How-to of the Week: Bodacious Brows

Eyebrows tend to get left out in the grand scheme of making up.  Brows are the easiest thing in the world to define, and yet so many women neglect them.  If you think about it, they are kind of like the topper on the glorious cake that is your face, so why not pay them some attention?  Here are some tips to consider when accenting those arches:

- Upkeep is key.  This doesn't mean that thinner is better (actually, too thin is a brow sin!!), but it does mean that we need to regularly wax, tweeze, or thread those suckers.  While waxing seems to be the most convenient (and usually the cheapest) way to keep your shape, threading is becoming a popular alternative because it doesn't stretch the skin around your eyes.  Whichever way you decide to go, make sure you go to someone who specializes in hair removal --- not the nail salon peeps, please!!!  Once too much is taken off, there is no turning back.  And p-p-pu-lease, never assume you can shape and tweeze your own.  It always leads to over-tweezed, asymmetrical brows, so don't even try it.
Click here to learn more about threading

- In between your brow appointments, it is totally fine to tweeze JUST the little baby hairs that pop up.  Don't do anything to change the shape.  A best practice is to bring a mirror and some great tweezers and sit in front of a window.  Natural light doesn't let any of those little hairs hide.
Fave product:
Revlon Expert Tweezer w/ Slant Tip  
Click to buy online


- For those of you like me with dark hair (ok, maybe it's dyed a bit - sue me) and light brows, definition is a must.  You can go one of two routes:  defining with makeup daily, or for our more adventurous friends, dying.

When going the makeup route, I have found that a slanted brow brush and powder color work better than pencils or gels.  Be sure you pick a powder shade that is about a shade darker than your hair color.  Usually, these powders come in colors like blonde, light brown, dark brown, etc.  Dip the slanted brush into the powder, tap it so extra powder comes off, and follow the shape of your brows with the brush.  Concentrate on the center and ends of the brow, since the inside is already thicker and more defined.  Use a brow brush or an old, clean mascara wand to go over the brows and even out the makeup and also to brush the hairs into place.
Fave products:
Bare Minerals Brow Color  Click to buy online
*Also available at Sephora

Paula Dorf Angled Liner Brush (super to own, because you can use it for liner too)  Click to buy online

For you thrill-seekers who want go the dye route, my favorite (and cheapest!) suggestion is a little unconventional: do-it-yourself men's mustache dye!  First, make sure and buy the right shade for you. Similar to the powder shades mentioned above, men's mustache dye comes in light brown, dark brown, red, black, etc.  Follow the instructions --- no jokes, don't keep the dye on longer than suggested --- and voila!  You have defined brows for a few days.
Fave product:
Just For Men Beard and Mustache Dye (Available at any drugstore)

You will be amazed at the difference a clean, defined brow makes.  Even going to the gym or sunbathing at the pool becomes a little more glamorous when you have perfectly polished peeper-toppers :)

Notice how her brows are a shade darker than her blonde hair.

Seriously, best brows ever.