Literally, learning how to use an eyebrow pencil correctly is a fine line. It might seem like a simple task, but it’s easy to go too far. And no one wants to look back at pictures and wonder why none of their friends told them their brows were way too dark.
Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time looking for the best ways to bush up my brows, define each hair, and shape them to fit my face. Since my hair is a dark brunette, my naturally blonde brows need a little extra care. They’ve only grown halfway across, so I have to draw the tail completely freehand. This is not an easy task, but I think I’ve gotten pretty good at it.
Of course, being a beauty editor for six years has helped, since I’ve had access to the best makeup artists in the world and all the newest brow makeup to try out. So, if you want to be an expert at using an eyebrow pencil, here’s everything I’ve learned.
6 out of 6: Best eyebrow pencil products
- Before you begin
- How to get your eyebrows ready
- How to use a pencil for your eyebrows
- How to avoid accidentally getting very thin eyebrows; editors test the best eyebrow pencils
- According to celebrity MUAs, these are the 8 best eyebrow pencils to get your arches just right. By Alanna Martine Kilkeary
Before you start, here’s some advice: Don’t worry about making your eyebrows look the same on both sides.
Look at this
The cast of Stranger Things shows what’s on their phones.We all know how hard it is to get winged eyeliner to look even. A lot of us try to make our brows perfect, which makes getting ready in the morning even more frustrating. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve drawn on my eyebrows, only to have to keep adding to each side to make them look right.
I didn’t realise I was wrong until I heard makeup artist Lisa Potter-Dixon say that eyebrows “are sisters, not twins” backstage at a fashion week. Eyebrows don’t have to be symmetrical, just like faces aren’t. In fact, it’s better to highlight the natural shape of each eyebrow so that it looks best on your face. Now that the myth of perfectly symmetrical eyebrows is out of the way, let’s get started.
How to get your eyebrows ready
To keep my brows in place, I like to use an eyebrow gel and a spoolie, but nothing beats a good old bar of soap. In the past few years, soap brows have become very popular, thanks to the fluffy-brow craze. With the trend has come a whole new line of products to help you get the look.
Still, some pros like the OG way better. Makeup artist Naoko Scintu, who works with celebrities like Jodie Comer and Priyanka Chopra, says, “I swear by Pears soap, straight from the bar.” “I just add a little water and brush it into my brows, and it stays perfectly all day.”
How to use a pencil for eyebrows
When you use your eyebrow pencil to draw on individual hairs, make sure you draw up instead of across. To make the hairlike strokes, you need to move the pencil’s sharp point in small, quick motions.
To make your brows look more natural, fill them in vertically (or at a 45-degree angle at the most). Never fill them in horizontally. If you look closely at the way your natural brow hairs grow, you’ll see that they don’t grow across. So, if you draw a line that goes against the natural grain, it will look fake.
How to keep your brows from looking like pencils
This tip isn’t for you if you want pencil-thin brows like they were in the ’90s, but if you don’t, pay attention.Most Popular 8 Spring Trends That Will Only Get Bigger This Year
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Warren Dowdall, Bobbi Brown’s senior pro artist, says, “If you have to reshape your brows at home, fill them in as usual first and then see which hairs need to be cut.” Keep in mind that less is more.
I wish I had found this tip sooner because I’ve always plucked my own eyebrows, even though experts say not to. For years, I tweezed without much thought and ended up with brows that were too thin too often. You know how to stop this from happening now.
The best eyebrow pencil brands
Now that you know how to use an eyebrow pencil correctly, all you have to do is choose the right one. These are some of our favourites.
