If you normally turn to a professional for brow shaping and grooming, you’re probably now wondering how to treat your brows at home in light of our new socially distanced reality.
Maintaining grooming and beauty routines isn’t a matter of life and death, of course, but it can be an important and comforting ritual that helps you navigate an increasingly frightening and chaotic situation. I definitely got the beauty bug while in quarantine and I’m sure I’m not the only one. I haven’t touched my eyebrows yet but now that it’s been a few weeks I can tell they need a little attention.
Well-groomed brows require just the right touch and a lot of restraint — just ask anyone who was overweight in the late ’90s and early ’00s. Like me, you may need some guidance on how to shape and groom your eyebrows at home, so I spoke to two experts to get the best advice. Below is an overview of the basics, including where to start, how to find the best eyebrow shape, and steps for using tweezers and waxing.
First of all, here are some basic things you should know to groom your eyebrows at home.
How to find out the natural shape of your eyebrows:
Start by figuring out where to remove your hair because you don’t want to remove too much hair. The key is to first determine the natural shape of your eyebrows. “I would start by lining up your dots with the bottom half of a makeup brush or pencil.
That means this: From the extreme point of your nose, point your brush straight up toward your eyes. This is where your arc begins, says Cayot. From the nearest notch on the nose where it would have stuck, line the brush in a diagonal line that moves straight down the center of the eye; Here, of course, your arch is at its highest. Then, from the same point on the nose, tilt the brush diagonally towards the end of the eye. This is where your eyebrows should end.
If you need a picture, check out 10 tips for the best eyebrows of your. And if in doubt, pay attention to the basic shape of the eyebrows.
Here’s how much eyebrow hair you should pull out or grow:
Whether it’s tweezers or waxing, your golden rule should be to remove as little hair as possible, at least for a start.
“If you take out too much, you can’t add it back,” she says. “Some people like to use an eyebrow pencil to draw a line under the eyebrows where they want the eyebrow line, and then remove any hairs below that line.” Hundley says that the shape starts from the top of the eyebrows, so use it with a very minimalist tweezers, where there are obvious wanderings above your arch – or not at all.
Caution: do not cut your eyebrow hair with scissors.
You may have seen your stylist cut your eyebrows with scissors to create the right frame for your face, but this is very difficult to do at home. “Cutting your eyebrows can be difficult and can seriously change the shape and appearance of your face,” says Hundley. “Let your eyebrows be trimmed.”
If you want to have a better eyebrow grip, it would be better to use a modeling gel while you wait for the next appointment for eyebrow styling. A tiny eyebrow brush is easy to handle and handles small hairs. Try ILIA Essential Brow Gel if you want to tame and enhance your arches, or the clear formula of Saie Brow Butter if you prefer to add a subtle definition, just there.
Another word of caution: if you are unsure of your waxing skills, always pull out.
Cayot says tweezing is much easier than waxing and is highly recommended for home care. “It’s affordable,” she says. “I like Tweezerman tilt tweezers.”
How to epilate your eyebrows at home:
For at-home waxing, stick to hard wax or sugar wax.
If you’re new to waxing and want to give it a try, stick with hard wax or sugar wax, Hundley says. “They’re prettier for beginners,” she says. “Plus, they’re easier to clean up in the event of an accident.” Hundley likes Bliss Poetic Waxing Kit or Nad’s Sugar Wax Kit, both of which are easy to use.
Start with clean, powdery skin.
You should start with clean skin, so wash your face before you dip into the wax kit. “You should powder your skin, too,” Hundley says. “I like Happy Girl’s talcum powder.” The powder absorbs additional moisture so that the wax catches the hair better.
Apply the wax strategically and pull it properly.
Once the wax is hot, you want to apply it in the same direction that the hair is growing. “If you’re using hard wax, apply it thicker,” says Hundley. “Then we just noticed that. Then stretch the skin with one hand and pull the band against the direction of hair growth with the other hand.”
Soothe your skin afterwards.
Once that’s done, Hundley recommends gently moisturizing the brow area to soothe and rehydrate inflamed skin. Try a gentle facial oil
what not to do
Although you have several options for removing eyebrow hair, there are a few methods you should simply avoid around the eye area. These include:
Depilatory
They come in the form of creams or gels that you apply to your body hair. Epilators are made with chemicals that dissolve the hair before the product is rinsed off with water. However, they are also quite strong and have been known to cause side effects such as redness and irritation. They are not recommended for use around the eyes.
Shave
While it may be the easiest hair removal method, shaving is not the best option for your eyebrows. First, the thin and delicate skin around the eyes is more susceptible to cuts and slashes from sharp blades. It is also difficult to use standard size razors in such a small area.
Self-Wax
If you do decide to shave your eyebrows, it’s best to have it done only by a professional. This can reduce the risk of skin burns and irritation. Having a beautician ask about your eyebrows can also help you avoid mistakes like uneven eyebrows or removing too much hair.
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