Our Editor sat down with National Brow Artist for Benefit, Hannah Terrett, to give us the nitty-gritty details on how to master the perfect brow for every face shape… and also to give us the holy grail of brow makeovers.
Read below to find out the dos and don’ts to create the perfect arched brow, then click through the gallery to discover the best of brow products you need to know about (and own) now.
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RESCU: Tell us how to map out where your brows should start and finish?
Hannah: Brow mapping is a 3 step custom technique that measures your brows. This will give you the illusion of having more symmetry in your brows.
The start of the brow should always begin at the inside corner of the eye, and connect down to the crease line of the nostril.
The highest point of the arch runs through the centre of the pupil and connects to the crease line of the nose.
The tail portion of the brow should end at the outside corner of the eye and connects to the inside corner of the nose.
Your brow thickness should be no thinner than the width of a standard makeup style brush, pen or pencil. Brows are thicker than that. If they’re thinner, you’re going to need to grow them back and get them fuller.
RESCU: What do you think is the really hot brow trend at the moment? Because brows do go through trends…
Hannah: The definite trend at the moment is the feathered endogenous look. So, Cara Delevingne, Lily Collins. Very thick and quite textured. Give your natural brows their own personality, I think that’s really important.
RESCU: Is it a myth that if you always trim your brows, they will grow curlier?
Hannah: It’s a great theory, but it’s actually not true. Your brows grow slightly curlier based on hormones because it’s growing underneath the skin surface. But trimming your brow, it’s going to make it sit smoother and flatter and it won’t stimulate any extra hair.
RESCU: What do you think about tinting brows?
Hannah: It depends on what look you are going for. If you really want to build in the density, texture, and make your brows look thicker you need to go slightly deeper with your tone. But if you want to soften them and make your face look awake, then you could go for a slightly warmer shade of tint to bring them to life.
RESCU: What would be the 2 key products needed in a make up bag for eyebrows?
Hannah: Well, you’ll really nail it with what’s out there at the moment. There are so many different things that could really be confusing for most people. But I think if you had to pick 2 go-to’s for your brow tool kit, it would definitely be a product that creates:
1. Shape and fill, so it fills in any sparse areas or gaps you may have that need a fill in.
2. A product that’s going to give your brows more definition and structure. I would say a pencil to give you shape and filling. And to add definition, adding a bit of extra colour.
RESCU: What do brow powders do?
Hannah: They give you more of a natural finish. It just depends on the type of look that you’re after.
If you’re after a more natural kind of fluffier, feathered finish, opt for a powder. If you want a more defined, bold, structured brow, you would try pomade or a gel.
RESCU: In your experience, if you have had a brow disaster, what is the realistic time frame to grow that disaster out?
Hannah: Growth cycles depends on different people. Growth is stimulated by hormones, for some people it can take a month, or in some cases only a few weeks. For others, it can take a few years. The sparser the hairs, the more length of time you will need to grow your brows back.
RESCU: Do you recommend hair stimulating gels and medications that you can put on your lashes and brows?
Hannah: I think that completely depends on personal preference. I don’t think there’s anything out there that has proven to stimulate, but I think if its something you’re going to try, be wary of testing it directly onto the face. Definitely try before you buy.
RESCU: What’s the difference between waxing versus tweezing?
Hannah: Waxing gives you a really clean line around the shape. It’s great getting rid of all the fluffy, baby hair, which we call peach fuzz. It’s designed to give you a really structured, sharp finish of the brow and it intensifies the shape and brings the shape to life.
Tweezing is really good for removing any excess hair or any strays that need precision shaping.
The best way of doing your brows is doing a combination of waxing and tweezing.
RESCU: How often should you be maintaining your brows to get that beautiful structured brow?
Hannah: Anything between 2 – 4 weeks depending on your growth.
If you naturally have really dense hair that tends to grow quite quickly, to maintain the shape, it’s every 2 weeks. But if you find that your brows are a little sparser, you can stretch it out to 3 – 4 weeks.
RESCU: How often should you be tinting?
Hannah: The same, about 2 – 3 weeks if dense and 3 – 4 weeks if you have sparser hair.
RESCU: Is there a way to tame curly and unruly brows?
Hannah: There is, I guess trimming is the first piece from a brows expert perspective. It gives your brows a more consistent shape and thickness. Also, using a product, like ready, set, brow which is one our new ones. It’s really good for retaining structure and taming those fly away hairs into place.
Click through the gallery below to discover our edit of the best of brow beauty products to create your perfect brow.
