The days of scoffing at full eyebrows are over now that the trend of over-plucking has fallen by the wayside, leaving anyone with an eyebrow line more than pencil-thin to reclaim natural shape and its corresponding flattery. Thanks to everyone from runway models to Camilla Belle, strong eyebrows are a seasonal must, so here’s how you can put down the tweezers and reject over-plucking.
Eyebrow Pencils
If you’re of the lighter-haired variety, you may be familiar with the wonder of sun bleaching and how with only an afternoon spent outside, your eyebrows can quickly become a lighter form of their natural selves, leaving your face lacking a certain definition. Thus, whether you want to add substance to your eyebrows, or even bulk up their shape, invest in brow pencils like the Anastasia Brow Whiz or Smashbox’s Brow Tech to Go. While it might be tempting to use a darker eye shadow or even eyeliner to darken your eyebrows, specifically designed products help create natural shape and ultra-thin lines that prevent your brows from looking too sculpted or even too dark.
Minimal Tweezing
It’s important to remember that while full brows are back, unkept brows will never be, so despite our advocacy for fullness, we still suggest regular upkeep and maintenance. Meaning? While you want to avoid over-tweezing, you’ll want to allow for a broader brow line or even a less-sculpted shape. The key is to abide by how your eyebrows would naturally grow: if your eyebrows are naturally fuller, tweeze only stray hairs, and if they’re naturally thin, simply invest in product that will allow you to add a little more substance without making your eyebrows appear artificial.
Tinting
Now, before we continue, we can’t stress enough the importance of seeking the help of a bona fide professional when embracing the wide world of eyebrow tinting “ especially since dying them the old-fashioned way can lead to permanent blindness. (Really, we can’t make this stuff up.) If you’re hoping to make your eyebrows appear fuller or stand out, you may want to consider professional darkening, which eventually fades (like any hair dye), but can give your brows a boost if you’re not inclined to fill them in every morning.
Of course, you can always go the opposite route if you’re hoping to wait out the grow-in period: thanks to certain runway looks of SS 2011, bleaching eyebrows isn’t unheard of, and if you’ve got bangs or a bright hair colour, you can always embrace the avant-garde.
