Ashley of Hollywood Noir Makeup holding an Annabelle eyebrow pencil on a black background

When it comes to finding the right brow shape that suits your face as well as your personal style, it can be a rather long and tiring journey. My eyebrows have gone through many changes over the years and only now can I confidently say that I’ve found the right shape and thickness that perfectly compliment my facial features.

I prefer pencils over eye shadow, because I find the pencil simultaneously acts as a wax to help keep the brows in place. If your eyebrows are naturally thick and dark to begin with, you may opt for a shadow to fill in any gaps and that will keep it looking natural. However, since I have red hair and my eyebrows are far from that color naturally, I find the pencil helps to give me a very pigmented effect and gives them that extra oomph that make them look defined and polished. I feel naked when I don’t fill them in because my natural brows look incredibly washed out, especially when I am wearing a full face of make up.

To help find your perfect brow shape, you can use the popular Golden Ratio method. This equation born out of the European Renaissance, was first cultivated by artists to map out their paintings. In later years, scientists began utilizing this method to measure people’s beauty by the facial measurements in relation to symmetry.

To do this, simply flip the end of a make up brush upside down and place it along the side of your nose to line up with the front of your eyebrow. If your brow falls a little short, you can always use a similar colored eye shadow or pencil to fill in the gap. If you find that your hair goes past this line, pluck any strays and then you will have your starting point.

The middle line is indicative of where your arch should fall, and the third line determines where your brow should end. If your eyebrows are a little short, don’t fret! The best way to give the illusion of symmetrical brows is to extend the tail end until you reach the point where your make up brush is positioned.

Process

  • Ashley of Hollywood Noir Makeup showing posing for an after photograph of the perfect vintage browsTweeze any stray hairs that fall below your brows to keep them looking polished and defined.
  • Use a spooly to brush through your brows to tame any wayward hairs and to accentuate the natural shape.
  • Start with an eye brow pencil and gently draw a line on the underside of your brow, from the front to the tail end.
  • Next, draw a line on the very top of your brow and connect the lines at the arch.
  • Begin filling in the middle portion your brows with short, feathery strokes for a more natural appearance.
  • Using a flat edge brush, place it on the very bottom edge of the front portion of your brow and sweep up upwards.
  • This will create a gradient effect from the front to the middle part of your brow, creating a softer appearance.
  • Beginning from the top of the arch, pencil in a line extending downwards. Do the same on the underside of the brow to create an elongated triangle shape. Feather in some short strokes to make the tail solid.
  • Clean up any mistakes with a flat edge brush and some concealer.
  • Set with a clear mascara or brow gel to make sure it stays in place all day.
Products Used
  • Annabelle Eyebrow Pencil in Aurburn
  • Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer in Pink Porcelain 1
  • Curry’s 2402 1/4 small flat edge brush (paint brush)
  • Covergirl Professional Natural Lash Mascara - Clear
 

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