Plucking perfect eyebrows to achieve that flawless, face-framing arch can be a tedious (and painful!) process. But since fuller, thicker brows are in style, you can (and should) spend much less time with the tweezers. Try these 10 pro beauty tips to score perfect eyebrows at home.
1. Choose the right tweezers.
“Opt for a sharp, slanted style,” says Kristie Streicher, creator of The Feathered Brow and one of the most sought-after celebrity brow experts. “Unlike pointy versions, they grab tiny strays quickly and won’t pinch your skin along with the hairs.” One to try: Revlon Slant Tip Ultimate Tweezer.
2. Tweeze after your shower.
Warm water opens the follicles and softens hairs, helping them slip out more easily.
3. Ease the plucking pain.
If plucking is too painful or it’s right before your period (when skin is most sensitive), dab on a numbing gel like Baby Orajel Teething Gel before you tweeze.
4. Ditch your magnifying mirror.
This tool can make it look like there’s more hair to remove than there really is, says Streicher, which can lead to overplucking. Instead, use a regular mirror in a well-lit room-if you can’t see stray hairs under these conditions, neither can anyone else. “After every few tweezes, take a couple of steps back to see the bigger picture,” she says.
5. Know your arch limits.
Hold a pencil for guidance, advises Streicher. “Your brows should begin directly above your tear duct, peak in line with the outer side of your iris, and end at a point that falls 45 degrees from the outer corner of your eye.” Be sure not to arch your brows too high or they’ll look unnatural.
6. Create your shape.
Once you’ve determined how your brows should curve, outline your ideal arch using a soft, creamy brow pencil, such as Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil. Then remove only the hairs that fall above or below your self-made stencil.
7. Reduce redness.
Immediately after tweezing, gently pat on an over-the-counter cortisone cream like Cortizone-10 Intensive Healing Formula to minimize any resulting inflammation.
8. Brush up.
Style your arches with a brow brush or a clear brow-gel wand, coaxing hairs upward at the start of your arch and brushing the rest toward the end of your eye.
9. Fill in the blanks.
Color in sparse spots with a pencil like L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Professional or a powder. Brunettes should opt for a shade or two lighter than their hair color. Lighter blondes can go for golden shades, while darker blondes call for a taupe-y tone. Redhead? Reach for a warm, brown hue.
10. Grow them in.
Overplucked? Refrain from tweezing for at least three weeks so you can see the natural growth pattern and shape. If your brows need a little extra encouragement, brush on a growth serum like RevitaBrow Eyebrow Conditioner every night.
