Beauty: 9 Eyebrow Mistakes

Shape + Frame

Eyebrows can make or break your entire look, according to practically every makeup artist and brow expert we've ever talked to. They can make your eyes look droopy when they're not, or make you look angry when, in fact, you're not. This is why it's essential to be very cautious when grooming your own brows. There is a very fine line between a perfectly shaped brow and an overly tweezed brow. If you think about it, your brows (even when big and bushy) have very little real estate on your face. One or two plucks too many can leave you with a pretty scary shape.

Mistake No. 1: Misplacing your archStreicher explains that many women create an arch in their brows that is too close to the center of their eye, which causes the front of the brows to remain thick and the middle to the ends to be way too thin. She says this gives women a "furrowed brow" look, which isn't ideal. 

The fix: First, let your brows grow back in. To speed up that process, Streicher recommends using an all-natural hair growth product like Lash Allure MD Lash and Brow Enhancing Serum, $49.50. Then the next time you tweeze, grab a pencil and hold it parallel to the outer edge of your iris. The point where the pencil hits your brow is where your arch should be.

Mistake No. 2: Tweezing too oftenTweezing every day, or every few days, is too much, Streicher says. She explains that the act of tweezing becomes habitual and not something we necessarily do to make our brows look better. You may think you're just cleaning up stray hairs, but in reality you may be removing hairs that are essential to your shape. 

The fix: Step away from the tweezers. Plan to tweeze your brows once every three weeks -- sounds scary, but when you stop obsessing over those tiny hairs, they won't bother you as much. And you'll finally see that your brows do actually grow -- when maybe you thought they didn't. 

Mistake No. 3: Taking too much or not enough off the endsBrows that have tails (ends) that are too short lack elegance, but brows that are too long and curve down, can you make your eyes appear droopy. So, like Goldilocks said, they should be just right. 

The fix: To know where the ends of your brows should hit, touch your actual brow bone. You'll be able to feel a little point where that ocular bone ends, that's exactly where your brows should also end. 

Mistake No. 4: Using a magnifying mirror when plucking"If you can't see the hair in a regular mirror, then neither can anyone else," Streicher says. Using a magnifying mirror is also not the best way to get perspective on how your overall brow shape is looking, so you'll end up tweezing too much. 

The fix: Use a regular mirror and make sure you have good, natural light when tweezing. 

Mistake No. 5: Tweezing more than one hair at a timeThough it may seem like a time-saver, plucking more than one hair is dangerous when it comes to perfecting your brow shape. "You need to be really aware and take your time," Streicher warns. If you pluck with haste, you'll be more likely to create holes in your brows. 

The fix: Every single hair you pull should be one that you have thoughtfully decided needs to go. Once you pluck one or two hairs -- at separate times, of course, step back and look at yourself in the mirror. This will help you get the full effect of your shape. Then you can go back in to pluck more if necessary. 

Mistake No. 6: Getting rid of "sprouts"We know what you're thinking, "what the heck are sprouts?" Think Brooke Shields in her youth. She had those little sprout-like hairs on the inner portion of her brows that made them unique and special. Don't pluck them, says Streicher. "If anything, trim them. They are a beautiful thing and they shouldn't be taken out," she says. She adds that women who have them always want to get rid of them, but those who don't have them, want them. 

Mistake No. 7: Trimming too muchBy now you've caught on to the overall rule of at-home brow grooming -- be conservative and mindful. The same rule applies to trimming. If you trim many hairs at once and trim them too short, you'll likely end up with sparse (er, bald) areas. 

The fix: Trim one hair at a time, yes, just one. Brush the inner portion of your brows up and trim only hairs that are longer than the rest, one at a time. Brush the outer portion of your brows down and do the same. 

Mistake No. 8: Filling in brows with a pencil or powder that's too darkThis is the biggest mistake Streicher sees when it comes to filling in brows. If the brow pencil or powder you're using is the same color as your hair, it's too dark. Too dark brows look very unnatural. 

The fix: Choose a pencil or powder that's "a shade or two lighter than your hair color," Streicher says. Or use a tinted brow gel, which looks even more natural and adds fullness and length to your brows. If you have very sparse brows, fill them with pencil first, top that with powder then finish with a tinted brow gel. Seems like a lot steps just for your brows, but "if your brows look good, everything else will look good," Streicher says. 

Mistake No. 9: Brow tattoos that are a single thick lineBrow tattoos can look great when done right. But one single, thick line is not the best way to create faux brows. They look very harsh and unnatural. 

The fix: Do your research. Find a permanent makeup artist that draws many tiny, hair-like strokes of ink, they will look much more natural. And ask for a shade that is about two hues lighter than your hair color. Before you commit, ask the expert for examples of their past work, so you can feel confident in working with them. 

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