How to get the perfect eyebrows

 

In shape... the perfect wedding-day eyebrow

How to get the perfect eyebrows

Perfectly shaped eyebrows are like the icing on the cake when it comes to beauty and makeup. They frame the face and bring out your best features, so it’s no wonder — with all those close-up photos brides have to look forward to — getting one’s eyebrows professionally shaped is usually high on the list of a bride’s beauty priorities… mine included (closely flowed by teeth-whitening, improving my skin tone and growing out my fringe… but that’s another blog!). After so many years of plucking the same arches I first tweezed when I was 12 years old, I decided it was time to get me a set of celebrity-quality brows. But is it always possible, no matter how thin or out-of-shape your brows are?  

The perfect eyebrows  

My mission to get the perfect eyebrows began with booking an appointment at specialist eyebrow salon Highbrow in Drummoyne. Brow artist Natalie Bullock, who formerly worked at a renowned eyebrow salon in the eastern suburbs, wields the spatula and tweezers at Highbrow, which has been running since 2008. Its popularity means you have to book weeks in advance — especially if you want weeknight or Saturday appointments.  

Diagrams like the above image are helpful, but they're hard to put into practice.

Why an eyebrow specialist? Well, my experience with regular beauty salons and eyebrow-waxing in the past has resulted in lopsided or too-sparse brows, and I always walk away feeling I could have done better myself. So I wanted to get the royal treatment this time. I wanted a genuine eyebrow expert to tell me exactly how my eyebrows should look. Sure, I’ve seen the illustrations and diagrams of the perfect eyebrow structure, but it’s difficult to apply that information to your own eyebrows. I also wanted to learn how to look after my eyebrows from here on, and find out some tips on eyebrow maintenance in general for all of you!  

The importance of well-shaped eyebrows  

Natalie Bullock, Highbrow

“Having the right brow shape is so important because brow can make or break your look,” says Natalie. “The right brow will open up and frame the eyes.”  

Having the right brow colour is also important. “When brows are too dark the eye area looks heavy, which can age a face dramatically,” she says. “Brides especially need their brows to be at their best, because poorly shaped brows will definitely show up in photos.    

“We recommend brides to come for at least two visits before their big day, leaving three days before their wedding for their last appointment. Your make-up artist will also appreciate your brows being correctly shaped as it makes the application of your make up much easier and gives a better finish for the eye shadow underneath the brow.”  

Eyebrow shaping and advice  

I arrived at Natalie’s salon with two bushier-than-usual brows, cultivated over a couple of weeks (which I have since found out is not necessary — you don’t have to grow your eyebrows before you visit) and was immediately ushered into the recliner chair for my aesthetic analysis. After a quick inspection, Natalie diagnosed me with rather thin brows in need of a few extra millimetres on the lower edge and more lift in the outer arch. She set to work with various tints, waxing, tweezing and gave me a thorough description on how to shape, define, colour and brush my eyebrows thereafter.  

The result? My former semi-circle-shaped arches are now on their way to being in proportion and structured, and — thankfully — I still have five months before my wedding day to grow those extra millimetres. Now, for that teeth-whitening treatment…  

Natalie Bullock’s eyebrow tips for brides  

• One shape doesn’t fit all: There is not one perfect shape for everyone. Everybody’s face is very different so every face must have a different brow shape. For example, someone with a smaller eye, narrow forehead and thinner lip must have a thinner brow; whereas somebody with a full lip and larger eye needs a fuller brow to frame the face correctly. The shape of the eye then comes into play. If the eye lid is slightly droopy then more height is required in the high point to give an illusion of space between the eyelid and the eyebrow, opening up the eye. Voila — an eye lift without the surgery!
• All eyebrows can look great: No matter how thin or sparse the brows are we can always make the brow look great. We can create shape and fullness by staining the brow, creating definition by waxing and creating a very polished line with the tweezers. We would also recommend using a brow pencil to create a great-looking brow at home. Clients are shown how to do this in their first consultation.
• Before your appointment: Customers do not need to do anything before coming to see us. We will recommend what needs growing back rather than clients trying to grow their brows out where it is not needed. This saved the embarrassment of walking around with hairy brows. [Wish I'd know this before my consultation! … Jodie]
• Costs: The cost for the initial consultation at Highbrow is $70, which includes everything you need to make your brows look fabulous. Appointments thereafter are $55 and the recommended brow pencil is $35. For more information visit www.highbrowtransformations.com.au

Have you had your eyebrows professionally shaped, and is it worth it? What other beauty problem areas are you targeting in the lead up to your wedding?