beauty

How to shape brows the right way: 7 mistakes you're most definitely making right now.

Ugh. We know. Another article telling you about all the things you're doing wrong. Outrageous. 

But! We can assure you there are actually some really handy tips in here that EVERYONE could use. Cause wouldn't it be nice to know how to tweeze your brows at home without whispering to yourself, "it'll grow back"? 

Yes. It would be splendid.

Watch: More of a visual learner? That's cool. Here's how to get your most perfect eyebrows yet. Post continues below.


Video via Mamamia

Point is, your brows are a big player in your overall look. Huge. And one pluck too many, trimming too close, or choosing a rogue-coloured eyebrow product (cause: Priceline sales) could really mess things up for your cute face. It can! It really can.

And we're not about to let that happen. Not to you.

Listen: Should you be laminating your brows? Check out this episode of You Beauty where we explain the difference between ‘feathering’ and ‘laminating’ your brows and which is best for you.

We spoke to Australia's legendary brow expert and founder of Garbo & Kelly, Carolyn Fox, and rounded up some helpful tips on what NOT to do when it comes to shaping your brows.

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1. Using the wrong tweezers.

Are you using the wrong kind of tweezers? You might be, you know.

"I personally prefer high-quality angle cut tweezers that are designed to effectively grab stubborn hairs. The pointed tip is essential for ingrown hairs, while the slanted tip is perfect for removing even the finest hairs," said Fox.

In terms of what to avoid, Fox said to steer clear of "thick, blunt or uneven tips, as they can break the hair rather than remove the hair."

She also said to opt for stainless steel tweezers intead of nickel or lead - as stainless steel is best for longevity and sensitive skin.

Try: Garbo & Kelly Tweezers, $50.

2. Always using a magnifying mirror.

As tempting as they can be, magnifying mirrors can be so freakin' dangerous when it comes to tweezing your brows. 

While they're great for finding stray hairs (and hunting down pimples), using them while you shape your brows is risky AF because you can so easily get carried away.

Image: Giphy

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So, just make sure you're switching it up between a magnifying mirror and a normal mirror so you don't end up with, like, one single hair on each brow.

"As much as magnifying mirrors are good, stand back and look at your brows with the naked eye as you don’t want to over tweeze - some fine hairs will give a fuller and softer finish," suggested Fox.

"You need to be careful using magnifying mirrors on a daily basis."

You've officially been warned, folks.

3. Not mapping out your shape.

We guarantee you don't do this, cause we certainly don't. But Fox said it's a really important step. 

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"Always measure the desired shape first to ensure your brows are evenly balanced."

Exactly how does one measure their brows?

"Brush your brow hair up and measure using your brow brush - from the crease of the nose and straight up to the brow, and side of the nose and side of the eye is where the tail should finish."

Are you following? No? There are also little handy brow stencils/guides out that make it easy for you to nail the shape. 

Just remember though, one style of brows simply isn't a fit for all - so try your best to work off your natural shape to make sure it compliments your face.

"Try a brow guide to take the guesswork out. Hold the brow guide firmly over your brow while tweezing for a defined and polished line. Brow guides are great because they can help create your perfect brow, and then you can personalise to achieve your desired finish," said Fox.

4. Tweezing incorrectly.

While it's easy to go in gung-ho and start shearing your brows down, Fox said there's actually a bit of a technique to helping them look natural and polished.

Before you start plucking, make sure you first measure your brows and decide what kind of look you want to go for. 

"Plan by visualising the look you want to achieve – defined, feathered, corrective – and whether you might need to have a growth plan for an occasion, such as a wedding."

These are all things we've never thought of before.

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Image: Giphy

Next, "brush your brows up using a brow brush, or if you need more control brush up with brow gel," she said.

You're then going to hold the skin around your eyebrows taut and start tweezing at your tails (the end of your brow), ensuring you "tweeze in the direction the hair grows."  

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"Moving towards the middle of the brow, remove the hair in between the eyes. Remember to remove thicker hairs first so you don’t overdo it."

If you’re not hella confident in plucking your brows, it's probably best to see a professional eyebrow artist and get them to do it for you.

5. Plucking your brows too often.

Put the tweezers down, dear friend. Fox said you should only really be tweezing your brows every two to three weeks - any more than this and you're not giving your poor little brow hairs the chance to grow back. You monster.

"Some client’s brows grow faster than others, however the typical growth cycle is 21 days. You need to control how often you tweeze as you never want to tweeze too much."

Kapeesh?

6. Not prepping your skin.

This s**t hurts. 

To help make tweezing less painful, Fox suggests prepping your skin beforehand by taking a hot shower or using a warm compress. 

"If you have stubborn hair, you may need to prep your skin prior using warm water to open the pores and soften the hair."

Ooo! Don't forget aftercare, too. Tweezerman After Tweeze™ Soothing Cream, $23.72, is a great option to help calm the skin around your eyebrows post-plucking.

"Always exfoliate and moisturise your brows to avoid in grow hairs," adds Fox.

7. Going too hard and tweezing too much at once.

To avoid creating gaps or holes (GASP!) only tweeze one or two hairs at a time. This will help you achieve a nice natural look - which is what we're all here for, right?

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Fox said over tweezing can be easy if you don’t have a plan. So, always make sure you do step #3 instead of going in and freestyling, you crazy little thing.

Feature image: Getty

Do you have any tips you want to add? Share with us in the comment section below.

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