Tips for Strong, Sculpted Eyebrows

Strong, sculpted brows are right in style for late winter and early spring. I like this trend because fuller brows are more youthful looking than harsh looking, skinny brows. They define the face, bring the focus on the eyes, and look professional, too. Strong brows are flattering for most face and eye shapes. Here's a few ways to keep your brows groomed and on trend.

Professional services. The simplest way to get the right eyebrow look is to get yours waxed at your favorite hair salon. Take a picture of the brows you would like to have, and then ask your stylist if it is a doable and flattering look for you. Many nail salons offer waxing, but typically aren't certified to do so. You might also try threading, which is more painful than waxing but also more precise. If your brows are very thin, you can have them permanently tattooed in place. If professional services aren't in your budget, you can still get strong, sculpted looking brows on your own.

Find your natural shape. You'll need to look in the mirror and examine your eyebrows. Do they have a natural arch? Are they very full? See how closely your eyebrows match the shape you are looking for. Luckily, full sculpted brows are typically easy to achieve. You can keep your eyebrows' natural shape and only pluck away the stray hairs for this look.

Use white eyeshadow to define your eyebrow. Take some white, matte eyeshadow and use it to define the areas your are going to pluck. This will help you see the shape that you are trying to achieve, and what hairs you need to pluck away. Only pluck the eyebrow hairs that you have colored with white shadow. If you make a mistake, wash off the shadow and try again.

Pluck. Make sure you use good, quality tweezers, such as Tweezerman pointed tweezers. Grab the hair as close to your skin as possible, and pull it in the direction that the hair grows. Pull each hair out fast so that it hurts less. Pluck one hair from the right eyebrow, then one from the left. Stop and examine your work, then continue on in the same manner. Be careful not to over-pluck, and always make sure that your brows are symmetrical. Pluck less than you think you need to, because it takes a very long time for eyebrows to grow back if you make a mistake. The key is to just clean up your brows, not reshape them entirely. You want to look groomed, but still have nice, thick eyebrows.

Fill in sparse brows. To complete the look, you'll need to fill in your brow. Use a brow powder, pencil, or cream in a shade lighter than your eyebrows. Make tiny little strokes as you fill in your brows for a more natural look. Blend with a clean eyeliner brush.

When in doubt, seek professional help. If you can't afford to have your brows waxed every month, try going every other and just plucking as needed in between. You'll look great with your strong, sculpted eyebrows.

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