Lockdown wreaking havoc on your brows? Yeah, us too.
With millions of Aussies unable to get to a salon or brow bar for some much-needed maintenance, many of us have turned to DIY methods.
WATCH: How to achieve ‘soap brows’
But you really should think twice before going at your brows with the tweezers, wax strips, or (god forbid) razor. Not only do you risk making your current eyebrow situation even worse, you could also make it ten times harder for your brow lady to fix your look after lockdown.
So how should you be handling your runaway brows while we’re all stuck inside? And how can you recreate the most popular brow looks from celebrities and TikTok stars with your lockdown brows?
Girlfriend chatted with Benefit brow expert Samantha Tonkin, and she spilled all the secrets to perfect brows – even in lockdown.
What are the biggest brow do’s and don’ts?
When it comes to maintaining your natural brows, Samantha says there are a few key do’s and don’ts
“Don’t get too confident with those tweezers,” she warns. “Make sure you take your time… I would recommend outlining the shape you want to create as a guide before getting too tweezer happy.”
If you can, wait until lockdown is over and get them professionally done to ensure you don’t take off too much. Samantha also suggests trying new brow shapes and styles with brow products alone before committing to plucking or shaving. That way it will always wash off if you don’t love it.
As for the big ‘do’s’, Samantha says you want to be putting some TLC into your brows while you’re stuck in lockdown.
“Look after brows like you would your skin and hair,” she says – that means investing in a nourishing brow serum, especially if you want full, fluffy brows.
Another big ‘do’ is brow maintenance, in the form of minimal at-home plucking and regular brow appointments (about once every 4-6 weeks) once lockdown lifts. She says the goal is to keep maintenance regular so that you don’t need your brows totally reshaped at every appointment.
“Constant reshaping means our brows can quickly get uneven, as they will grow at different rates and in different patterns,” Samantha says. So yes, you can pluck your strays, but don’t go ham on the reshaping at home.
Invest in brow serums like these to nourish your natural brows: Benefit Browvo! Conditioning Primer for $49, Mirenesse Secret Weapon 4D Lash and Brow Growth Serum for $54.
What should I do if I’ve mucked up my eyebrows at home?
We’ve all been there. Suddenly “I’ll just pluck that one stray hair” has turned into “oh god half my brow is gone”. If you’ve over-tweezed or accidentally plucked some gaps into your brows, Samantha says the best thing to do is put the tweezers down and wait for the hair to grow back.
“If it’s too late and those gaps have already appeared, use a brow pencil that adheres to skin and creates hair-like strokes to fake those hairs back into your brows,” she says. And if you’ve really mucked them up with the tweezers or wax, just let them grow out and see a brow technician when lockdown is over.
How do I fill in my brows at home?
Of course, filling your brows in can be a bit tricky when you’re just learning, and you may run into some struggles there too. Using too much product or a shade that’s too dark are the most common problems, but Samantha has fixes for them too.
“Always have a spoolie (Mascara wand) handy to buff out any excess product,” she says of over-applying brow products. “There are also ways to balance out the wrong brow shade to make it look more natural. Contrast darker and lighter shades to create natural looking texture and if in doubt (especially while online shopping) neutral shades are always a safe bet.”
Lockdown is a great time to practice your brow skills, so try filling them in using different techniques to get the hang of what works best for you.
WATCH: One of the best ways to fill in your brows
I want fluffy/full/defined brows – how can I get that look without going to a salon?
You’ll need a different approach for each style of brow, Samantha explains to us, and some will work best with specific types of products. We asked her to break down three of the most popular brow looks from celebrities and across TikTok right now; fluffy natural brows, thick brows and defined brows. She revealed how you can recreate each style at home with only a few products.
For a natural and fluffy brow like Olivia Rodrigo
What you’ll need: a thin brow pen or pencil and soft brow gel.
Use a fine brow pen or pencil in a shade that matches your natural brow hair and create thin, hair-like strokes following the direction that your brow hair grows in.
In a shade or two lighter, use an easy filling brow pencil to create shadow throughout the entire brow, before adding a brow gel to give the hairs a finished and volumized look.
Our top buys for a natural, fluffy brow: IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil for $38, Benefit Partners In Brows Set for $59.
For a textured and full brow like Zendaya
What you’ll need: a brow pomade and angled brush, brow pencil and strong brow gel.
Use your brow gel to set your brow hair in an upward direction to create texture and identify any gaps you may have.
Use your fine brow pencil to create hair-like strokes, following the direction of hair growth and lightly fill any areas where there is missing hair.
Now take your full pigmented pomade and finer angled brush to add additional hair-like strokes. This will help to add more volume and depth to the brow.
Our top buys for a full, textured brow: Napoleon Perdis Fixated Brow Styling Soap for $32, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pen for $41.
For a bold and defined brow like Kylie Jenner
What you’ll need: a brow pomade and angled brush and heavy-duty brow gel.
Use your pomade and a fine angled brush to outline the edges of the brow before filling them in.
For a more ombre effect, fill the tail of the brow in first, as there will be the most product on the brush to start, and blend forward.
The front of the brow can either be textured by drawing in fine hair-like strokes or by blending your product out with a spoolie for a seamless ombre.
Use a highlighter on concealer on your brow bone to define and clean the edges of the brow, before setting the hairs in place with a long-wearing brow gel for a polished finish.
Our top buys for a bold, defined brow: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel for $39, Benefit POWmade Brow Pomade for $37.
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