Eyebrows frame the eyes. Eyes are the focal point of the face. So basically... having well shaped and colored brows should be at the core of your makeup regime. Because everyone has different eyebrows, not everyones shape will be a perfectly manicured arch. It's all about working with what you've got and framing your brows so they show off you're features in the best possible way. I haven't had my eyebrows professionally done in years... partly because they would always turn out thinner than I would have liked, and also because well... I don't have $20 just lying around. I started to pluck my eyebrows and then began to start trimming them as well. I have grown to prefer shaping my own brows because they look more natural than waxed brows, and the upkeep is fairly easy when touching them up every few days. Some people don't have to pluck their brows as often, mine can just get extremely bushy and long and it looks like I have grandpa eyebrows... lol. The easiest way to manicure brows is to first comb through your brows. This is barely even a step because it's so easy... but it needs to be done. By doing this alone, you're shape will instantly go from a 3 to a 10. After this basic step is done, I usually start by trimming my eyebrows. I have random scissors I got from a CVS, but I need to pick up some new ones soon because I think they have seen the end of their days. I found a pair of Tweezerman Facial Hair Scissors online at Ulta. The style of these scissors is similar to the one's that I have myself. As for a brush.... I have found that unused mascara brushes work best honestly. You may have some lying around your house... if not they essentially cost nothing. I like to trim my brows in the top and the side. Usually when the eyebrow hairs start to get long and curl (ew) it's time for a trim. After trimming away all the long hairs, revealing a shape to your brows, its time for plucking. Most people use the basic yet popular tweezer to pluck. I use the Revlon Perfectweeze Tweezer with a slant tip. A lot of people think it's weird and difficult to use... but I think the opposite. Because the design of the tweezers is similar to scissors, you have a lot of control when using them. They can reach even the most stubborn hairs, and will leave u with flawless brows every time (but hey if you can use the regular tweezer more efficiently, then you do you). First pluck under your brow... but just try and get the stay hairs. Then pluck between your eyebrows... but don't pluck past where your eye begins. Then you've gone too far. I usually don't really touch the top of my brows unless its an emergency... its sometimes hard to decipher where the brow ends and begins, and it's better to be safe than sorry if you don't know for sure. Pluck only a little bit per sitting to prevent from over plucking. After you have a day or so to look at your shape, its easier to tell if more needs to be trimmed or plucked. I know this may sound a little crazy... but it's so easy to mess up eyebrows and not so easy to fix. Penciling can only go so far... and speaking of penciling its time for me to talk about my favorite eyebrow pencils. My all time favorite is the Diorshow Brow Styler Ultra-Fine Precision Brow Pencil, which I know I have mentioned it before. Because there are only two colors (blonde or brown) it's easy to find a color that matches your coloring because well, there's only two choices. I also have tried the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Pencil in Dark Brown. Both this and the Diorshow pencil have a retractable tip, so you never need to use a sharpener. However, I did find that it will smear somewhat more easily. Just recently I have tried to use the L'Oreal Pairs Brow Stylist Designer Eyebrow Pencil... and I must say I was very happy with the product. It doesn't have a precise fine tip like the other pencils, so you have to make sure it's always sharpened. However the color was very buildable and went on smoothly. I used the medium brown shade, and I found the color to have a but of an auburn tint... which doesn't match my coloring perfectly. But ya know I'll take it considering the eyebrow pencil was only a few dollars.
Until Next Time...
Alex Bert
Products I Recommend
Tweezerman Facial Hair Scissors- A pair of facial hair scissors are vital for your eyebrow maitenance.You can never go wrong with Tweezerman... 12.50
Revlon Perfectweeze Tweezer, Slant Tip- You can buy this at any drugstore... and it works pretty well. I love the design of these tweezers because I feel more in control when using them. 4
Diorshow Brow Styler Ultra-Fine Precision Brow Pencil- Always a good choice. The fine tip works well for details and precise lines. Dior rarely fails me... 29
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Pencil- Overall, a pretty quality pencil. A little similar to the Diorshow, and a few bucks cheaper. 21
L'Oreal Paris Brow Stylist Designer Eyebrow Pencil- Up until I tried this pencil, I didn't really like drugstore eyebrow pencils. This one is great though... easy to use and the color goes on nicely. I didn't really like the brush, but that's my only complaint. 6-8
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My go-to look for either day to day or a night out is the classic smokey eye. Some people would say that they can't pull it off because it is too intense for them, or it is too difficult to do. I am here to tell you to have no fear! Anyone can wear this look... and its easier than you would think to create. Whether dramatic or subtle, the same general steps need to be taken to make it. After priming the eye lid, cover your entire eye in one neutral shade. A matte cream could be used, or a shimmery white, depending on the look you are trying to create. I decided to use a matte cream color from Tarte that I've had forever for both looks. I used the Nars Duo Eyeshadow in Bellissima for the natural look, and Kauai for the more dramatic example. Bellissima includes a shimmering beige and matte taupe. I don't know what it is about matte colors, but I love the shadowy look they create. It just looks so natural. Kauai on the other hand is perfect for a dramatic look. The colors are a gold shade and an iridescent smokey orchid. A smokey eye doesn't always have to be brown or black FYI... if applied tastefully, jewel tones are a great alternative. You really can use any colors you want for a simple smokey eye... keeping in mind that you just need a dark and light shadow, and both colors should compliment each other. Basic stuff. After choosing a palette, use the darker shade in the crease of your eye. I use my Nars Eyeshadow brush to create a more smokey look when compared to the typical eyeshadow brush (you can read more about eyeshadow brushes in my earlier post!). After you have created a shadow in the crease of your eye, use the darker color to line your bottom lashes. The light color should be blended on top of your eyelid next. More or less light color can be used depending on how dramatic you want your shadow to appear. The lighter color should always be applied in the corner of your eye to brighten and make your eyes look bigger (it's a must-trust me). It is important to remember to always apply the darker shade prior to the lighter shade. If you happen to apply too much dark shadow, the lighter shade can be blended overtop the darker shade to mute the color. The next step to creating your easy smokey eye is eyeliner. I used the Marc Jacobs Highlighter Gel Eye Crayon in Brown(Out) for the natural look... and I must say I loved the turnout. Gel eyeliners go on very smoothly and are super easy to blend in to create a smudgy look. For the dramatic look I used the Armani Smooth Silk Eye Pencil in black. This pencil has been my favorite for years... its harder than a gel pencil, but still goes on very smoothly. Regardless of the liner, I like to apply it on the bottom outer corner of me lower lashes, making your eyes look larger. Sometimes I put bottom liner on before the shadow if I want it to appear more blended, and look like an intense shadow rather than eyeliner. Finally, add your highlighter to your brow bone to make the shadow and your eyes pop even further to finish off the look. Now go make some plans so you can create your own smokey eye look... I can't decide whether I prefer contouring or applying eyeshadow. I love being able to play with different colors and shades, as well as creating shadows and highlights... which can be done with both. But if I'm really in the mood to play with color, eyeshadow is my number one. Here I demonstrated the beauty that is green eyeshadow on green eyes. I used a dark khaki green from an old Chanel palette for the crease. I used a shimmery cream color by Trish McEvoy for the eyelid. I lined the bottom lashes with a dark green liner by Giorgio Armani, and blended it in with the Chanel green for a smokey look. |