How to Get Perfect Eyebrows: 8 Tips and Tricks to Plucking and Shaping

How to get perfect eyebrows? Whether too thin, too thick, too patchy or too plucked, we go through a lot during our quest for that perfect arch. Not only do our eyebrows have their own set of quirks we have to work with, but one wrong move and you could spend the next six weeks looking incredibly angry.

We’re all bound to go through an eyebrow disaster at some point in our lives, which is why it’s uber-important to have a survival guide on hand – you know, just in case.

How to Get Perfect Eyebrows

1. When you have no arches…

It’s tempting to start plucking like a madwoman, but just because you don’t have perfect eyebrows now doesn’t mean you can’t work your way there. Learning how to get perfect eyebrows by plucking will help you suss out and shape the itty bitty arches you do possess.

2. When you over-pluck…

Unfortunately, over-plucking is a disaster that strikes without you even realizing it. Once you’re up close and personal with your mirror, it’s easy to end up so engrossed in every little hair you forget to step back and look at the big picture. After every few hairs, check the symmetry of your brows from a distance. Once this habit is second nature, over-plucking will become a thing of the past.
In the meantime, make it look like you have perfect eyebrows by filling in the over-plucked spots with an eyebrow pencil. Find one that’s two shades lighter than your eyebrow hair and gently apply the pencil in small, short lines to mimic your natural hair.

3. When you have bald spots…

I have one hair on my left eyebrow that perfectly covers a bald spot the women in my family were cursed with – if I’m having an off day or mistake that hair for a different one and pluck it, I look perpetually inquisitive until it grows back. Depending on the size of the bald spot, you can either use your eyebrow pencil, or for smaller spots dust in an eyebrow powder.

4. When your brows think for themselves…

Some of us have eyebrows that are a little less Cara Delevingne and a little more Eugene Levy. In this case, it’s best to bust out a small pair of eyebrow scissors. Brush your brows upward and trim any hairs that extend further than your natural brow line. Brush downward and repeat the process. Make sure to only trim a few hairs at a time (especially if you’re a newbie to the process), as cutting them too short will give you a whole new set of problems.

5. When your face turns red…

After tweezing or waxing, use a soothing lotion that contains vitamin E to prevent skin damage. I also like to apply it before bed on the day I’ve groomed my eyebrows so my skin can do its thing and restore itself while I’m asleep.

6. When you need to grow them out…

If you’ve ever shot for perfect eyebrows and came out of the experience with none at all, patience is key as you’re trying to grow them out. Lightly fill them in with a pencil while your natural hairs grow in. If you find yourself tempted to pluck, resist the urge. Take all of your eyebrow tools and store them at a friend’s house if you have to.

7. When your brows are a lost cause…

I once went through a waxing experience so horrifying “Psycho Strings” started playing in the background. Whether self-inflicted or you hit the wrong salon, it’s best to go to a highly recommended professional to rehabilitate them. If your eyebrows look like a before picture, they’ll be able to take you through the step-by-step process of turning them into perfect eyebrows again.

8. When you don’t have time to deal with them…

If it’s time for another round of maintenance but you’re crunched for time, spritz a tiny bit of hairspray on your eyebrow comb and run it through your brows to keep your shape in place. I actually do this just before my maintenance routine as well so my eyebrows know who’s boss (unlike my cat).