Friday, September 28, 2012

I like em' big, I like em' plumpy!

I am excited to announce that thick eyebrows are back, and they are here to stay !!!
That's right! They are popping up all over the place. From the fashion runways to magazine articles all over. Oh, and let's not forget about Pinterest, thick brows are getting pinned left and right!

Well, I just have to say that ITS ABOUT TIME!
About time this over tweezing epidemic become extinct.
About time, we step back and think about what a benefit it can be to have properly shaped brows.
About time we realize that aside from our smile, our eyebrows are the most important asset of the face.

90% of women I see these days make the mistake of overlooking this important asset of theirs.
It is one of the most frustrating issues I run into, as a makeup artist.
Having healthy looking and properly shaped eyebrows is very vital to your appearance.
More vital than your perfectly blended eyeshadow, more than your smokey liner, thick lashes, or glossy lips!

Don't believe me? Let's see what The lack of brows can do to the face.
Pretty creepy, huh?
How about the effects of over tweezing?
The "Tadpole" Brow
The "If I tweeze one more hair, it'll look just right" brows
Definitely NOT doing the face any justice!If you are still not seeing what I am talking about, take a look at this: Same face, four different looks.

This is my example of those who have very light/blonde brows. If you don't fill them in you look like you don't have brows at all.


Here we have a fully made up face, with overly tweezed and mis-shapen brows:
Since they are tweezed too much in the middle, It causes the forehead appear larger and less feminine.
Why bother doing your makeup, if the base of the whole face is wrong?! NO need...really.


Here is a bare face with only the brows done.
This example, looks much better than the one before. Even though this look has zero makeup, it still looks more flattering.

When your brows are done properly, a lot of makeup is not needed.
If you are in a hurry in the morning, fill in your brows first. Then you just add a little concealer, mascara and gloss and you are good to go. You're brows speak for the rest of your face!

Here is one more comparison between the two:

Top: YES Bottom: NO


Last but not least, a THICK set of properly shaped brows with a fully made up face.
You just can't go wrong when you give your brows the attention they need.

Are you seeing this yet???!!!
 It makes ALL the difference!

Take a moment and think about all the women who have been beauty icons throughout the years and to date. A few that come to mind are: Marylyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Jackie O. These icons had something in common that most don't realize.
It was a thick defined set of brows! You just don't see a beauty icons that have those overly tweezed tadpole brows now, do you?


Speaking of  beauty icons, I'd like to point out that the the women we see in the media these days are not pretty by coincidence. No, they Have a little secret you see, they are called makeup artists. And if these artists are doing their job, they will give the brows the attention they need, in order to do their job, at making their owner look "pretty". Here are some ladies that know the importance of a thick defined brow.




So, trust this makeup artist when she tells you, go ahead, start tweezer detox. Let those anorexic brows restore themselves to what they once were. You know, Before you over tweezed them to near death. And while you're waiting for them to grow back, start filling them in to what you want them to be. Plump them up and help them, help you!

To make it easier for you, I designed an acronym containing the
ingredients to fuller more healthy looking brows:

B-brows should cover THE ENTIRE EYE They are the rooftop over your eyes. A roof covers the whole house, plus some. So should your brows.

R-remember strait lines!  Your brows should not have any round shapes. No half circle holes or gaps, no rounded arches and no rounded beginnings. Think strait lines, strait lines, strait lines!

O-only tweeze under the outer half part of your brow. Most women don't have enough hair growth to be tweezing between the brows, or under the first half of the brow. That is also where most mistakes are made. So, Just leave those areas alone and you can be on your way to fuller more beautiful looking brows.

W-when in doubt, put the tweezers down. One hair can make all the difference. If you are not sure about a hair, just err on the safe side and leave it there. (Trust me, I speak from experience, and not a good one ;)

S-start filling your brows into the shape you want them to be. While you are waiting for your brows to come back, you'll want to start to practice filling them in. That way, by the time they have grown back, (allow 3-9 months) you are a pro at filling them in and you will have less work the more they grow back in.

Wondering where to start, arch and end your brows? I've seen many charts but none that have been very accurate. This is my rule if thumb:

Start: The beginning of your brow should start alongside of the bridge of your nose. NOT the nostril like most charts. The nostril is where they should get a little darker.  You want to see a gradual darkening.The first quarter inch of your brow should be significantly lighter than the rest.

Arch: Find the highest point of your natural brow on top and sharpen the point to emphasize.
End: On a 45 degree angle, make an invisible line from the corner of your eye to your brow.

 Perfect brows consist of, fifty percent grooming (what i just talked about) and fifty percent proper filling in. There is an art to filling in brows. And it takes patience and time to get the hang of it. But the most important thing is that it takes practice. So, don't be intimidated and don't get discouraged if its tricky at first. That's normal. Just keep at it and you'll be happy in the end. I promise, it's worth it.
Just an important note: before filling in brows, color choice is crucial!

Here is a "general" guide:
Light hair and light complected or blonde eyebrows: choose a color 1-2 shades darker.


 Medium hair and medium complected or brown eyebrows: choose one shade lighter or the exact color of your brows.

 Dark hair and dark complected or black eyebrows: choose a 1-2 shades lighter than your brows.

For all of these options: stay away from anything that is too warm (has more red or orange tones) it looks very artificial and just unflattering.
Go as neutral as possible (almost a "mousey" grey tone). That is, unless you have red hair. But still avoid too much warmth.

Here is a quick breakdown of products that are available for filling in:
Pencil: most commonly known, easiest to find.
Pros: fast
Cons: needs sharpening often, may look more harsh and or un-natural.


Powder/eyeshadow: Less commonly known. Wide range of colors.
Pros: natural looking, more forgiving of mistakes.
Cons: Requires a brush to apply which takes a bit more time.

Cream color in a pallet: Basically like a pencil, only it's applied with a brush.
Pros: looks very natural, holds brows in place a bit because if the wax in product. Fairly easy to apply.
Cons: requires a brush to apply which may take longer.

I recommend.... Trying all three to see which one suits you and your lifestyle best. I prefer cream in a pallet for me but for my clients I prefer a powder. It's all about personal preference.

I made a video about filling in your brows like the professional makeup artists do. I have a couple no fail tips in there to make it easier for you beginners out there. Good luck with your new thick brows! I know you'll love them ;)

Here is the video link!

 http://pinterest.com/pin/228417012320266126/