As an amateur makeup artist with 13 years of experience in giving makeovers, I consider myself a makeover minimalist. When I give makeovers my goal isn’t to highlight the makeup and hide the person, but to accentuate a person’s features and cover flaws, while giving minimal attention to the actual makeup. If I had perfect skin I’d probably just curl my lashes and put on some blush and lip gloss.
This comes from having two brothers who have always had the opinion that makeup shouldn’t really be all that noticeable. Men like to see the person, not the makeup. Or, as one brother says, “If she looks amazing with all that makeup and it’s pretty obvious that she’s wearing it, you start to wonder what she’s hiding. You have this fear… what does she look like without all of that?” Or to put it in perspective the guy’s thinking long term. If he were married to you, what would you look like first thing in the morning?
So this is why I’m all about keeping things “natural-looking,” and subtle. One way to really stay natural and up your beauty quotient is to give attention to the eyebrows. When all the makeup is gone, you’ll still have beautifully arched eyebrows! So here are the 5 reasons to invest in good eyebrow shaping:
1. As mentioned, plucking your eyebrows is a lasting change that doesn’t go away when you wash your face and take off all the makeup. It’s a part of the face that seems insignificant, but makes a huge difference in your appearance. And the great thing is that it’s something that can be changed so easily and the cost is minimal.
2. Let me ask you, what about a person’s face distinguishes them from others? Is it a person’s nose? Their mouth? Their smile? Nope. For the most part, the distinguishing feature that differentiates people from one another is their eyes! You know those random, anonymous pictures of people in public with a black bar across their eyes featuring fashion don’t s? Check it out:
This proves my point. There’s a reason why the black bar is covering their eyes and not their mouth or nose. Your eyes are the most identifying facial feature that makes you look like you. Now think about it, your eyebrows frame your eyes. That’s why they’re so important.
3. If you’re still thinking, Ahhh, nobody pays attention to eyebrows! Who cares! Well those tiny little hairy caterpillars may seem insignificant, and yes, they are if they blend with your facial features. Eyebrows that match a person’s facial features do look insignificant. They definitely play a “supporting” role in your face’s appearance. The problem is when they look like they play the “lead.” Nobody should be known for their eyebrows. Check out Frida Kahlo:
Her eyebrows are her trademark because they took center stage. All of the paintings made of her exaggerate the unibrow:
Make sure your eyebrows play a “supporting” role! Too thick eyebrows may take centerstage and grab people’s attention but the opposite is also true. You don’t want emaciated eyebrows. Those also have the tendency to take center stage. Check it out:
Maybe these aren’t as bad as the uni brow but still, believe me, people don’t want to see a penciled in eyebrow. Natural is better. When I see Pamela Anderson, I think Whoa! Those aren’t real! And yes, I’m still talking about eyebrows! Remember, when you wash off the makeup, you want your eyebrows to still be there. Please don’t shave them off and resign to just creating your own makeshift pencil eyebrow! 9 times out of 10, they won’t be even, and what happens when you sweat or you accidentally rub them off?
4. As a proponent of minimalist makeovers, I give the most attention to eyebrows because when shaped properly, they bring out eyes, thus brightening up the face! There isn’t just one perfect shape for each face. I know I play around with my shape all the time. Beauty trends also change. I mean, if we were living in the days of the silent films, then of course, Pamela Anderson’s eyebrows would be fashionable and timely:
Here’s the 1930’s look that Faye Dunaway portrayed in her role in the movie Chinatown:
But right now the trend is more natural but still shapely. I’m guessing to the male species, this isn’t a trend that will change in their eyes. For the most part, they don’t really notice your eyebrows. But you know you’ve got a problem when they do! Here’s a student I gave a makeover to. She wanted a thinner shape than what I prefer. Still, you can do thin eyebrows that don’t take center stage. This is Ashley before:
This is Ashley after:
The above is an example of going from too thick and scaling down to a thinner shape. Below is Beth, who previously went overzealous with the tweezers and needed her eyebrows thickened. Here’s Beth before:
And Beth after:
Even if you already have a pretty nice natural shape to begin with, even a subtle change can make a difference. Check this out:
In the next example, I used tweezers and scissors. It’s also an example of a shape that is natural but fitting to the person’s face. You’ll notice how the change of the eyebrow shape softened her facial features. Here are Esther’s before and after pictures:
5. Shaping your eyebrows is a small change that makes a huge difference! And lastly…eyebrows show emotion. If done incorrectly, you could look mad all the time. Or sad all the time! Or surprised all the time! Who wants that?
If you’re in the Seattle area and would like your eyebrows shaped, email me and we’ll work something out even if you’re a broke college student. Everybody deserves to have nicely shaped eyebrows!
Is there any cream that i can use to shape my eyebrows instead of tweezing, shaving and waxing?
annika, I’m not aware of any cream sorry:(
What is natural about any of these makeovers? You sure are talented at making skin appear even and blemish-free, but some of the eyebrows are still OVERTWEEZED. Ashley has gorgeous bushy eyebrows that needed minimal tweezing, and you completely reshaped! Not a fan.
Read your blog about eyebrow shaping and am definitely interested. Please let me know if you are still available to do that and how to get in touch with you.
Thank you.
i went to a lady and she made them entirly too thin and i wish i could say i had a unibrow ….i mean before i had eye brows that could make chewbacca jeolous now ……now there like tiny strips of fur……any tips on making them look thicker..were theres no hair because SOMEONE waxed it off and please tell me how long tyipically does the eyebrow hait take to grow back?
amanda, I am so sorry! It takes at least 2 weeks to start seeing something I believe:(
i want to wax my eyebrows but, my mum wont let me. What should i do??
Read your blog about eyebrow shaping and am definitely interested. Please let me know if you are still available to so, I do happen to live in San Antonio.
Thank you.
Katherine, and all others who live in san antonio… so sorry guys! I live in Seattle now:(
phan, don’t wax! it’s so unnatural! get them plucked!
what is the main importance of eyebrow arching?
archie, it’s important that it does not dominate the face (overpower). Arching can be done too unnatural which makes people look angry or stern. The importance is not so much arching, as is shaping them so they still look natural, but they frame the eyes- just cleaning up the area and shaping them.
When shaping your eyebrows, here’s a tip. While in front of the mirror, look straight ahead. The peak of your eyebrow’s arch should be in line with the outer side of your iris. The length of your eyebrows should not go beyond the border of your eyes. Also, a light colored eyebrow flatters any complexion and hair color. It softens your facial features and showcases your eyes, thus making you looking more fresh-faced. Hope that helps!
I need advice I have very weird eyes my eye lids don’t really show and there isn’t enough or lot of space between my eyes and eye brows…….any tips on how to shape them??
sarah, email me a picture and I can give you better advice on your eyebrows! Use the contact link on the sidebar:)
Thanks much for your space 🙂 … Nice post …
I have really really thin eyebrows, just like pamela, and i hate them. i also hated my thick eyebrows so i over tweezed them. I feel so stuck because I know I need a thicker brow than what I have now, but if i try to grow them out I just look like I don’t know how to take care of myself. What do I do? If I were to send you a picture, could I get some more tips on what to do and an opinion of what you think a good eyebrow shape for me would be? thank you so much.
Lindsay, sure! email me and I’ll give you some suggestions.
Hey …. I’m in the same boat as Lindsay. I tweezed my eyebrows very thin (about 10 years ago). Over the years – now that I do not tweeze- they grew in all patchy … they look terrible. I fill them in but I think I need something else done for them to look better. Can you help?
jho, the best thing to do is to use a mineral based loose shadow in the shade of your brows (but never black) and a tiny brush to fill them in. That is the most natural way to fill them in. (way better than a pencil)
Ashley looked better before. She looks much older with the thin brows.
Ashley definitely looks better than her previous picture that is the style for girls her age. I am trying to grow my eyebrows back bcuz I accidentally got tweezer happy and over tweezed my left eye and they seem uneven but it seems as though my left eyebrow isn’t growing hair where I need it, what should I do? Any advice is appreciated.
Reese, what you can do in the meantime is fill it in with a powder. If your hair is blonde, you want to use a light brown shade. If it is brown, a brown shade. If it is black, you want to use a dark brown shade, but never a black powder because it looks too severe on anyone.
You also don’t want to use a pencil because it doesn’t look as natural as powder.
Use something like this:
http://www.target.com/p/Maybelline-Ultra-Brow-Brush-On-Color-Light-Brown/-/A-12067421
I had REALLY bushy eyebrows, so I plucked them. But im afraid i plucked too much! what do i do to get a slightly thicker shape? (id rathar not send a picture)
Ashley, read my comment right before yours:)
Pingback: Create a Major Impact with Just 5 Beauty Products
I agree with susana,the before picks are without makeup and After pics are with makeup.Also the camera angle and the lighting is better in after pics.
Pingback: How to Shape Your Eyebrows at Home
Just make sure you pluck under the brow only, never on top. Those brows will never grow back and by the time you’re 40 you’ll be having to paint them on. Don’t over-pluck.
Blak,
Yikes, I totally disagree:( I always pluck on top, and I do it first.
but I do agree that you shouldn’t over pluck. The tops do grow back btw.
How to Shape Your Eyebrows at Home
Interesting article, but one thing really bent me out of shape… your comments on Frida Kahlo. For one, you mention ‘paintings made of her’ in reference to her eyebrows being exaggerated. Then you show a self portrait? Which is pretty much every painting ‘made of her’. And the reason she exaggerated her dark, wild eyebrows was because she liked to make the distinct connection to her Mexican roots as she distinguished more with them more than her German ones. I understand the point you’re trying to make but please, please don’t use a wonderful artist who was making a point about her cultural heritage to make that point, especially by skewing the facts.
Like I said, I enjoyed the article and I’m sorry about the rant, I just really admire her as an artist, a woman and a person.
So sorry for offending you Georgiana. Thank you for making those much needed clarifications. I don’t know Frida Kahlo’s back story. So sorry.
Hi, i have kinda warewolf eyebrows n sick of tweezing , so i just waxed the whole thing off… Im. Hoping they will come a little lighter .. Finger crossed
I have never done anything to my eye brows and they have just remained natural, not too thick or thin. I m not inclined to do anything still but does it make me weird or lack in grooming…? Occasionally I just brush them upwards n outwards.
Zel,
natural is awesome! It doesn’t make you look weird or lacking in grooming. If you feel inclined to email me a picture so I can just give you my personal opinion to let you know if you could use a little bit of shaping or if you are good just the way you are, then I’d be happy to give you my opinion. If you have a unibrow, that may be an issue, but even if you do have a unibrow, as long as you own it and are confident about it like Frida Kahlo, then it can work for you instead of against you.
my email is midorilei@gmail.com
I agree with your statement on how eyebrows are important after looking all of the before and after pictures. It really does affect how a person appears after the eyebrows are waxed and fixed. I’m thinking about using a waxing kit to help my friend’s eyebrows for her prom, so that she has an amazing before and after look when she shows up to the dance.
Alice, that’s so nice of you to help your friend!