I get it: There are so many ways to style and shape your brows that it can feel kinda really effing overwhelming. No two brows are the same (seriously—stare closely at all of your friends, pls), which means the journey to getting the “perfect” eyebrows is going to look a little different for everyone. That said, there are some general tips, tricks, and hacks you can try out to help get you there. Ahead, 15 kinda-genius ways to get the best brows of your life, including the best professional methods to try, the top at-home products to experiment with, and so much more.
1. Don't over-pluck your brows
K, this might seem obvious for some people, but let me just quickly remind you: One of the easiest ways to get the best brows of your life is by leaving them alone (!!!). Yes, tweezers are excellent for getting rid of rogue hairs here and there, but they aren't your best option for shaping your brows (more on that in a bit).
"Try to tweeze pretty far away from your eyebrow—you don't want to do any actual shaping, so just grab hairs that are out of place or further away from your brow line," Umbreen Sheikh, founder and CEO of Wink Brow Bar, has told Cosmo. The Tl;dr: Over-plucking is basically a given when you pull out your tweezers, so use them with caution, alright?
2. Find the right eyebrow products
There are so many options when it comes to eyebrow products, which is why it's super important to make sure you're using the right one. First: Think about your brow goals. Are you trying to fill in sparse spots and add definition? Grab a brow powder and an angled brush. Are you trying to lightly shape and comb your hairs? Swipe on a lightweight brow gel. Not sure WTF you want or need? Don't be afraid to play around and cocktail a few products—there's no right or wrong, so just focus on finding the best product for you.
Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat Refillable Hair-Like Eyebrow Pencil
Kosas Brow Pop Clean Dual-Action Defining Eyebrow Pencil
3. Consider eyebrow threading
IMHO, threading is the best method for enhancing and defining your natural brow shape. Unlike waxing, which is great for targeting large areas of skin (like your legs or bikini line), threading is ultra precise. "Threading is basically when we take a twisted thread and use it to gently pull the hair from the follicle, which means it can remove hairs that are too short or fine to be waxed," she says. "And since threading puts pressure on top of your skin, it can even push hairs up from underneath the surface to grab and remove." BTW: Threading does require some serious skill, so it's always a good idea to see a professional before you try DIYing it.
4. Shape with an eyebrow stencil
If going freehand with your eyebrow products feels a biiiit out of your skillset (no shade), you should try using an eyebrow stencil, aka a little template that you stick or hold on top of your brows to prevent you from "coloring" outside of the lines of your brows with your powders, pencils, or gels. They come in a ton of shapes and sizes (I like the Anastasia Beverly Hills Stencils and the Ardell Brow Perfection Stencils) and they're also a great way to experiment with new looks, like a bolder brow, a straight brow, etc.
5. Apply your brow products with a flicking motion
Okay, please, please, please do not fill in your brows with one single, heavy-handed strike of any product. Tiny, hair-like strokes are the goal here, so you'll want to use small flicking motions (whether you're using a powder and an angled brush, or a basic pencil) in the direction of your hair growth to get the most realistic-looking result.
6. Keep the tail of your brow in check
Overextending the tail of your brows can create a droopy effect, drawing down your face and making you look, well, a little sad. Your eyebrows naturally stop at a place that lifts your face up and out, and you want to maintain that angle. To measure where the tail of your brow needs to end, place a brow pencil diagonally at your nostril and line it up with the side of your eye. Where the pencil hits your brow bone is where the end of your eyebrow should end (or can be extended to) without it looking fake.
7. Create a believable arch
Too-pointy arches = confusingly mad or surprised. So, if you weren't born with a high arch but want to create a subtle one, hold a brow pencil against your nostril and line it up diagonally with the center of your eye. That's exactly where any arch should go naturally.
Next, take a spoolie brush to help comb your hairs downward. Then, with your brow product of choice (a pencil and a light touch is key here!), ever so slightly alter your brow shape, creating a slight peak where your natural arch is. Finally, fluff your brow hairs back into place with your spoolie so they fall nicely and the arch looks natural.
8. Buff out any harsh lines
Mapping out the shape of your brow with a pencil and then not diffusing it can be a total tell-tale sign that they're, um, drawn on. A fast fix? Create your shape with tiny, hair-like strokes, regardless of whether you use a pencil, an angled brush topped with brow powder, or a brow gel, and then use a spoolie to buff out any harsh lines with subtle back and forth motions.
9. Give your brows some shape
Big, brushed-up brows are in, so I'm not referring to that type of look. What I am talking about is unshaped brow hairs that, with the help of a little grooming slash shaping, can really give more structure to your face. Don't have time to see a brow expert? Use your natural brow shape (aka where the majority of your brow hair lies) and tweeze any strays that fall outside of that shape for perfect arches
10. Tend to your sparse spots
If you've fallen victim to over-plucking in the past—I have too, it's okay—know that you're not alone. To mask sparseness, fill in any spots with brow powder and an angled brush, or opt for a brow pencil. Then, groom your brows into place with brow mascara (clear or tinted works here).
11. Use concealer below your brows—not highlighter
Outlining your brows with highlighter can put too much of a spotlight on your arches. Instead, opt for a concealer that's one shade lighter than your skin tone to brighten up your brow area while still looking fully natural.
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer
BareMinerals BAREPRO 16-HR Full Coverage Concealer
12. Start with light application and intensify from there
Trust: It's always easier to add product versus take it away, so build your brows slowly. Another key to making your brows look darker yet natural? Not getting the formula you're using on your skin. If you have a bald spot you're trying to fill in, that's one thing, but if you're just trying to deepen your brow hair color overall, your best bet is a brow mascara that you can lightly swipe on for a more dramatic yet believable effect.
13. Apply products from the center of your brow
If you feel like you only need to amp up your arches at the beginning of your brow, start at the arch and work toward the bridge of your nose. That way you're left with the least amount of product when you reach the start of your brow, making the application look more realistic. Then, use that same product at the tail of your brow so it doesn't end up looking uneven.
14. Mix your brow colors
Choosing the wrong color to fill in your brows is another way you can make your brows look too "done." Having trouble finding the perfect shade? Try using two different tones to fill in your brows. Think: If you're a redhead, layer on a taupe pencil and an auburn pencil to give your brows natural dimension.
15. Always blend in your product
Brow PSA: This is one of the most important steps to creating natural-looking arches. An easy way to fill in your brows is by drawing an angled line under your eyebrow at its start with a brow pencil, and then using a spoolie brush to diffuse it up into your brow. The only catch? You have to remember to blend it entirely or else it will look too harsh.
Ruby was the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covered beauty across print and digital. Her work has appeared on The Zoe Report, Fashionista, and StyleCaster. Follow her on Instagram.
Carly Cardellino was the beauty director at Cosmopolitan. If you follow her Instagram, then you know she'll try just about any beauty trend or treatment once (the pics of her purple hair are on IG to prove it). But her favorite part about being in beauty is finding the most effective products, and then sharing that intel with others—because who wants to spend money on stuff that doesn't work? No one, that's who. Her most recent discovery: De La Cruz Sulfur Ointment, which will change your blemish-clearing game! Hopefully through the beauty stories she writes—and the experiences she shares—you can see exactly why she's in this business.
