If there is one piece of advice that I could give my younger self (well, besides study hard and don’t worry about what the cool kids think), it would be to leave my eyebrows alone. For whatever reason (much to the chagrin of my mother), I obsessively plucked my eyebrows during high school into a super thin arch. Ooph. I am still paying for it today.
So now, here I am… fifteen years later, in my thirties, wishing for the fuller brows I hated so much when I was a teenager. It’s really very sad. What’s also a little bit sad is how much time I’ve spent (especially over the past year) trying to improve my eyebrow situation.
I’ve been growing my brows out for the past year and a half and have probably tried every brow pencil, pomade, tint, or powder under the sun. I told you, I take this stuff very seriously. Alas, during a recent Target online shopping spree, I picked up two products from Pixi by Petra that have made my whole eyebrow obsession a little bit more easy.
The first product I use is Pixi by Petra’s Shades of Brows brow palette. This is the first step in my brows routine and it’s amazing because it works on everyone (I’ve tested it out on several of my girlfriends too) as you can combine the six different shades to get the perfect custom shade.
When applying the powder, I start at the arch and define that first, using the angled brush of the double sided applicator. The arch is really the most important part to focus upon as it defines your whole face. A great arch frames your eyes and will completely change your look. I wrote more about finding your arch here, but I really think it’s worth getting your brows professionally shaped at least once. To my New York readers… go see Sabria on the Upper East side! She helped me figure out where my arch should be, and now I just tweeze every day to maintain it.
So, start with the arch… and work outward… and then go back and fill in the rest of your brow. I typically start with one of the two lighter shades and then build up the color as I go, blending in the two middle shades. I have to give my inner eyebrows a little extra love as I over plucked that area when I was younger.
Lastly, I use the lightest powder in the palette under my arch to define + highlight that area. I learned that tip when I had my makeup professionally done and now I always, always apply a lighter shadow or highlighter underneath the arch. It makes your brows pop – especially if you are like me and don’t like wearing eyeshadow.
The next step is to use Pixi’s Natural Brow Duo, which is a fun little two-in-one product. First I use the spooly brush and tinted gel to brush the powder in and hold my brows in place (I don’t know about you but my eyebrows can get a bit unruly – before I found this product, I’d use clear mascara!) After that, I use the pencil on the other end to fill in any holes.
And voila. It took a bit of time to explain the process, but it takes less than two minutes to do the whole thing. My eyebrows certainly aren’t perfect but they’ve come a long way since my younger years!
This post is brought to you by Target Style. Shop the new Beauty collection in stores and online.
(photos of me by Lydia Hudgens; all other photos taken by me.)
Thanks for the tips and intro to these products. I have naturally thin eyebrows. I finally found a nice brow pencil with a little brush on the end, and the color match is great.
It was a pleasure shaping your brows, Grace! Stop by anytime!
Best, Sabria
http://www.sabriasbrows.com
Great tips! I myself also fell into the whole “let’s all make our eyebrows look like Drew Barrymore” syndrome in the late 90’s. That being said, I had very little brow to begin with, and I’ve been having a hell of a time growing them out for the past 5 years or so. I don’t even pluck at all anymore, but I’ve also tried every earthly eyebrow pencil, powder and gel like you have. The bad part is that I have these little splotchy parts in the center where most of the over-plucking was done where hair doesn’t grow at all. Not to sound like a salesperson, but I ended up buying Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Enhancing Serum and after using it for a few weeks, I am actually seeing little hairs growing in the bald spots for the first time in years. I thought it might be a croc, but I went ahead and spent the money on the stuff and it really seems to be working. I’d definitely recommend it!
Eyebrows on fleeeeek! love it.
Warm Regards,
Alexandra
http://www.littlewildheart.com
OMG, I plucked and waxed my eyebrows into oblivion back in high school and college! It makes me want to cry when I think about it. I’m STILL growing them back out….but I think what I have now is as good as they are going to get. Your brows looks great, so what you’re doing is working!
Love your eyebrows. I too am a victim of an eager tweezers.
I have started to put some of the liquid Rogaine on my brows. Just in the spots where I want the hair to grow back. Apparently, it’s supposed to work. Saw it on you tube and figured it can’t hurt. Fingers crossed!
You look beautiful in this picture. If you could tell us how you get your hair to look so darn cute…that would be great. Curling iron? Rollers? Do tell.
Hi Megan,
That is so nice! So in this case I had actually just gotten a blowout… I went to Cutler Salon down in Soho and I love what they did! BUT I just got a curling iron that lets me get beachy waves just like these and have been DIYing at home…it’s called the Beachwaver: http://bit.ly/1afYsvE. It’s great because it automatically winds your curls in the direction you want them done, making hair curling so much easier. I can get my hair to look just like this. I haven’t posted about it yet but will be in the coming weeks.
Also I’m so intrigued by using liquid Rogaine on your brows. Keep me posted on how it goes — that’s a great idea!
xx
Grace
I love this palette!
♥♥♥
Jeanne
http://fashionmusingsdiary.com
I’m always so thankful i never plucked in my younger years…but by that i mean i NEVER plucked, except to avoid a unibrow. luckily or unluckily my brows are blonde so I was just unruly, not a complete slob. But I recently discovered brow tinting and you’re right – professional eyebrow shaping + tinting was lifechanging!
will be looking into these for between appointments. thanks!
Well judging by those gorgeous brows, I may just need to pick these products up!
I wish I could tell my younger self the same thing! I’m a huge fan of Anastasia brow products.
xo, Jen
http://www.comfortably-chic.com
Love it! I have pretty dark, fairly thick eyebrows but I really want them to be a bit darker, more prominent.
Pink Champagne Problems
Even though I’m much older than you, as in 67, I also have thin eyebrows. I know well your quest for something that works for thinning brows. I tried every brand imaginable, and wasted lots of money in my search. It looks as if you would use the same color as I do and it’s light brown, Estee Lauder brow pencil. It’s the perfect shade and looks really natural. You should go to a makeup counter and try it. I think it was $23, and made my life so much simpler.
Can vaguely remember my Mom telling me not to pluck my brows so much. Well I did and now that I’m old hardly have any brows or eye lashes from using lash curler too much during 20’s.
Had nice thick lashes but had is key word, doggone it. Eye brows same.
Recently at Target I bought Revlon brow fantasy, same idea as your Pixi by Petra. I forget to use the gel most of time so brows disappear too often. Will look for the Pixi by Petra powder pallet tho.
Thank heavens our youngest daughter has left her brows be, has had hem waxed, but she has nice full darker brows from her Dad’s coloring and his Cherokee back ground. He’s maybe 1/8 Cherokee. Sure wish I’d listened to my Mom when younger and now it’ really too late to do it right. Luckily my bangs/hair cover up my brows quite often. Thanks for letting us know. You young gals are lots smarter than my generation. Our daughter is 45.
Hope you had great weekend.
Going to print out Father’s day tags to o with Father’s day flags for a garland for my hubs and son in law, maybe oldest son if I get it in mail quick enuf. He’s working in Palm Springs during week then goes back to San Diego on weekends.