The Must-Know Grooming Tips for Every Eyebrow Shape

For many of us, learning how to groom the brows is equivalent to learning a foreign language. It’s challenging and requires a level of consistency that can take multiple attempts to master. But of course, it’s not completely impossible, especially if you’re cognizant of one very important detail: their shape and thickness.

Yes, there’s a revolving door of brow products that promise to smooth, hold and transform all kinds of brows, but the truth is every single one of them does not warrant your attention. So in an effort to save you time and stress, ahead are grooming tips for the most common shapes, all courtesy of the authority in brow maintenance.

MORE: 9 New Eyebrow Products for Mastering Your Arch This Year and Beyond

Sparse Brows

Microblading may be all the rage, but for those who want to do it the old fashioned way, a powder or pomade (or combination of both) is the easiest way to create the illusion of a fuller brow. Alyssa Anderson, Artistry and Creative Marketing Manager for Anastasia Beverly Hills, recommends applying something like the Dipbrow Pomade throughout the brow shape and then using a brush to evenly distribute the product.

“Try Anastasia Beverly Hills Brush #14 to create hair like strokes through the brow for natural-looking brows that won’t wipe away,” she says. If you want to maintain a polished shape, but also allow room for the brows to grow without being disturbed, stencils are also a great option for facilitating that process.

“When grooming your brows, apply a small amount of Brow Powder Duo using your stencil to create a guideline of your desired shape. Once filled, groom around the filled shape. This technique will keep you from removing hairs which are important in maintaining your shape.”

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Bushy Brows

If your brows are already thick, think less about filling and more about taming. According to Anderson, the quickest and easiest way to do this is with a combo of brow pencil and brow gel (tinted or clear–the choice is up to you.).

“Lightly fill any gaps in the brow with Brow Wiz using small strokes and blending through with the attached spoolie to soften,” she says. “Tinted Brow Gel then lightly tints & grooms brow hair into place.”

The Patented Golden Ratio Method is also a simple and effective method you can use to help maintain balance and proportion in already full brows. Anderson says this method refers to the three points in your eyebrow: the start (or inner end), arch and tail.

“Using a brow pencil, align the pencil vertically from the center of your nostril. That is where your brow will begin. Next, align the brush with the edge of the nostril & intersect with the outer corner of the eye. That is where your brow should end. Lastly, place the pencil at the very tip of your nose & intersect through the iris of the eye. That is where your brow should arch,” says Anderson.

By using these three reference points to shape your brow, it can dramatically improve your approach to grooming both at home and in a salon. 

MORE: 5 Things I Learned After Refreshing My Microbladed Eyebrows

Over-Arched Brows

When you’ve gone overboard with the tweezing and ended up with an over-arched brow, a combination of powder and pencil will create natural-looking texture in areas that have been over-tweezed. You can also utilize stencils to achieve a more balanced, symmetrical look.

“Apply the stencil and lightly fill the shape with Brow Powder Duo,” says Anderson. “Once filled, remove the stencil and use Brow Wiz to add hair like texture in sparse areas.”

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Uneven Brows

Are your brows super thick at the inner, top area and thin and sparse in the tail area? This brow shape can also benefit from the use of Brow Stencils to achieve better balance and symmetry. Another feasible option is a brow pencil, such as the Brow Definer, to to adapt to the area of the brow you are filling and eventually even out the entire shape.

“Fill the tail of the brow and blend with attached spoolie brush to soften. Use the highest point of the triangular tip through the front of the brow to create natural hair like texture and balance the tail of the brow.”

To Gel or Not to Gel?

Brow gel is a product that all brows can benefit from. If you have stubborn hairs that don’t sit where you’d like them, it will lock them in place all day. If your brow hairs lighter or darker than your hair color, a tinted formula can create a believable color match.