.
End well.
"It's a sin to shorten beautiful, long eyebrows," says New York City brow groomer Joey Healy. Unless the tails of your eyebrows dip too far below where the heads begin (which can result in a dragging effect), leave the length alone. Make sure to taper the ends to a clean point for a sharp finish.
How to Reshape Eyebrows that Look Like Commas
What’s a comma brow? It’s basically a brow that has been plucked within an inch of its life, but only under the arches and at the ends, creating a comma effect.
8.
"It's a sin to shorten beautiful, long eyebrows," says New York City brow groomer Joey Healy. Unless the tails of your eyebrows dip too far below where the heads begin (which can result in a dragging effect), leave the length alone. Make sure to taper the ends to a clean point for a sharp finish.
How to Reshape Eyebrows that Look Like Commas
What’s a comma brow? It’s basically a brow that has been plucked within an inch of its life, but only under the arches and at the ends, creating a comma effect.
8.
Achieve balance by really filling in the eyebrow tail.
"Taking weight from the front will actually make the ends appear thicker," says brow expert Eliza Petrescu of Eliza's Eyes salon in New York City. "Your brows will be instantly more natural looking." Lightly fill in with a brow pencil, concentrating color on the sparser tails.
How to Calm Down Angry Brows
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Angry brows look like an upside down V (think Michelle Obama in 2008). These type of eyebrows can make you seem angry, says Gafni. Here’s how to combat the dreaded angry brow.
9.
"Taking weight from the front will actually make the ends appear thicker," says brow expert Eliza Petrescu of Eliza's Eyes salon in New York City. "Your brows will be instantly more natural looking." Lightly fill in with a brow pencil, concentrating color on the sparser tails.
How to Calm Down Angry Brows
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Angry brows look like an upside down V (think Michelle Obama in 2008). These type of eyebrows can make you seem angry, says Gafni. Here’s how to combat the dreaded angry brow.
9.
Avoid the point.
For a friendlier effect, remove a few hairs from the top of the arch. "Forget the old rule that says you should never tweeze above the brow," says Tonya Crooks, owner of Mirror Mirror Beauty Studio in Los Angeles. "If a few hairs are interfering with an ideal shape, they need to go, period." You can also lightly fill in the area directly beneath the point to soften its angularity.
10.
For a friendlier effect, remove a few hairs from the top of the arch. "Forget the old rule that says you should never tweeze above the brow," says Tonya Crooks, owner of Mirror Mirror Beauty Studio in Los Angeles. "If a few hairs are interfering with an ideal shape, they need to go, period." You can also lightly fill in the area directly beneath the point to soften its angularity.
10.
Focus on the front.
Using a spoolie brush, comb up the inner half of your brows and trim any hairs that extend far past the top. (Those hairs in front can get really long and make your eyebrows appear way thicker than they will after a small trim.)
When All Else Fails…
If you find yourself waiting (impatiently) for your eyebrows to grow out and the steps above aren’t enough, Madron has a couple more outside-the-box ideas to help you love your look in the interim.
11.
Using a spoolie brush, comb up the inner half of your brows and trim any hairs that extend far past the top. (Those hairs in front can get really long and make your eyebrows appear way thicker than they will after a small trim.)
When All Else Fails…
If you find yourself waiting (impatiently) for your eyebrows to grow out and the steps above aren’t enough, Madron has a couple more outside-the-box ideas to help you love your look in the interim.
11.
Employ distraction techniques.
Keep the attention as far from your brows as possible. "Wear bangs, a statement lip, whatever you have to keep people from focusing on your brows," says Madron. And avoid cat eyes and winged liner. "Wearing liquid liner with strong edges during the growth phrase isn't a good choice: The sharp lines direct eyes straight to your brows, where they will be able to see every hole and gap," says Madron.
12.
Keep the attention as far from your brows as possible. "Wear bangs, a statement lip, whatever you have to keep people from focusing on your brows," says Madron. And avoid cat eyes and winged liner. "Wearing liquid liner with strong edges during the growth phrase isn't a good choice: The sharp lines direct eyes straight to your brows, where they will be able to see every hole and gap," says Madron.
12.
Try eyebrow tinting.
"Brow tinting is life-changing. It's helped me so much when growing out my brows because it bulks up all those baby-fine hairs," says Madron. Your best bet is to go to a professional rather than trying it at home (although, if you do, make sure to use a nice vegetable dye). "The other benefit of seeing a professional is they can paint on the tint in your desired brow shape," says Madron.
Now that Your Eyebrows Have Grown Back
If you’ve waited out the four months it took to reshape your eyebrows after one too many plucks, it’s time to carefully craft the shape you actually want.
[post_ads]We recommend leaving it to an eyebrow waxing or threading professional, but if you prefer to tackle them at home, Madron stresses the importance of good lighting. "You want to be in front of direct natural light if possible. Overhead lighting creates shadows, which obscure your view." To determine your perfect brow shape, look at pictures of yourself before you started plucking them and assess your face shape. "It's all about balance," says Madron. "If you have small, petite features, like Kirsten Dunst, Winona Ryder, or Halle Berry, for example, your brows shouldn't be too large, and if you have big features like Keira Knightley or Sofia Vergara, your brows can also be bigger."
The Shape of Your Face vs. The Shape of Your Eyebrows
Eyebrow shaping can really change the look of your face.
If you have a long or rectangular face, you can make your face appear shorter or more proportional with a straighter, flatter eyebrow.
If you have a heart-shaped face, thick eyebrows can throw your face off-balance. Similarly, thick eyebrows can overwhelm a tiny face. These types of faces look great with well-groomed brows that are neither too thick or too thin.
On the other hand, if you have a square jaw, a thick, heavy brow can balance the top half of your face by making it match the bottom.
If you have a diamond face shape, curved eyebrows can lessen the angularity of your faced.
What eyebrow shape looks good on everyone? Soft, angled eyebrows are universally flattering, regardless of your face shape.
Once you've determined your perfect shape, it's time to carefully clean up errant hairs with tweezers. But before you start plucking, break out a black or bright-colored eyeliner pencil and outline the shape you want. Get really close to your mirror and, using slanted tweezers, only remove what is outside the pencil lines. Then wash off the pencil to see the results.
"Brow tinting is life-changing. It's helped me so much when growing out my brows because it bulks up all those baby-fine hairs," says Madron. Your best bet is to go to a professional rather than trying it at home (although, if you do, make sure to use a nice vegetable dye). "The other benefit of seeing a professional is they can paint on the tint in your desired brow shape," says Madron.
Now that Your Eyebrows Have Grown Back
If you’ve waited out the four months it took to reshape your eyebrows after one too many plucks, it’s time to carefully craft the shape you actually want.
[post_ads]We recommend leaving it to an eyebrow waxing or threading professional, but if you prefer to tackle them at home, Madron stresses the importance of good lighting. "You want to be in front of direct natural light if possible. Overhead lighting creates shadows, which obscure your view." To determine your perfect brow shape, look at pictures of yourself before you started plucking them and assess your face shape. "It's all about balance," says Madron. "If you have small, petite features, like Kirsten Dunst, Winona Ryder, or Halle Berry, for example, your brows shouldn't be too large, and if you have big features like Keira Knightley or Sofia Vergara, your brows can also be bigger."
The Shape of Your Face vs. The Shape of Your Eyebrows
Eyebrow shaping can really change the look of your face.
If you have a long or rectangular face, you can make your face appear shorter or more proportional with a straighter, flatter eyebrow.
If you have a heart-shaped face, thick eyebrows can throw your face off-balance. Similarly, thick eyebrows can overwhelm a tiny face. These types of faces look great with well-groomed brows that are neither too thick or too thin.
On the other hand, if you have a square jaw, a thick, heavy brow can balance the top half of your face by making it match the bottom.
If you have a diamond face shape, curved eyebrows can lessen the angularity of your faced.
What eyebrow shape looks good on everyone? Soft, angled eyebrows are universally flattering, regardless of your face shape.
Once you've determined your perfect shape, it's time to carefully clean up errant hairs with tweezers. But before you start plucking, break out a black or bright-colored eyeliner pencil and outline the shape you want. Get really close to your mirror and, using slanted tweezers, only remove what is outside the pencil lines. Then wash off the pencil to see the results.
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