Brows 101 - From A Girl Who Doesn't Care About Them
As long as my eyebrows are on my face that's all I really care about. I seem to have missed the eyebrow bandwagon that was rolling around a couple of years ago. Whilst I couldn't really care less if my brows are considered 'on fleek' I do still want them to be somewhat presentable. As well as serving their main purpose which is keeping sweat away from my eyes. So here is my 101 guide to brows, from a girl who isn't really into them.
TAMING & SHAPING
After over-plucking my brows for years, I've been on the long painful journey of growing them out. It's been a less than pretty journey but a very necessary one. Whilst growing them out I let them grow to where they would naturally be as I think that is one of the best rules to follow. During that time, I plucked minimally, like in the middle of my brows for example. I don't want to be the girl with the unibrow. Right now I only pluck to get rid of any strays. I'm on the hunt for a new method of taming them. For a long time, I was loyal waxer but from what I've read threading is much better. So any thoughts on the best brow taming and shaping methods would be greatly appreciated.
COLOURING
My brows are naturally quite dark so I never felt the need to tint them. However once I did it's something I will probably continue to do for many years to come. By tinting them, you darken all those tiny faint hairs and create a naturally much fuller brow than you might already have. I've always tinted my brows myself and it's so important not to get overzealous with the application as the dye isn't all that easy to remove. Here is what you will need to tint your own brows;
- Colour kit [here is what I used]
- Vaseline to go around the brows if any mistakes are made
- Spoolie
- Baby wipes
TOOLS
TWEEZERMAN TWEEZERS: I used to be the girl who used the pair of tweezers that came in a Christmas cracker. Then I discovered Tweezerman and I've never looked back. They're incredibly sharp so they need to be used with care otherwise, you will knick the skin and bleed. With that amazing precise point, they still manage to get those really fine hairs that look unsightly and are typically difficult to get to. I have the travel version of the classic Tweezerman tweezers as they are much cheaper than the full size but they still work just as well.
SWAN SCISSORS: Trimming my brows is something that I used to do but now I'm not a fan of the harsh line that this practice creates. If I have got a rogue hair instead of plucking it out I'll just trim it. The best scissors I've found for doing this are actually embroidery scissors. They're so small and fine that they can get even the smallest of hairs.
REAL TECHNIQUES ANGLED BRUSH: Out of all of the angled brushes that I've tried. The best one by far is this one from Real Techniques. The only downside to this brush is that it's only available in the beginners eye kit which makes it a pain to get hold of. It's got just the right combination of flexibility and density. It deposits just the right amount of powder to the brows which helps maintain a more natural aesthetic rather than a block finish.
ELF SPOOLIE: I've said it before and I'll say it again. I've got a huge problem with sad eyebrows. They just point downwards and look incredibly sad. A brow spoolie is a key part of my routine to give them a good brush up so they're no longer sad brows that drag down my entire complexion.
DEFINING
MAC MYSTERY EYESHADOW: This was the first shadow that I ever put through my brows and it's worked so well that I've barely used anything else. The shade matches my natural brow colouring perfectly. A common problem with brunette shades is that they can lean too much on the red side of proceedings or they can be too ashy which dulls down the complexion. This sits in the middle of spectrum perfectly and isn't too heavy either.
HI IMPACT BROW KIT*: Something new I've been trying out is the Hi Impact Brow kit. Even though I only use the brunette shade I think it's a beautiful palette as you could use the other shadows on the lid either in the crease or as a liner. The quality is beautiful, they're incredibly soft which makes them amazing through the brows in combination with the brush that comes in the palette. So not only are the shadows awesome but the brush the kit comes with isn't complete rubbish. Which is a rarity in palettes.
RODIAL GLAMOBROW*: Brow pencils typically aren't for me. I generally find them fiddly and difficult to use but this pencil from Rodial is one of the best that I've ever come across. The formula is soft but still highly pigmented so in combination a light hand it creates soft hair like strokes that fill in any sparse areas. What makes me love this product just a little bit more is that it comes with a built-in spoolie which makes it perfect for travel or for on the go.
SHAVATA BROW TAMER*: To keep my sad eyebrows up and alert a brow gel or tamer is a key part of my routine. I've been a loyal user of clear mascara for years but it just wasn't quite cutting it anymore. This brow tamer for Shavata is incredibly unusual. It's a twist up pen with rigid blunt teeth that deposit gel through the brows as well as brushing them into place. Often products like this can make your brows white or crispy which isn't a desirable look but this just simply holds them in place and shape.
What are your favourite brow products?
R x
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