How To: Perfect Your Brows

Eyebrows can be confusing. Between thick, thin, dark, and light; it can sometimes be hard to figure out what works best for you. It's no surprise, however, that perfect brows are the trick to taking over the world (hello, Amal Clooney). So what's the secret to perfect eyebrows? We interviewed brow guru, Anastasia Soare, celebrity brow expert and founder of Anastasia of Beverly Hills, to find out.

"You were born with the brow that’s right for you," explains Anastasia. Work with that thickness to hone the arch and tweeze unruly brow hairs outside of your brow area in the direction of hair growth to sculpt and shape the correct brow." So, no matter who you are, perfect brows are attainable!  Just work with what your momma gave ya.

"I recommend tweezing at home as needed, because it is more precise than other methods." It's no wonder Anastasia's favorite tools include stencils and a good pair of tweezers. Of course we all have a handy pair of tweezers, but have you ever thought about using stencils?  So smart!  Once shaped, she recommends, "Layering powder, pencil, and gel will give you a multidimensional brow that looks natural and polished."

Eyebrows are truly one of the hidden secrets to a beautiful face. The prettiest celebs have the best brows. Fact. Need more proof?

Enough said.

How to Fill in Your Brows Like A Pro

You might have noticed on my Instagram that last week I was in LA working on a top secret project (I can't wait to tell you about it), and as you can imagine, I spent quite a bit of time in the makeup chair.  One of my makeup artists, Gabbi Pascua, did something groundbreaking when she was filling in my brows.  Do you normally fill in your brows? Well, here's a little trick.  Trust me, after you try it, you'll be in awe.

Typically I fill my brows in with either shadow or liner.  Pascua used two different formulas on my sparse brows to, "make them look natural, refined and shaped," a liquid and a pencil.  Here's the how to:

Use a liquid formula (which is a consistency I've never used on my brows before), like Stila's Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color to fill in the front only where it needs to be filled by "feathering" with short brush strokes.

Then, take a pencil like NARS Brow Perfector in a darker shade and fill in from your mid brow to the ends for a "fuller, defined brow that's not too harsh."

Next time you fill in your brows, remember, don't force a shape, just fill in what's missing and  blend the two formulas with your brow brush for the most natural looking brows.

3 Tips on Growing In & Shaping Your Brows from Sania Vucetaj

Confession: I've been getting my brows shaped since I was in eighth grade.  Now, I'd do anything to have those brows back.  As ungroomed they may have been, they were full and beautiful.  Now, after years of waxing, threading and plucking, believe it or not I'm in an OK place, but need to be in a great place in time for my wedding!  I paid my first visit to Sania Vucetaj, a brow specialist recommended to me by Kathie Lee and Hoda, about three months ago and she gave me one piece of advice that in my seven years of reporting beauty I've never heard before and it changed everything.  

1. Don't moisturize your brow area.  Just by experimenting on her own Sania found that when she skipped moisturizing her brow area, her hairs would fall out less and grow in.  "For me, it was a breakthrough," she says.  I put it to the test.  Three months later a gap I had in-between my brow and new growth was full!  It's hard to break out of the habit of slathering moisturizer all over your face, but seriously skip your brow area for growth!
2. Stay away from magnifying mirrors.  "Nobody should see that much," she remarks.  "When you see too much, you lose perspective and you just keep plucking causing a domino effect." At the end of the day, one notices the little, light hairs underneath like you think they do. They only notice the good brow.  Remember, clean does not mean shape.
3. Tweeze once every two weeks.  "Every hair makes a statement so tweezing is the most precise way to control your shape," she explains.  If you have hairs peeking through before your two weeks is up cover them with powder based nude eye shadow and remember less is more.

The Threading Truth

The ancient practice of eyebrow threading has evolved into a regimen coveted by beauty buffs everywhere, including the Hollywood elite.  The practice, which uses a thin piece of twisted cotton thread to remove hair from the root, was originally developed in India and has long been prevalent all over the Middle East, where excess hair removal is nothing short of an art form.  Within the last couple of decades, the phenomenon has spread to the Western world as an alternative to the ever-dreaded eyebrow wax.   So, how does threading compare to waxing?

• Generally cheaper than waxing, at about $5 to $20 per session, depending on the salon.
• Lasts the same amount of time as waxing, about two weeks to a month, based on individual hair growth patterns.
• Threading yields much more precise results as it only removes a single row of hair at a time, as opposed to larger areas.
• Pain factor?  Not comfortable, but definitely tolerable.  Similar to waxing, sans the hot wax.  Also less likely to irritate your skin, especially for those with a sensitive complexion.

Threading can also be used to take care of other unwanted facial hair, including furry hairlines, sideburns, chins, cheeks, ears, noses, necks, and upper lips.

As the unfortunate victim of genetically bushy brows, I have been having my eyebrows threaded since the age of twelve and I am extremely satisfied with the results.  Aside from a bit of redness immediately after the process, irritation is minimal and results are top-notch.