Bold brows have returned. Are yours MIA?
Successful eyebrow rehabilitation takes both artistry and some chemistry. First, chemistry: you can encourage hair to regrow with regular applications of RevitaBrow. (The folks who brought you the first eyelash rehab product have turned their talents to brows.) It works so well, you’ll need to be careful about exactly where you put it. You don’t want hairy temples.
Contrary to popular belief, when you’re letting brows grow back, you should shape them along the way. They don’t have to run riot first.
An expert shaping is key. Whether you prefer waxing, tweezing, or threading, a defined edge is an easy way to instantly make brows look fuller. This is because you can cheat a bit by incorporating the fine, less-pigmented hairs near the brows into your brow contour when you remove the super-fine hair around them. The first time our Beauty Bar brow stylist and makeup artist Kristine shaped mine this way I was pleasantly surprised at how much fuller they looked when a little color was applied.
Brow products are an exploding category. From powders to pencils to pigmented waxes and mascara-like formulas, there are myriad ways to color brows. But getting the right color is absolutely essential.
Blondes don’t have more fun when it comes to their eyebrows. One thing that most makeup companies have yet to understand is that there are a lot of greenish tones in blonde hair. Most blonde brow colors have a reddish base to them–Norma Jean-ish, but generally not flattering on mere mortals, unless you’re a redhead or strawberry blonde.
Don’t be afraid to ditch powder brow colors altogether and simply look for an eye shadow that is closer to your natural brow color. Your brows are usually close to the color of the roots of your hair–they don’t hang around long enough to get lightened by the sun. The newest look for blondes is a darker brow. This doesn’t mean you have to do a complete Debbie Harry. In fact, if you match your color but simply add more of it, you’ll have a darker brow that still looks natural and flattering.
Hair’s natural surface is smooth and shiny. Powdered pigment shouldn’t sit atop brow hairs (they’ll look like tiny powdered wigs) but be worked into the skin beneath the brow with subtle, hair-length strokes of a moist angle brush.
Mascara-style and waxy brow products are used to both color and control brow hairs. When you comb your brows, don’t force them into a stiff, vertical position. Be cautious when using the waxy products. Some don’t set completely and can easily be smeared. Mascara-type pigment application can help you recruit all those fine hairs along the edge and that will make your brows look authentically fuller.
Once powdered pigments have been applied, you can go back over the brows with a groomer (applied with a mascara-type wand) that restores shine and luster to the hairs.
When applying color, it’s important to identify the true “top” contour of the brow and work your way down into the hairs beneath. Most people don’t realize that they have a higher natural arch, because they look at the area where most of the brow hair lies, rather than the actual point of origin of the brow hairs. This is the real edge of the arch. When you fill in the top contour of the brow you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the lift it gives to your entire face. Take a minute to look at the difference between the hair “source” and where most of the hair lies. There is a good sixteenth of an inch of difference in most cases, and on your face, that’s a big lift!
The recent vogue for hard angles in brows is fading with the new, bolder and more natural look. The “chevron” is giving way to a gentle curve–always more natural and more flattering.
As brows get thicker again, the arch is becoming less pronounced. Audrey Hepburn’s bold brow is this season’s inspiration. (Enormous doe eyes obviously help, too.) A straighter, tapered-but-not-arched look, very 90’s, is showing up again too.
For professional help, Kristine Von Tassel is at our Beauty Bar for same-day waxing and makeup styling. And don’t miss our current special offer…a brow wax, makeup lesson and $60 color cosmetics shopping spree for just $99 (a $214 value.) You can pre-purchase the certificate by the end of this week, and use it any time in the next six months.
Regardless of the shape your brows take, this fall is the season to re-invent your look with something bolder!
During the month of October, we’re offering RevitaBrow, Nouriche lash-building serum and a fabulous pre-mascara Lash Primer in a specially priced kit, the proceeds of which go to help in the fight against breast cancer. While we all enjoy the beauty benefits of products like these, for women recovering from hair loss during chemotherapy, they are a huge boost to self-esteem and self confidence. The company has also introduced a hair restoration serum, great for thinning hair and regrowing hair after chemo.