Sue Marshall

Guest Blogger

How To: Shape Your Brows

Brows are the be all and end all when it comes to beauty. That’s a bold statement coming from a makeup artist who has worked professionally for 26 years. It’s a true statement. Brows can make or break beauty. Beauty is all about shape and symmetry.

Since medieval times mathematics has been a part of our concepts of facial beauty and aesthetics. Artists from medieval times broke the face into sevenths in order to understand balance and proportion. Today artists suggest dividing the face into vertical fifths, each of those the length of the eye, as a means of approximating desired distance and width of facial features. This is where they discovered the “GOLDEN RATIO” that as a guide provides harmony to the eye.

Brows are so important, that celebrities fly Anastasia across the country and even the world to make sure their brows are on fleek (this luxury comes with a hefty price tag but you get my drift)..they want to have a harmonious shape to the eye. Thus we perceive them as more beautiful and they capture our interest.

TO PHI OR NOT TO PHI…THAT IS THE QUESTION!

AHHH…The golden ratio or divine proportion—1.618:1 where 1.618 is called Phi after the Greek sculptor Phidias—is the most common mathematical relationship influencing our understanding of facial aesthetics. This is of course nothing new and of course, there is much data and research to back its validity. But is beauty and brows a one size fits all? Eyebrow aesthetics are influenced by various factors, including sex, age, ethnicity, culture and current fashion trends. In respect to using this ratio as a guide, it helps us achieve beautiful yet natural results and enters into what we innately recognize as a harmonious shape.

PHI BROWS

You may not have heard of them, but Phi Brows are the masters of brow aesthetics. They are the go-to training academy for anyone who wants to master Microblading (semi-permanent eyebrow tattoo). I am always hesitant in recommending artists to people for so many reasons, however, anyone trained by PHI,  you should expect excellent results when it comes to shaping. Google them. Try and find a PHI MASTER. These artists are the go-to for those who want a defined harmonious shape.

PERFECT BROWS AT HOME

Firstly, I need to say that you need to find the perfect brow for you. You do not want to be a carbon copy of everyone else and their brows. It’s super important to find your beauty ideal and go with that as your guide. I will say tweezing is recommended when grooming your brows. Waxing can pull too many hairs out at once and ruin the shape in ONE.FOUL.SWOOP! Less is more when removing any hair from your brows. Think big, fluffy, youthful brows not thin over arched aging ones. For those who think over tweezed, PERFECT-ON FLEEK defined brows are so 2017 and you love a supermodel brow that is natural and relaxed- I suggest sweeping your brows with Jamaican Black Castor oil at night before bed and brush them with a spooley brush. DONE!

  1. If you do not trust yourself, seek professional help. Find a PHI MASTER.
  2. If you’re a perfectionist, go to Amazon and buy a measuring tool or shape stencil. This will help those who have absolutely no idea but want to do it at home.
  3. Tweeze in dull light. That way you will not tweeze too much or get crazy with every hair.
  4. Jamaican Black Castor oil is the go-to for helping sparse hairs grow back if you do get a little pluck happy with your tweezers.
  5. Instead of filling in your brows too much, try using a tinted brow gel or a clear brow gel and brush them up, or add a softer tone with powder to fill in the areas that are needed to enhance the shape
  6. Create a tailor-made look, do not conform to trends, finding your best beauty is key.

PRODUCTS TO LOVE!

  • Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil $34- An eyebrow pencil that combines the benefits and technique of a powder, pencil, and wax.
  • GLOSSIER Boy Brow $16-a truly awesome eyebrow mascara-great colors and perfect brush.
  • Anastasia DipBrow Pomade $18- a gel/pomade that will add hair by hair application if you use a fine angled brush. Great staying power. Good color selection.