Let’s get back to the basics.

I read a quote from Bobbi Brown that said:

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I think that is 100% true. It’s like getting an instant face lift – it will bring out your eyes and brighten up your whole face.

In this post we are going to tell you how to get the perfect brow shape. For our “how to” we turn to Makeup Artist Sandrina Lomedico. (She did a super models eyebrows – but you’ll have to read the post to find out who it was!)

Here are the tools you’ll need:

  • Tweezers: I have 3-4 of them, but my favorite are these mini tweezers with a fine tip. They are easy to handle and you can get at those small hairs. The brand name is La Cross by Sally Hansen. I have two pairs – I keep one in my bathroom and one in my makeup bag.
  • Cuticle Scissors
  • Brow Comb: I have one from Sephora called the PRO Brow comb No. 21.
  • Magnifying mirror: I bought mine from Costco, my BFF Helen recommended it. It’s called the Natutal Daylight Led Vanity Mirror by Sunter.
  • Make up brush to use as a guide. A pencil will work as well.

A guide to get the perfect brow shape.

Sandrina says the 3 main points of where a brow starts, arches and ends are non negotiable. Your facial features will guide your shape.

Begin: Grab your brush and line it to the bridge of your nose.
Arch: Place the brush on the tip of the nose and angle to the outer edge of the iris to find where the arch needs to lay.
End: Angle the brush from the outer nostril, to the outer edge of the eye. This is where the brow should end.

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There are so many products for brows – pencils, powders and gels. Do you need to use all three?

Gel products can be difficult to blend out because they dry easily. 

Powders I find are excellent because you can wet them which can help you mimic hair strokes and are great for filling in gaps – most women fall in this category.

Pencils are great to mimic hair strokes but having a heavy hand with a pencil can make the brow look over done.

My favorite tip no matter what product you use: Apply a translucent powder afterwards to soften the colour. It will give a much more natural look.

In the end try to find a product that suits you and the current state of your brows.

Do you have any brow grooming tips?

Before tweezing even a single hair I always map out my goal.

I make my markings with a brush (as outlined in the guide) and follow those points – essentially connecting the dots. I use a highlighter afterwards – anything in the highlighted part of the brow whether on top or underneath gets removed.  This allows me to avoid removing hairs that are essential to my shape.

Many women are also obsessed with over trimming. Whether you are trying to grow out brows or fill them in it’s important to keep length.

Length helps brows appear more full.

Gently brush hairs down to trim.

Don’t push them down with your finger because your going to end up trimming more than necessary creating a super patchy look.

Anna Conte, Aveda top Makeup Guru, who trained me at 18 on brows, taught me that anyone can remove hairs – it’s knowing which hairs to leave that matters.

I’ve read that the best time to tweeze your eyebrows is after a shower or a bath. Is that true?

Yes the best time to tweeze is always after a hot shower. It allows the hair follicle to open – making tweezing and hair removal much more gentle on the skin. Applying a numbing creme before is always a great idea.

How often should you tweeze?

Everyone’s hair growth pattern is so different. Some months you’ll notice no hair growth – other months you’ll notice more. It’s important to know that waxing can weaken the skin over time. So tweezing is great.

As long as you make your guide and have a shape mapped out to avoid over tweezing – I say go nuts.

My favorite trick is applying concealer under my shape during the growing out phase. This hides any growth coming through and keeps me sane between waxing.

Can your eyebrows be identical?

Yes! Your brows can be identical.

The brow bone on your face will naturally be different. Over time, facial expressions and the way we sleep – favoring one side over another – will make one side drop over time. But, if we make our three points using the guide shown, you really can have virtually identical brows.

There are techniques I use to bring one brow higher or lower depending on which side I choose to work with. Tinting baby hairs and moving the brow shape upwards – gives the illusion of a brow lift. It’s a neat trick!

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You had a super model encounter – let our readers in on your experience.

Linda Evangelista (who’s an absolute dream client) came into my studio a few years ago and I’ve had the pleasure of having her back in a few times at Salon Alessandro – where I rent my studio space from.

I remember when she asked me after her service, if I could wax her brows. She asked if we should work on changing her shape. I refused saying her brows were just right and gave her a clean up.

I refused to alter a single hair on that woman. She’s such an inspiration to me. She told me stories about working with Kevyn Aucoin and mentioned he would have loved me.

I always knew I’d bring her into my life.

When I was 14, it was her fave Kevyn’s books I used to learn from. Then when I worked for L’Oréal Lancome she was their spokesmodel.

She’s always been an angel on my shoulder. I look to her for inspiration in fashion. It was a memorable time.

Fortunately it wasn’t the last time we would meet. Rachel and I have been pretty fortunate enough to work with her when she’s home to visit her family. They are lovely people.