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17 March 2008
Eyebrow perfect

 
Neatly shaped eyebrows instantly make your face look more refined – especially in summer when you wear less make-up.

 
Eyebrow kit
TWEEZERS Invest in a good pair for the best results. Tweezers that taper towards the ends and are thin enough to enable you to pluck with precision, work best. Slant-edged tweezers also pick up hairs easily.

BROW POWDER Use special brow powder or eyeshadow that is one shade darker than your natural hair colour.

ANGLED BRUSH This is the best shape for shading.

GROOMING GEL Choose a clear gel with a mascara-wand applicator. You can also use an old mascara brush that you've washed with soap to remove all the old mascara, and dipped into hair gel.

1. MEASURE
Use a pencil or make-up brush to find your ideal eyebrow length. Place the brush vertically against the corner of your nose and line it up with the inside corner of your eye. This is where the thickest part of your eyebrow should start. Then, holding the brush diagonally, place it against the corner of your nose in line with the outer corner of your eye. This is where the thinnest part of your brow should stop. Pluck any hairs outside these parameters, not forgetting stray hairs above the brow.

2. SHAPE
Don't finish plucking one brow before starting with the other. Take two or three hairs from one brow, then do the same on the other side, to create a mirror image. The ideal brow shape is neither too thick nor too thin in any one place. Use the natural shape of your brows as a guide to create a natural arch.

3. FILL IN
You will need an angled make-up brush and brow powder that is one shade darker than your natural hair colour. A good brow powder will come in a range of shades to suit natural hair colours, from blonde to red or black. Starting with a small amount of brow powder, use gentle brush strokes to build up colour and depth gradually.

4. GROOM
Keep the groomed look all day long by using a clear brow gel to shape your brows. Gently draw the wand upwards until you reach the height of the arch of your brow, then move the wand down. If you don't have time to fill in your brows with brow powder first, use a coloured brow gel for a subtle, speedy alternative.

Top tips

  • Seek professional help if you've never plucked your eyebrows, to avoid overplucking or getting the shape wrong.
  • A white eye pencil is a helpful guide for unplucked eyebrows. Use the pencil to outline your ideal shape, drawing over the hairs that need to go. Stray hairs between your eyes and above your brow line are the obvious targets. It's a little trickier underneath.
  • Remove the hairs one at a time. It's easy to create big holes or gaps when grabbing bunches of hair at a time. After plucking a few hairs, stand back and check the shape.

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