Perfecting your complexion, nailing a smokey eye, and playing up your lips are all fun, but there’s one important facial feature that can truly transform your entire appearance. We’re talking about your eyebrows, of course. With a little strategic grooming and brow shaping, eyebrows have the power to improve symmetry and add beautiful strength or softness to your face.
Not quite sure how to pull off perfect brows on your own? It’s surprisingly easy. Keep reading for the pro’s guide on how to shape eyebrows using two types of techniques: tweezing and trimming. We’re also diving into some of today’s top eyebrow trends so you can find the perfect brows for you.
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Can I Do Eyebrows Myself?
Yes, shaping brows is something that anyone can do. While DIY eyebrows may sound intimidating, learning how to do your eyebrows at home is a skill worth having in your back pocket. Best of all, it’ll save you some time and money along the way! There are a few different techniques you can use—our favorites are tweezing and trimming—and products that can help create natural-looking fullness and definition.
What You Need:
Tweezers
Eyebrow scissors
Mirror
Eyebrow pencil (All IT Cosmetics eyebrow pencils—including best-selling Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil—come with a built-in spooley brush)
Spooley brush
How to Pluck Eyebrows
Whether you have sparse brows, bushy brows, or something in between, keeping them neat and tidy can help you look and feel more polished. Follow this step-by-step guide on how to tweeze eyebrows and you’ll be on your way to perfect brows.
Step 1: Create An Eyebrow Guide
Using light colored eyeliner, mark the natural arch of your brow. To do this, hold your eyebrow pencil on the outer side of the nostril and straight up the side of the nose. This is your first point. The second point is your arch, which you can find by tilting the brow pencil so it crosses over your pupil. The third point is the tail and can be found by angling the pencil so it crosses the outer corner of your eye.
If you need a little more assistance here, check out our robust guide on how to shape eyebrows. Remember, you can use an eyebrow pencil to create an eyebrow guide.
Take note of which hairs fall outside of the shape.
Step 2: Pluck the Arches
Start with larger, darker hairs first. Hold your skin taut and grab the hair at its base to pluck. As a rule of thumb, pull each hair in the direction of growth.
Step 3: Pluck The Top Brows
This eyebrow shaping step shouldn’t take long because there are usually only a handful of small, rogue hairs that sit outside of your natural brow shape. Remember, you can always go back and pluck another, but you’ll have to wait for a plucked hair to grow back.
Step 4: Move to the Middle
Remove any hairs that are growing in between your eyebrows.
Step 5: Take a Step Back
It's easy to over-pluck, especially when you’re just learning how to shape your eyebrows. Take your time as you go along, making sure to take some time to stand back after each step so you can check the eyebrow shape.
Step 6: Soothe Your Skin
Anytime you pluck hairs, it can cause some mild irritation and redness. To help soothe your skin, use a hydrating product such as Confidence in an Eye Cream Anti-Aging Peptide Eye Cream.
How to Trim Eyebrows
In addition to plucking rogue hairs that fall outside of your perfect natural brow shape, trimming is another method you can try. This can be done in conjunction with tweezing or as an alternative to tweezing and is often the preferred option for people with bushier brows. Follow this simple, step-by-step guide on how to do your eyebrows via trimming:
Step 1: Brush Your Brows
Using your spooley, lightly brush your brows in the direction of hair growth—and be gentle! Brushing could possibly result in unexpected gaps while trimming, and you don’t want that.
Step 2: Start Trimming Slowly
Pick up your brow scissors and begin trimming the most noticeable hairs that are extended up and beyond the defined upper brow line. Take your time as you snip, working your way from the start of your brow to the tail. Again, it’s better to remove small amounts at a time versus too many. If you do make a mistake, you can fix your eyebrows by using a brow pencil to fill in sparse spots.
Step 3: Check for Strays
After trimming, brush your hairs in the opposite direction of growth and downward to ensure no stray hair is left behind. If you see one, snip it. Then be sure to brush your hairs back to where you’d want them to be before filling in any sparse areas with your eyebrow pencil and/or brow gel.
How Often Should You Shape Eyebrows?
Brow specialists generally recommend shaping eyebrows once a month. Depending on your own hair growth cycle, you may need to break out the tweezers or scissors sooner than that. Conversely, when trying to grow out your brows, you may want to go longer than four weeks between trims. Keep them under control while you wait with the help of a product like Brow Power Filler Eyebrow Gel.
6 New Eyebrow Trends to Try
The trendiest eyebrow shape is the one that flatters your face the most! That said, have fun with different styles and techniques until you find the perfect brows for you. You can also dabble in some fun, temporary trends that play with color, shape, and texture.
Fluffy Eyebrows
Fluffy eyebrows are a perfect choice for anyone who’s blessed with lots of major brows. To achieve this naturally voluminous, minimally defined look, simply brush your hairs up and hold them in place with an eyebrow gel.
Feather Eyebrows
This eyebrow trend is similar to fluffy eyebrows but has a bit more definition. It’s also a nice choice for those with a little less brow hair. Create feather brows by brushing upward, then using a smaller micro pencil—like Brow Power Micro Eyebrow Pencil—to fill in any sparse spots. The smaller tip creates a fine, natural hair effect.
Color Eyebrows
Seen mostly on runways—and on bolder civilians—the color brow is a fun new way to use eyeshadow. To create, using a flat brush to “paint” on a fun eyeshadow color to your brow hairs. We like Superhero No-Tug Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick in Epic Amethyst and Pearl Rose Gold. For a more subtle approach, apply the color on the ends or at the inner corner.
Straight Eyebrows
Ditch the high arch and long tail and embrace this strong, bold shape that creates a visible lift. Straight brows live up to their name by extending further out and avoiding a dramatic arch or long tail. This look can be achieved with tweezers, but can be faked using a fine tip brow pencil to create the shape and covering the tail with a touch of concealer.
Natural Eyebrows
This trend is essentially an anti-trend! Natural brows are about foregoing tweezing, pencils, scissors, and embracing your natural look. Makes sense considering the ‘90s inspired us to over-pluck and the 2010s went a bit overboard on the pomade. Embracing a natural look might just be the boldest eyebrow trend yet.
Laminated Brows
Laminated brows are a trend that originated in salons, but you can do this eyebrow trend at home, too. After shaping your brows, comb all your hairs straight upward. Fill in sparse areas with a microtip brow pencil, also making sure to create upward strokes versus sideways. Set everything into place with a generous layer of clear or natural-toned brow gel.
Now that you’re up to speed on how to shape eyebrows, check out These Lipstick Tips & Tricks That Will Forever Change Your Lip Game.
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