Hi! brows

Many of us don’t realize the impact our eyebrows have on our overall look; the eye-brows are the face’s forgotten feature.

Brows frame and balance our face. Well-maintained brows "open" up the eye, instantly offsetting the droopiness that tends to come with, yes – aging. Well-groomed eyebrows make eyes appear larger and give your face the cheapest "lift" on the block. Properly shaped, eyebrows help lift deep-set eyes or maximize small eyes. Thick, unruly and unshaped brows "close up" the eyes and can overpower the rest of the face. They make the face look "heavy."

Generally speaking, your brows have to work with your unique features and style. If you are small or have delicate features, your brows should have a finer line. Think Michelle Pfeiffer and Linda Evangelista. If you have an athletic build, are healthy, and natural looking, then your brows should be a little thicker and less manicured but clean. Think Brooke Shields or Christy Turlington. Those who have small deep-set eyes have to have well-shaped brows. Keep them well-defined because they will create a strong statement even without the use of dark eye colors. Think Demi Moore or Jodie Foster.

Shaping Your Brows

We are all born with a distinct brow form that naturally works with our eyes and face. So what looks good on your friend’s face, or on a model’s may not work for your features. When cleaning or grooming your eyebrows, always remember that your eyebrows’ own natural line should be your guide. Aim for a classic, elongated form that is timeless. Avoid over-plucking because brow hair does not always grow completely back. It will take about six to eight weeks before they grow. So when in doubt, gently lay the tweezers down, and go to a professional.

But if you choose to start on doing it yourself, here are some guides for you to follow.

• To determine where your inner brows should start, the space between your eyebrows should be equal to, or a tad wider than, than your eye width. Hold a brow pencil parallel to the side of your nose. The inner edge of each brow should start above the nostril.

• Now for the arch. Hold the brow pencil parallel to the outside edge of the iris. This will be the highest part of the arch.

• To figure out where your eyebrows should end, hold the pencil diagonally from the nostril, following the outside edge of your eye. Extend the pencil past the outer corner of your eye – where it meets the brow line is the correct length. At that point, it should narrow slightly down. (See photo at right)

Removal Techniques

Eyebrows can be shaped by tweezing, waxing or by "threading," a Middle Eastern technique which, with amazing sleight-of-hand, involves grasping the brow hair in a loop of thread, then swiftly yanking them out. This technique is to be done by a professional.

Waxing is another technique. This can be quite painful if you’re not used to it. I strongly recommend that you have an expert to do this for you.

Tweezing is your safest option. Plucking can be a bit frustrating especially if you get all excited and want to do it yourself or if you feel you need a "change" and just want to do it – now. If you do decide on doing it, then keep in mind to take your time.

• You can start by removing hair above your nose, between the two brows. In plucking, it’s best to do it after a bath (when pores are still open) in a bright room.

• Hold the skin with the opposite hand and gently stretch.

• Place tweezers close to the skin near the roots of the hair and pull the hair with a quick motion in the direction of growth. Pluck a stray hair that falls under the line one at a time.

• If you find it difficult to imagine that one line you want to remove, use a white pencil or concealer as marker. Make sure both brows are even.

Again, I strongly suggest you go to a professional who can assess the perfect brow form for you – especially if you have never touched your eyebrows before. It’s less stressful and all you have to do is to keep it clean by removing stray hair outside your newly-fashioned brows.

Color

In general, go for the browns, even if your brows are black. Black fillers can make your brows look unnatural. Fill in holes or create definition using eyebrow pencils, brow powders or your powder eyeshadow. If you use a brow pencil, find a soft one to avoid getting artificial looking brows. Brow powders are specially designed for use on this area, and have a slightly waxier texture.

If you choose eyeshadows as fillers, then keep in mind that if your hair color is light brown, the color of your shadow should be sable. For red tones, use taupe or caramel. For brunettes with highlights, use reddish brown. For true brown, use a mahogany shade. For gray colored hair, use slate or gray. Just remember this rule, if you have light colored hair, go one shade darker. If your hair is dark, go one shade lighter. Even if your hair is dark brown, never go black.

If you prefer to use eyeshadow fillers, dip a small, hard brush, angled at the tip into the shade. Blow off excess color and start applying at the most populated area of the brow to avoid laying down too much color. Finish by combing the entire length of your brows with a hard eyeshadow brush. Powder fillers give more natural looking brows.

Use pencils to fill in where hair is sparse and if you have to lengthen short brows. Then with a brush, go over the line with a shadow. What the powder shadow does is that it "fix" the pencil and makes it stay on longer.

Brows can be dyed or slightly lightened with facial-hair bleach. A professional should do this method. If you feel discomfort in your eyes, stop the process. Chances are you’re allergic. Lighter brows soften the features. They instantly brighten and "open" up the face.

For fair skin, a slightly darker brow will give more definition. Brunette brows will look good with dark brown tones.

Tips

• Avoid using a magnifying mirror when grooming your eyebrows. They don’t give you the "overview" of the entire brow.

• Brown mascara can also be used as fillers. But this requires using light feathery strokes. Wipe wand with a tissue before applying.

• For first timers, numb your brows with ice before tweezing.

• Aloe vera gel takes the redness down after plucking.

• When cleaning your eyebrows, do it during the day facing a window so you can see all the hair.

• Try to avoid having your brows tattooed.

• For unruly hair, brush and fix with gel or hair spray.

Never neglect your brows if you decide on getting a new look. You’ll be amazed on how your eyebrows can give you that subtle new fresh look. Depending on the shape, arch and color, it can convey different emotions sending a powerful message about your personality. It can make you look happy, angry, sexy or even innocent. The right brow will give you a brighter cleaner and younger looking face – even with no makeup on. What’s sad is that most women don’t realize this. Why do you think men are now into it, too?

(E-mail the author at Beautyssecrets@yahoo.com)