Hello my lovelies :) I was inspired to write a post about eyebrows from a question I saw on e.l.f. cosmetics' facebook page a few days ago, where a lady asked how to use their eyebrow stencil. In this post, I will give an insight on brows, the different shapes as well as how to shape yours.
Everyone is born with an eyebrow shape to suit their face, however, as you get older you might want to re-think those hairs on your nose bridge or those strays below the brow bone. Very often, our eyebrows are the cinderella of the ball... we forget to give them the attention they need! Caring for your brows is a must if you want that perfect make up look as they help frame the face and define your features. Well cared-for brows also give the person a polished look even she is not wearing any make-up.
Eyebrow Shapes
Eyebrows are usually shaped in either of these three shapes:
Angular ~ an angular shape can be used to give flat planes to a round face. The angle of the brow can be reflected in the make up shading and contouring to give an elegant appearance. The angular eyebrow can be used to create many looks and can reflect an appearance of harshness, elegance and sophistication.
Round ~ the more natural line of the rounded brow can give an innocent, fresh appearance and blends well if a general make up is worn. The line should follow the prominence of the frontal bone and be shaped into a tapered end, encompassing the round shape of the eye itself. This shape best suits people with large eyes or wide foreheads as it shows the eyes to the best advantage.
Sweeping ~ this shape is very flattering to most people as it gives width and expression to the eye area. A sweeping eyebrow shape frees a large expanse of upper lid skin for eye make-up and allows full artistry in this area. The sweeping line of the brow opens the eyes, gives interest to a narrow face and can help balance lareg mouths or noses.
Examining your brows
First things first! Make sure that the room where you are going to shape your brows has a good share of natural light reaching it. This is the best light for the job. If you don't have a good place where you can use natural light, it is best to use white light rather than yellow.
Next, stand in front of a mirror and examine your brows carefully. What is their shape? Are they the same length and width? To help determine this, here is a picture showing you how to measure your brows:
Take a brow wand or a narrow make up brush and hold it vertically at the side of one of your nostrils. Are there any hairs before it? Move the brush at a 45 degree angle, this signifies where the highest point of your brows should be. Finally, line the brush with where your brow bone ends. This is the ideal length of your brows. Any hairs that are out of place will have to go to get you the perfect eyebrow shape.
Shaping your brows
After determining which hairs have to be plucked, you need to get down to business and start shaping your brows. Here is what I use to do mine:
From left to right: Magnifying mirror, toner, hair minimizer, eyebrow & lash comb, eyebrow wand, cold wax strips, scissors, cotton discs, eyebrow pencil, tweezers.
If you get discomfort in your eye area whilst plucking/waxing hairs, you can use a cold compress to numb the area. Alternatively, a hot compress will open pores and hairs will slide out more easily.
First of all, brush your eyebrows in place with a brow wand or comb (I prefer the wand) and measure them as explained above.
Start by removing hairs from between the eyes and on the nose bridge. Take care not to end up with brows that are too wide apart as this causes the eyes to look surprised (consult the measuring diagram above).
Next, move on to stray hairs from underneath your brows but never remove hairs from the upper side as you will risk losing the shape of your brows. If you have to remove hairs from above your brows, have them removed by a beautician. When removing stray hairs from under your brows, it is best to alternate between the eyes and step away from the mirror after so many plucks to see how you're doing.
When you have removed all the strays and both eyebrows are the same shape, fill in any gaps with an eyebrow pencil (I use essence eyebrow designer in 02 Brown).
Since I use cold wax to remove most of the hairs, I find it is better if I keep a cotton disc with some toner to remove wax residues and hairs whilst plucking with tweezers. Also, I finish off with some hair minimizer which also soothes my skin post-depilation.
DO'S & DONT'S
DO invest in a good pair of tweezers. There are a lot of shapes available on the market, just choose one that you find works best for you.
DON'T pluck more hairs than necessary. Very thin brows look very unnatural and affect the whole look of your face.
DO take good care of your brows. They are a part of your face and when well-groomed, they will give you a neater appearance. Thick and bushy eyebrows will only contribute to a stern and harsh expression.
DON'T ever shave your brows or have them tattooed.
I hope this post cleared some ideas about eyebrow shaping however, should you require more info, don't hesitate to let me know :)
No comments:
Post a Comment