DIY Beauty - Eyebrows

Top 10 Dos and Don'ts of Eyebrow Shaping

1. DO decide on your eyebrow shape

-Figure out where you want your brows to start, arch and end. The perfect eyebrow starts above the inside corner of your eye (over the tear duct), and ends at the outside corner, above your eyelashes. Eyebrows should have an arch. Ideally, the arch happens over the iris, the colored part of your eye. Be careful to not give yourself a "surprised" look by over tweezing your arch.

2. DO use a quality pair of tweezers

- A good pair of tweezers cost about $20, and is worth the small investment. A more inexpensive pair of tweezers may make the process take longer or break the hair instead of pulling them out - or can't grab onto short hairs.

3. DO trim brows if needed

-A common mistake people make when tweezing their brows is to overpluck, when what's really needed is to trim the excess length.
-Comb up and then cut, Use the proper tools for eyebrow trimming (eyebrow scissors).

4. DO clean up the tops of your brows

-It is okay to pluck the stray hairs right above your top brow line, this gives you a more defined and clean look.

5. DO use an eyebrow pencil or brow shadow for correcting

- If you have sparse brows, over plucked, or are growing out brows to a fuller look, use feathery strokes of an eyebrow pencil or shadow to fill-in. For medium to dark eyebrows, choose a color one shade lighter than your natural color. If you have light brows opt for a shade closest to or a half shade darker than your natural color.

6. DON'T stand too close to the mirror when plucking your eyebrows

- With some distance from the mirror you will be more able to balance your brows and see the 'whole picture', and have less chance of making brows uneven. After you have your shape in, you can get close-up to better reach the finer, lighter hairs.

7. DON'T use ice to numb

- Cold tightens the pores and can make a firmer hold on the hair follicle. You want to soften skin and hair by using a warm washcloth on brows, or do your shaping after your come out of the shower. (If you're really concerned about the 'ouch factor' use a numbing spray, first applied to a cotton swab and then to eyebrow area).

8. DON'T put a brow shape that isn't flattering to your face

- Keep in mind that arching your brow doesn't mean two perfect half circles or arches, which doesn't compliment anyone's facial features. It does mean to clean up the excess hair to better frame your eyes.

9. DON'T shave eyebrows

-There are little shavers that are made specifically for shaving eyebrows but steer clear! It is a much better idea to tweeze then shave because by tweezing you can take your time removing hair, shaving takes off a lot quickly and can cause an unnatural shape or no eyebrows by the time you are done!

10. TWEEZE CORRECTLY!

- Hold skin taut by gently holding skin firm with your free hand while tweezing, this means less tugging and pain on the skin.
-If the hair is just too short for tweezing, don't push the tweezers into the skin. Scraping, bleeding or even scarring can result if you get a little too forceful with your tweezers. Wait for the hair to grow a little bit more and try again.

11. DON'T save plucking your eyebrows for last minute, especially if you are a first timer. Give yourself time for hair to grow back if there are any mishaps. Pluck two weeks prior and then when your brows are the way you want them, light grooming will keep your eyebrows glamorous for prom.