Eyebrow shapes that are totally aging you

By Nicole Width, The List

In the quest to age as slowly and gracefully as possible, there are some sneaky signs that moisturizer and retinol just won't help — looking at you eyebrows. The problem might be due to the trauma of over-plucking in the 90s, genetically sparse or light colored brows, or the simple fact that Mother Nature is hell bent on thinning and graying all the hair on our bodies — except for those wiry hairs that suddenly pop out on our chins.

In an interview with Coveteur, celebrity brow artist Joey Healy explained the sad reality of brows and aging, "Naturally, as you age, your brows generally get a little patchier. Also, the tail tends to drop, which can pull down the eye and make it look droopy. Unfortunately, this also happens in an asymmetrical way." So, what he's saying is our brows turn into unevenly shaped, drooping and balding caterpillars — delightful.

Thankfully, between growth serums, makeup designed specifically for brows, and expert shaping tips, we can recapture the bushy brows of our past, and redefine "on fleek" well into our 40s, 50s, and beyond. The first step on the journey to perfect brows is knowing what not to do — these are the eyebrow shapes you want to avoid because they are simply making you look older.

The 90s called and they want their brows back. Bold, bushy brows a la Cara DeLevingne are all the rage for a good reason: thick and healthy brows are a sign of youth. Tonya Crooks, brow expert and founder of The Brow Gal, told Byrdie, "As we get older, the natural aging process thins the hairs on our bodies." She explains further that the inevitable consequence of sparse eyebrows, whether from natural thinning or over-plucking, is an older looking face. Instead of forcing a more open eyed look with a thinner brow, women with sparse brows should focus on creating more depth and definition with growth serums, brow pencils and powders. (But don't try Rogaine.)

Also, don't neglect the tails that tend to thin and droop with age. Instead, fill those areas and consider changing the shape of the thinning tail with a more open and upward shape. Brow expert Giselle Soto explained to The Spotlyte, "Opening up the tail helps allow the face to be more exposed. Doing the opposite and closing the tail makes someone look older — and sometimes, even mad or upset."

Unless you have a round face, most eyebrow experts agree that a severely arched brow is a shape that can easily make you look older. Instead, focus on a defined arch that appears softer, and rounder, instead of angular (via The Spotlyte). Arch placement is important, as well. Healy explains, "Make sure you have a nice, defined arch placed two-thirds of the way out — never centered — and you might want to focus on using things like pencils versus powders, because pencils can give you more definition, and you can create tighter perimeter line work" (via Coveteur). A properly placed arch is like giving yourself an instant refresh or facelift (via Live About).

So, now you have the secrets for creating the perfect brow shape that won't age you a bit. As for those chin hairs that keep popping up? We haven't yet found the perfect solution, but we're working on it.

See more at: The List