When you barely have time to look in the mirror, your eyebrows are most likely the last thing you're concerned about - but they're more important than you think!
Figuring out how to shape eyebrows can make or break how you look, and can instantly make you appear more put together and groomed - even when you're feeling the exact opposite. It doesn't have to take hours or cost a fortune either, just a few quick tricks and you'll have beautiful brows in a matter of minutes.
We've scoured almost every eyebrow tutorial to bring you our tried and tested tips to fix up your brows, specially created with a busy mum in mind!
How to shape your eyebrows
1. Trim
If your eyebrow hairs are long or looking a little straggly, use a clean mascara spool brush, a double-sided brow and lash brush, or even a fine-toothed comb, and brush your hair upwards. Trim any hairs that reach above your natural eyebrow line - the best scissors to use are small, precise nail scissors, or nose-trimming scissors. Go slowly and be careful - you can take away more, but you can't put them back...
2. Tweeze
Clean up pesky random hairs around the arch of your eyebrow with a trusty pair of tweezers. Press a warm damp flannel over your eyebrows before tweezing or waxing to open up the follicles - this makes the hair removal less painful, and reduces those red patches you tend to get afterwards! When you're done, pat an ice-cube over the area afterwards to further minimise redness and soothe your skin.
3. Shape
How your eyebrow is shaped is entirely up to you. It does come down to personal preference, but there are different eyebrow shapes that are said to match up with your face shape, age, make up look - everything!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_3DafZz_9g
This tutorial covers most of the different eyebrow shapes, but one of the most classic rules of eyebrow shapes is that to look older, you'll need a thinner and more arched brow. To look younger, simply reverse it - a fuller and slightly bushy-looking eyebrow is more youthful and fresh.
4. Fill
The right product for you will depend on the texture of your brows. If you have sparse or thin hairs, a brow powder or matching eyeshadow fills in gaps really quickly and makes hairs look thicker.
For thicker-haired women, a thin brow or eye pencil that's not too soft or waxy is perfect. Use quick light strokes to draw in individual hairs and fill gaps.
And for those with truly unruly brows? Reach for a wax (even a hair wax will do!), brow gel or mascara. Dab some wax on a brush or finger and pat or brush over hairs, or use an old mascara that's a little dried out or brow gel to swipe through hairs and fix in place.
Colourwise, ashy cool-toned colours are generally more flattering and natural looking than warmer, red-based tones.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD4c3AqQqGM
5. Highlight
Now you've got the basic shape down, use a light flesh or cream-coloured eye pencil, eyeshadow or concealer to highlight underneath your brows - simply run it along the lower line of your hairs. This is a great trick if you're looking a bit tired or want to brighten up your complexion, as it instantly lifts your expression and widens your eyes.
4 easy hacks to make perfect brows even easier
Use items you already have
Save your money and use bits from your make-up bag to makeover your eyebrows. Use an old and kind of dried-out mascara for a tinted eyebrow gel, clear mascara for an invisible eyebrow gel, and an eyeshadow two shades darker than your hair for eyebrow powder.
Or hit the pantry
If you want to go a bit further, scrap the products and use what you probably already have in your kitchen cupboard. Beauty blogger Jennifer Chiu says you can whip up a DIY eyebrow tint with leftover coffee grounds, cocoa powder, coconut oil and a little bit of honey. This trick seems great for anyone who gets irritated or sensitive skin with most beauty products, so try it out!
Use hairspray for a perfect hold
If your eyebrows are quite unruly and your gel just isn't cutting it, try spraying a little hairspray on a spoolie or eyebrow brush and brushing it through the hairs. You can also use this method to tame baby hairs and flyaways from around your face!
Grow them out quickly!
For an amped up growth, dab virgin coconut or castor oil on your brows every night before bed. These two oils work wonders for hair growth, so feel free to massage them into your scalp as well!
Do you have any top eyebrow tips of your own? Let us know in the comments box below!
