beauty

5 things an eyebrow artist really wishes you'd stop doing to your brows.

Image: Lily Collins’ brow game is forever on point. (Getty).

Brows: when done right, they can enhance your entire face. The problem is, we’ve all done things that jeopardise our brow game, whether it’s using the wrong shade of brow wax or fiddling with them between appointments. You there with the tweezers in your hand — yes, we see you.

We asked Benefit Australia’s National Brow Artist, Hannah Terrett, to name the top five naughty behaviours she wishes we’d stop inflicting on our brows.

1. Tweezing between waxes

In news that will surprise approximately none of us, Terrett says brow artists don’t really appreciate clients’ compulsive between-appointment plucking habits. In fact, tweezing will only create more work for you.

“It creates an uneven growth cycle which means your brow hairs will grow back at different growth stages, leaving more regrowth and more DIY maintenance for yourself,” she explains.

 

2. Playing matchy-matchy with your brows and your hair

You’ve probably been told that if you dye your hair a dramatically different colour, your brows will also probably require a change. However, the two don’t need to be exactly the same. “Brows look best when they are one to two shades deeper than your natural hair colour,” Terrett explains.

Some light-haired women are born with naturally darker brows — if you’re one of them, it’s better to use brow products that are one or two shades lighter than your natural tone. This will enhance your volume and definition, rather than creating an unnatural-looking colour, Terrett says. Speaking of great brows — here’s how to copy Adele’s on point eye makeup look. (Post continues after video.)

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3. Applying products to the surface of your brows

Hands up if you’ve ever hastily applied your brow gel/wax/powder while running horribly late for work? What’s that — you do it every morning?

Unfortunately, this speedy application can leave a “heavy, unflattering” appearance on your brows because you’ve only touched the surface. Terrett says your styling technique can make or break your brow game, so read this next bit carefully.

“Using an angle brush, buff your brow product into the roots of the hair using a back-and-forth teasing technique — a similar motion to back combing or teasing your hair,” she advises.

“This enables your brows to appear voluminous from the base and less product top-heavy.” (Post continues after gallery.)

 4. Chipping away at the fullness

As explored in point one, brow experts would really rather you put your tweezers in the bin. However, if you can’t resist a little pluck, you need to proceed carefully. “Take your time and start by removing three hairs at a time, using the precision point of the tweezer,” Terrett says.

The next step? Lower your weapon and take a step back from the mirror to reassess and refocus your brow shape. This is a crucial step in avoiding disaster. “Continue this until the desired shape is met. Focusing on the same area for long periods of time with minimal distance can shift the shape, leaving you with an uneven finished result,” Terrett explains.

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Easy does it.

5. Getting a brow tint for the wrong reasons

Yes, a brow tint involves the application of colour, but don't be fooled — the overall aim isn't to make your brows darker. "Tinting helps to lift the desired fullness from the brow by adding semi-permanent shadow to your shape," Terrett says.

"Lasting two to three weeks, a custom colour tint is great for all brow shapes and colours and is the perfect addition to achieving the desired shape short and long term."

A woman tried a lipstick on in-store and got herpes. Is that problematic? (Post continues after audio.)

Also worth noting...

There are a couple of things Terrett wishes women would understand about their eyebrows.

The first? Brows are sisters, not twins. "It's impossible to achieve brows that are 100 per cent symmetrical, yet having them shaped regularly by an arch expert can get them pretty close," she explains.

Not even Cara 'Brows' Delevingne has perfectly matching brows.

 

Furthermore, she says the key to the perfect brow is adding symmetry and balance, rather than removing growth: "To build on your shape, brow products are the pixie dust to bringing your brows to life. Invest in two or three key products prescribed for your ideal brow needs to keep your brow game strong."

Terrett's personal recommendations? Benefit's Browzings for a "defined shape and colour", and Gimme Brow for "volume and texture."

What are your go-to brow products?