I am imperfect...but my brows are not
Let’s talk about brows, baby. Let’s talk about wax and tweeze! If the eyes are the window to the soul, your eyebrows are the picture frame for your whole face. The battle of the brows is real and this is not a one size/shape fits all situation.
My eyebrows have always been thick and are my favorite physical attribute but I hated them when I was younger. When I was in middle school, someone told me it looked like I had caterpillars on my forehead. My mother was adamant about me never touching them and I resented her for that at the time because, let me just live my life, Ma! For my 16th birthday, she finally let me get them waxed. BIG MISTAKE. I went from caterpillars to sperm and they looked like that for the next 13 years. 13 years of damaging them and suddenly the big brow trend hits. I bought all the growth serum and didn’t remove one hair for almost a year. I found the top brow specialist in Boston and forked over $50 every 6 weeks to get them shaped. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and I’m grateful they grew back in all their natural glory. Not everyone has thick brows and that’s OK; forget trends and aim for what’s natural! Look at a photo of yourself prior to anyone ever touching them and that should be your goal with some minor clean-up and shaping. I prefer to leave my grooming to a professional that focuses solely on brows. Your Brazilian wax and brow maintenance are two VERY different things and, if you take any advice from me at all, NEVER EVER let the person that gives you a manicure touch your brows. Brows are one beauty service that I will not cheap out on. Your eyebrows are one of the first facial features people notice (remember the social media 10 year photo challenge? BROWS).
I’m not keen on microblading unless you have a few missing hairs and need to fill some spots in for fullness. Why? Because you will have to continue getting them tattooed for eternity. The ink fades and turns a very weird shade of red; I don’t think the ink colors have been perfected enough for eyebrows. Instead, STOP touching them for 9-12 months, religiously use a growth serum, and consider a brow tint. Even if your brow shape is naturally sparse or thin, a good tint is life-changing! Time and patience are of the utmost test here but it’s worth it and they will grow if you just let them. My go-to brow products are here.
If I do nothing at all to my face any given day (i.e. almost every day), I will still brush my brows upwards with a lash wand because it makes a big difference. Castor oil is a growth serum on the cheap. I’ve experimented with it and it definitely works (bonus: you can also use it on your lashes) but takes a bit longer to see a difference versus Revitabrow, which was a noticeable difference within 6-8 weeks for me. SDS brow gel is the best I’ve ever used! Available in “invisible” and a variety of shades; the special wand snatches every single hair and keeps your brows in place all day. I prefer gel over pencil because it’s easier to apply and looks much more natural. I still see a professional for overall shaping but in-between appointments I do some very minor maintenance myself. If you’re in NYC or Connecticut, there is only one person I recommend and she’s a true artist. Look no further than Stephanie DeSantis and give her a hug for me.
My simple eyebrow rules to make your eyebrows rule!
Don’t follow the trends and go with your natural shape, whatever that is (thick, thin, dark, light).
Don’t get carried away with the tools! Specifically, your brow pencil. Unless, you’re willing to blend and then blend some more or you risk having that harsh, penciled-in look that is currently trending but no one knows why.
Brush your brows up every morning.
Have questions? Hit me up in the comments below!
XO -Heidi
Musical inspiration for this post brought to you by…