BROWS 101: Grooming, Shaping, and Rules to live by

**This is a lengthy (but an oh-so-informative) post. :)

Last night, I won the book called RAISING EYEBROWS by Catherine Tuttle at Benefit’s Bloggers’ party. Raising Brows is the official brow bible of Benefit Cosmetics. It features anything and everything you need to know about brows--- from brow basics to brow history, it's compiled here. I’ve managed to finish the first chapter this afternoon and boy, I'm really glad I won the book. As I flip through the pages, it felt like I was being mentored by a brow god or something.

You all know how much I value brows, and how much I urge all of you to pay close attention to it. You have to realize that brow grooming is simply not another beauty ritual or an unnecessary luxury, but a movement—it can drastically change your look and the way you view ‘YOU’ in the mirror. Beautiful brows start with proper brow grooming, and from these well- groomed beauty arches will spring a more beautiful and better you.

The book moved me to finally finish this post, as it has been sitting in the drafts for a quite a long time now. Tutorial posts are quite time consuming and lengthy for me, especially now that I rarely have time to do such things. But since I am inspired, I shall spend the night creating this tutorial for all my lovely readers.

Cuttle and Benefit cosmetics also dished out tips on how to use the tweezer properly!

Brow grooming may seem hard, but if you’re equipped with the right know- hows and tools, you’ll realize that it’s pretty easy. You do not need some serious degree in brow-chitecture just to sport glamorous brows. In here, I will show you how you can finally achieve those million- dollar brows and look you never thought you’d have.

Are you ready to uncover your most beautiful face? Then click READ MORE and let's start fixing those brows! :D

KNOW YOUR FACE SHAPE

Photo Credits: homeremedytreatments.com

This is the first step. You can look it up online so you’ll know which brow shape suits you best. My young Padiwan, I strongly insist that you should not go against the grain--Do not settle for a brow shape that is not intended for your face shape. As I’ve said, your brows can change your look. Pick the wrong one and you’ll end up with the wrong look. So follow suit.

HAVE YOUR BROWS GROOMED

A lot of people will say that you can shape your brows on your own, and there’s no need to shell out money on brow salons. I beg to differ, especially if your brows are nowhere near your ideal brow shape. If you do not have an inkling on how to shape brows, for the love of God, don’t touch them. You might end up 1.) Over tweezing or shaving your brows 2.) Sporting the wrong brow shape

Brow salons do what they do best, so pay them a visit. Have a brow expert groom your brows for you first before you do it on your own. You can also ask them questions concerning brow maintenance, they can teach you how to groom your brows on your own, and they can recommend the right products. Trust me, education is always a good investment.

Brow Threading is my preferred method because it’s fast. It’s also best for people who have sensitive skin, as waxing may cause irritation to people with this skin type.

Brow Threading Experts: Browhaus

Brow Waxing is great for anyone, especially if you’re used to waxing. It will work best on people with bushy and very messy brows.

Brow Waxing Experts: Benefit Cosmetics

BROW MAPPING 101

Now that you have let the brow salon groom your brows, it’s time to get to know your brand spankin’ beauty arches better.

There is actually a general rule on how your brow should look like basing on brow points. Check out the pic below.

Here’s a more detailed look at the brow points. Get a long and non- sharp object and imitate the pictures below.

POINT A- The starting point of your brows; Point A should fall right at the dimple of your nostrils.

POINT B- The highest point of the arch; This is the “climax” part of your brows, or where the pointy angle should be. The highest point of the arch should cross the center of your pupils, then should end at the corner of your nose’s opening. Other sources also advise that the highest point of the arch should hit the side of the pupils, and fall right at the corners of your nose’s openings. Either way, both are correct.

POINT C- The tip of your brows; The tip should fall right at the outside edge of your eye. Point C determines the length of your brows.

BROW STYLING 101

Now that you have learned the different points of your brows, it’s time to style them. In this tutorial, I will use Benefit Brow Zings.

Define

Define your brows by using the brow wax. With a light hand, outline the shape of your brows. You can also do the same thing with an eyebrow pencil.

This is what happens if you don’t define your brows. You lose their precious shape!

Clean

The outline serves as your guide---it shows you if there are stray hair strands that need to be plucked, and lets you fill in your brows with much ease.

COLOR

Using a brow powder, brow gel, or brow pencil, lightly and gently color your brows by creating hair- like strokes. Always follow the growth of your hair strands when filling your brows in so it will look very natural.

This is what happens if you go against your hair strands’ natural growth.

Apply color by starting from Point B to Point C, then lastly, fill in Point A. Be sure to have a very light hand when you’re already coloring Point A. Why is Point A the last to go? Because you should create a fading effect on this part, as if Point A is the extension of your nose bridge’s natural shadow for a more natural look.

This is what happens when you use a heavy hand on Point A, and when you color it first.

HOW ABOUT SOME DRAMA?

Now that you have already styled your brows, it wouldn’t hurt to add a bit of drama to them. You can highlight your brows’ shape by using a highlighting pencil. I have used MAC’s Chromagraphic Pencil in this tutorial.

Outline the brow bone area and the top part of your brows with a highlighter. Blend evenly with your fingers or a sponge.

WOW BROWS!

See? Told ‘ya! Fabulous brows make a huge difference!

BROW PRODUCTS: RECOMMENDATIONS

Here are some Brow Products that you should check out:

BROW GEL

- Perfect for people with unruly brow hair. Try MAC's Brow Set.

BROW POWDER

- Most recommended brow coloring product. Try IN2IT's Waterproof Eyebrow Color

BROW KIT

- Includes wax, powder, mini brow brushes, and mini tweezers. Try Benefit Brow Zings

BROW PENCIL

- Fastest way to style brows. Try Nature Republic Pretty Wood Brow Eye Pencil with Spoolie

OTHER TOOLS:

1. Angled Eyebrow Brush- for precise coloring

2. Brow Comb- to keep unruly strands in place; works best if used with a brow gel

3. Spoolie- for combing brows
4. Eyebrow Stencils- for those who really insist on shaping their brows all by themselves. I would not recommend this as this way of brow shaping is prone to errors. (Hello? Wobbly hand!)

There you have it! May the Brow force be with you. Shoot me up with questions in case you still have some. :D