5 Rules For Finding Your Best Brow Color and Shape

 

It's easy to assume that A-listers and supermodels wake up with Insta-ready arches. And, to be fair, a select few were definitely born with some type of brow super gene. For the rest, however, it takes a team of trained professionals to keep their eyebrows camera-ready. Here, we asked the pros behind some of the best arches in the biz to reveal their pro tips.

Tint Before You Tweeze

"I tint all of my clients before shaping," says New York City-based makeup artist and brow guru William Scott, whose roster includes actresses like Taylor Schilling and Lily Rabe. "The dye brings out all of the fine hairs within the brow so that we have more to work with when we tweeze." Tinting your arches, however, is one project you don't want to DIY, as at-home hair color isn't necessarily formulated for this sensitive area. Plus, applying chemicals near eyes is a task best left to the pros. For a temporary (and foolproof!) tint, try Maybelline New York Brow Drama, a mascara-like product that offers a hint of color and hold.

Mix It Up to Find a Match

"I think a lot of women go wrong when they try to [choose a brow color] that's right on the nose," says makeup artist Vincent Oquendo (a go-to for supermodels like Suki Waterhouse, Gigi and Bella Hadid). "Your powder should be one shade lighter than the actual brow hair." Why? The oils in your skin often cause the pigment to oxidize and look darker once applied. Try Maybelline New York Drama

Pro Palette, which simplifies your search by formulating pigments specifically for blondes, brunettes, and redheads. 

Your Own Brow Brush

The angle brush found in Maybelline New York's Brow Drama Pro Palette was modeled after makeup pro Yadim's (the man responsible for Rihanna's intense arches for the cover of her hit single, "BBHMM") "brow triangle." The face painter was spotted wielding his bespoke brush behind these scenes at DKNY's Spring 2016 show, noting: "It's stiff so you have a lot of control with it, but it also offers flexibility." The tool's angular shape makes it ideal for filling in the wider parts of the brow, while the pointed tip devises a sharp tail. "Instead of making [the models' natural shape] heavier or darker, I filled in where needed to remove any strong hikes or peaks in the brow to make it a bit straighter," he explains of his backstage approach. To craft your own customized version, cut the bristles of a flat concealer brush on a crisp diagonal. For touch-ups on the go, use the scaled-down version with a pinky-size handle included in the Maybelline palette.
 

Stay Cool

"You have to be cautious when applying warm tones on the brows because they have a tendency to skew red," says Oquendo. "If a woman isn't sure, I tell her to veer towards the cooler end of the spectrum." Translation: Look for a pencil or powder with an ashy—not yellow or red—undertone. For example, if your hair is blonde, reach for taupe. Brunette? Try soft brown. Women with black hair should opt for a dark brown or granite-like hue. Try Maybelline New York Brow Define and Fill Duo, available in a comprehensive range of shades.