The secret to beautiful brows

EYEBROWS frame and balance the face, and a well-groomed pair can make your eyes appear larger and give you a mini facelift! But for women over 50, the secret to perfect brows is to be well shaped and have enough colour to give the face proportion and symmetry.

While you may be adept at plucking your own, older eyebrows can be wiry, bushy and shapeless, so it’s worth getting them shaped by a professional. But if your eyebrows are thin, faded and over-plucked, you’ll need to restore both shape AND colour.

Thick eyebrows are very on-trend right now. So if you are blessed with a pair a la Brooke Shields, fantastic. But if you aren’t — like me — don’t despair. I used to have thick brows once, but due to fashion trends and an over-zealous hand, they are no more. (If you keep plucking in the same spot, you stunt the hair growth. That’s why you see older women with super thin eyebrows.) So now I have to draw them in every day! 

There are many eyebrow products available — pencils, stylers, liners, brushes for powders or Amazonian clay, gel formulations and “eyebrow stamps” (big on social media right now). So experiment to find what works for you. But if you want something more “permanent”, then you need to consult with a brow expert on micro-blading, misting or feather-touch brow tattoo options.

HOW TO GET PERFECT BROWS

First, brush your brows into shape with the spiral end of a brow pencil or an old toothbrush. Then using your preferred product or tool (brow pencil, brush and powder, or gel pencil), gently fill in any sparse areas with fine feathery strokes from the inner eyebrow outwards, through the arch, then the tail. Step back and assess. Then gently brush upwards to blend the colour and restore the shape.

When it comes to colour go for brown tones, even if your brows are black.

If you are very fair, a slightly darker brow will give more definition. Blonde brows look best with light brown tones. (However, many blonde pencils have red in them. So look for blonde pencils with more grey tones). Redheads can use auburn shades. Brunette brows look good with dark brown tones, while black hair demands them.

Here are some of my favourite products for perfect brows:

• Sisley Phyto-Sourcils Perfect Eyebrow Pencil (this is my go-to favourite)
• Look Fabulous Forever Fabulous Brow Shape
• Christian Dior Sourcils Poudre
• Chanel Stylo Sourcils Waterproof Defining Longwear Eyebrow Pencil
• Lancome Le Crayon Sourcils
• Bobbi Brown Medium Brow Kit
• Bare Minerals Frame & Define Brown Styler
• Glo Minerals Brow Collection
• Billion Dollar Brows
• Tarte Cosmetics Eyebrow Makeup
• By Terry Eyebrow Liner

STILL NOT HAPPY?

Alternatively, get your brows — and eyelashes — tinted. Perfect before heading off on vacation! But if you’re dark haired, tint them a shade lighter (preferably in brown tones) than your natural hair colour.

Or a more “permanent” solution is to get your eyebrows tattooed, misted or microbladed. There’s a whole industry of brow specialists, so before you take the plunge, do your research, get recommendations and meet with the technician for a consultation. One of the best around is “arch angel” Amy Jean. But remember: You get what you pay for!

Related: How to look fabulous at 50 — and beyond
Related: How to age gracefully

WHAT IS THE PERFECT BROW SHAPE?

Every face is different and each face needs a specific brow shape. Plus the arch should be a gradual and very gentle lift.

1. If you have a round face, choose a soft, medium arch.

2. A high, defined arch will shorten your forehead and make the roundness of your lower face even more prominent.

3. If you have a square face or a strong jaw, go with a thicker brow to balance your look and bring the focus to your eyes.

4. Oval faces or petite features should have a thinner, softer brow that doesn’t overpower your delicate look.

5. Long faces need a straight brow.

6. Droopy eyes can be “lifted” by slightly arching the brows and extending them out toward the temples (rather than curve the tail down around the eye).

7. Another way to determine your shape: Hold a pencil parallel to the side of your nose and up to the bridge — the inner edge of your brows should start there. To determine the highest point of your arch, place the pencil parallel to the outside corner of your iris. Angle the pencil diagonally from your nostril to the outside corner of your eye to discover where the tail of your brow should end.

8. To maintain your beautiful brows, tidy up any straggly hairs underneath and between the brows. Avoid plucking on top, as it can distort the natural shape.

If you missed the earlier posts of this series, read the rest here.

1: Why women over 50 need a primer
2: The best foundations and concealers for a more mature face
3: The best powders for a more mature face
4: The best blushes for a more youthful flush
6: The 10 best mascaras for lustrous lashes
7: The best lipsticks for more mature lips

NEXT: The 10 best mascaras for lustrous lashes

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All products mentioned are available from department stores, selected pharmacies and drug stores, and specialist make-up stores (such as Mecca Cosmetica and Sephora)
— except where I have made direct links. Other online beauty sites include
StrawberryNet, Beautylish, Adore Beauty, Priceline, Chemist Warehouse, PM Studio, and Cosme-De.com

For tutorials on how to apply your make-up, go here.

Do you have a product that you can’t live without? Got a favourite make-up for mature skin? A go-to product? Care to share? Would love to hear from you. Ever stylishly yours …