How to Get Perfect Eyebrows for Your Big Day

By  Martha Stewart Weddings

You’ve picked the date. You’ve booked your venue. And you’ve found your dream dress. Now that the big stuff is out of the way, it’s time to think about a little detail that can make a huge difference: your eyebrows. Since they frame your eyes and help express your emotions, they’re an important key to gorgeous wedding photos.
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But when should bridal brow preparations begin? What if you’re a novice, or the opposite—a compulsive tweezer? Don’t worry. We’ve consulted the experts to get the ultimate step-by-step guide for perfecting your wedding-day brows.

 Know Your Shape

Photography: Aaron Dyer

“The biggest mistake women make is not finding their own natural arch,” says brow guru Kristie Streicher, founder of The Feathered Brow and partner at Striiike salon in Beverly Hills. A well-placed arch brightens your face and enhances your eyes, but if the arch is angled poorly, you could end up looking permanently surprised, or constantly angry. “The arch that you naturally have is the one that will always look best,” Streicher says. “And the most flattering shape for the eyebrows gently fans at the start of a brow,” Streicher says, “then lays straight over the brow bone, arches and lifts slightly just outside its mid-point, and finally fans out—but never down!—towards the temple. The end of your brow should be long, softly tapered, and feathered.”

 Fill in Bare Spots

Photography: Courtesy of CoverGirl

Not everyone is born with bold brows, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fake it! If your brows are sparse, fill them in with a natural shade of eyeshadow. Or find a brow-specific product, like CoverGirl’s Bombshell POW-der Brow ($9.99), which is easy to apply (just brush it through each brow lightly) and great for softly filling and defining your arches. Your chosen shade should match your brow color almost exactly, and err on the lighter side if need be. “Use a clear brow gel to set the powder and shape,” says celebrity makeup artist Colleen O’Neill, who trained under beauty star Gucci Westman, noting that colored gels can change shades or even shapes over time.

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Be Patient

Photography: Johnny Miller

“It can take up to a year to regrow an over-tweezed brow,” says Streicher, who specializes in saving the over-plucked arches of Hollywood celebrities, “so take that into consideration when planning your wedding makeup. Start prepping your brows now!” That means booking an appointment with your makeup artist or brow groomer six weeks before the big day. If you’re tempted to pluck or re-shape an unruly arch, leave it to a professional—“and I don’t recommend ever waxing your brows,” Streicher warns, echoing many aestheticians’ concerns about skin irritation and permanent hair removal. “Tweezing is the most face and sure way to keep eyebrows more natural.”

 Prepare for Big-Day Maintenance

Photography: Courtesy of CoverGirl

“If you’ve over-plucked the day before your wedding, find a natural-looking pencil to fill in an appropriate shape for your facial structure,” says Streicher. Try CoverGirl Brow and Eyemakers Pencil ($4.49). “Softer, more delicate facial features look best with a slightly thinner, more elegant brow, while a face with stronger bone structure is perfect for a thicker, stronger one.” The drawn arch should be soft instead of pointed, but if it’s not perfect right away, don’t stress. You can always tweak the shape, or even start fresh by applying makeup remover. After all, you may be committing to a life partner… but the vows don’t say anything about changing your beauty look!