16 Tips A Brow Expert Thinks You Should Know

A touch of concealer under the arch of the brow adds light, giving you an immediate lift. It works by mimicking the appearance of a contoured brow bone.

One of the most common mistakes is taking the arch too high and shortening the length of the brows. The length, width and placement of the arch is key to balancing the face. Misshapen brows make you look permanently surprised and are noticable – for the wrong reasons.

There are three key products that will help you nail your brow routine. First, a good oil or serum to keep them nourished – note that some are more active than others in terms of encouraging growth. I like to use an oil at night and a brow serum in the morning, one that contains actives to stimulate the hair follicles. Next, a quality pencil is vital for filling in the brows. Ideally it should have a spoolie to blend the pigment for a natural-looking finish. Finally, a brow gel slicks the hairs together and creates lift – even better if it’s tinted. 

Threading is the guided removal of individual hairs, so it’s easy to achieve your desired shape. Waxing takes off several hairs all in one go, which is less precise and can pull the skin. Threading also takes each hair out at the root, so it’s longer-lasting. Tweezing can often break hairs, cause nicks and it’s harder to get symmetry between both brows.

How often you need your brows professionally shaped will depend on your individual hair cycle. Mine only last for a couple of weeks because I have faster hair growth, but most of our clients at Blink Brow Bar visit every four weeks for a tidy. If you don’t pluck in between threading appointments, you will find that you can train your brows to grow at the same time, meaning they’ll look smoother and last longer after each appointment.

The secret to natural-looking brows lies in the technique. It’s all about flicking the wrist lightly in the direction of growth to create a feathery effect. If you are too heavy handed, a spoolie is great for blending, brushing and even sometimes erasing if you want to start again.

There is so much that can be done to help bring back volume and strength to your brows. First, take care of them as you would your hair. Use a quality oil every night, gently massaging it in to deliver hydration and protection. The best oils are the ones that aren’t too heavy like almond oil or grapeseed oil. In the morning, use a brow serum to activate lazy hair follicles and kickstart growth.

When you trim your brows, they grow back quickly because the hairs haven’t been removed from the root, so there’s no great risk here. Brush the brows upwards with a spoolie and using a small pair of sharp brow scissors, trim any excess hair above the brow line. Take it slow so they don’t look too harsh and avoid over-trimming the arch and tail. If you prefer, you can skip these areas altogether and slick them back with a brow gel instead.

Different faces suit different brow shapes, for example, those with rounder faces will need brows with a higher arch, whereas someone with an oval face shape might prefer to balance it out with a softer, flatter brow. Playing around with stencils can help you determine which brow shape suits you best. 

Brow colour is all about matching your hair colour and tone, be it warm or cool. Skin tone doesn’t really matter, people can have pale skin with dark eyebrows and look wonderful, likewise dark skin with dark eyebrows. However, brows should always be slightly darker than your hair colour to create impact. You obviously don’t want them too heavy though, balance is important.

Cheating the laminated look using make-up is surprisingly easy. Fill in your brows with a slim pencil to add colour and volume. Then, apply a very strong clear gel in upward strokes and arrange the hairs with a spoolie into your desired shape. The best tip is to press them down with your fingers for an even flatter finish.

For beginners, I’d recommend seeing a professional so that you have a good template to work from. It’s so easy to get pluck-happy. If you’re shaping your brows at home, it’s important to mark out the boundaries of your brows so that you don’t overdo it. Using quality tweezers and a firm grip, hold the hair at the tip of the tweezers and gently pull it out in the direction of growth. Make sure you have a good mirror but don’t forget to stand back after each and every hair for perspective. If in doubt, use a cotton pad with water to get the brows to sit together and identify any obvious strays. When you’re finished, use aloe vera gel to soothe the area.

Brow gel is perfect for giving natural arches a little extra something. Many of us won’t go out without our brows done, and a slick of gel can help you feel more put-together. There is nothing worse than drooping brows and a temporary lift makes all the difference. Tinted versions are so useful if you want your brows to look fuller or, in my case, to mask the odd grey hair. 

Microblading is an excellent option for those with thinning brows, seeking volume and colour. It looks very natural because the pigment is applied to the skin in hair-like strokes. It’s an investment, but worth it once it’s done – it only requires top-ups every 12 months.

This technique involves marking out key points on the face to find the most flattering shape for you.  Take a pencil and hold it vertically at the outer side of the bridge of the nose – this is where your brows should start. Rotate the pencil diagonally so it hits the iris and follow the line to find where your arch should fall. Finally, rotate it so it lines up with the outer corner of your eye – this is where your brow should end.

Well-shaped brows can make you look instantly more youthful and refreshed. They can simultaneously bring out your eyes and pull up your cheekbones – the key is making them look as full as possible. Colour also helps to create definition; I swear by a good shaping pencil and a gel to add a hint of shine. Even if you look naturally youthful, brows look stronger and have more impact with just a simple tidy.

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