#1. Microblading Magic

We all wish our brows wouldn’t disappear at the end of the day with a makeup removing wipe. While the idea of tattooing on your eyebrows sounds great in theory (imagine never having to tend to them again!) in practice we’re way too scared to take that leap.
 
Enter microblading, the newest offer in the world of semi-permanent make up that sounds right up our street. Perfect for anyone who is serious about brows, whether you’d like to totally reconstruct your brow shape, add definition to sections, counter the damage of over-plucking, or simply fill in the gaps.
 
Microblading is essentially drawing hairs onto your skin in a natural and undetectable way. Your appointment will take up to two hours, the first of which is spent drawing your perfect shape until you’re 100% happy with it; it is going to last you up to the next couple of years after all. Chat to your therapist about the best style of brow for your face and try out a number of different ones before you settle on the shape you prefer.
 
Next the therapist will apply a numbing cream before carefully and meticulously filling in your brows as desired, using tiny fine strokes that look just like real hairs. It’s relatively painless and, unlike after your wax appointment, you will be photo ready mere minutes afterwards! You will just need a little touch up 6-8 weeks later. The best bit? This treatment comes with no special care instructions and you are free to swim, shower and rub your eyebrows with no smudging for the next two to three years. In Cape Town? Book an appointment at The Urban Beauty Lounge.

Read More. Everything You Need to Know About Eyebrow Microblading

#2. Tinting Them Pretty

For colour that lasts a little longer than a brow pencil application but isn’t as long lasting as microblading, try tinting your brows. While having them done at the salon is great, doing them yourself at home is actually very easy and does give your wallet a well-earned rest.
 
The best time to dye your own eyebrows is just after tweezing or threading as this way you will only be dyeing the hairs that make up the shape of your brow and not the stragglers around them.
 
Mix up the solution and apply to your brows using the brow wand provided. Don’t stress if you get some dye on your skin, just clean up the area around your brow with a wet ear bud immediately after application. Wipe off the dye after a few minutes and your colour will stick around for four to six weeks. Our product pick: Eylure Permanent Tint for Brows.

#3. Grow Them Gorgeous

So many trends from the 90s have made a comeback but luckily the super over-tweezed eyebrows have not and big, bold and bushy brows are still in. If you’re a recovering plucking addict or maybe you just want thicker brows there are a number of home remedies to make your hairs grow faster.
 
The number one product that people swear by is castor oil, which nourishes the hair follicles and promotes growth, but you can also try applying coconut oil or olive oil at bedtime.
 
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#4. Wax Them Away

Of all the brow shaping techniques, waxing is considered the most effective as there is a longer period in between regrowth. It’s particularly good if you have thicker coarser hair which grows back quickly, plus the brow hairs tend to grow back finer and softer. Just know that pulling off the wax can leave the skin a bit sensitive so this may not an option for you.
 
You can either choose to have waxing done by a pro or DIY at home. If you opt for the DIY option, please avoid using body waxes as they are too harsh for the face. Also, be careful of overheating the wax (it should look creamy and not oily) and apply it in small sections instead of one strip over the entire brow area. A great DIY option is Mandy's Facial Wax Wand with a precision tip, quick heating plus a gel wax with calendula extract to soothe the skin.

#5. Your Best Threads

The hair removal method of the moment has got to be threading but many women have yet to try this ancient form of hair removal out. Afraid of the pain? If you can handle tweezing or waxing you can handle threading, in fact it’s far gentler on the skin around your brows as there’s no pulling involved. If you’re nervous ask your therapist to test it out on your arm first so you can get used to the sensation.
 
Apart from it being kinder to your sensitive skin, meaning it’s less likely that you’ll break out afterwards, threading is incredibly precise, making it ideal for achieving Kylie Jenner-level perfect brows.

#6. Don’t Be A Tweeze

We definitely recommend having a great pair of tweezers like the one from Essence for touching up your brows between appointments but don’t attempt a whole reshaping job with them.
 
Tweezing them yourself takes long, is painful, will leave you with asymmetrical brows - plus the hair will grow back with the same texture within a week. Rather choose your hair removal method of choice, be it waxing or threading, and leave it to the pros.
 
Read More. Here Are 5 Easy Steps to Shaping the Most Amazing Brows

#7. Brush It Out

On the other side of the HD brow trend we have the super natural look, great for those who are low-maintenance and just want to enhance their natural shape. You can skip the threading appointment all together and simply tweeze any stray hairs in between your two brows to avoid a mono-brow situation.
 
Your secret weapon is a spoolie (AKA a brow brush), which should be gently combed through your eyebrows in the morning to neaten your look. Or use a slick of Essence Make Me Brow Eyebrow Gel Mascara to keep them in place all day. L’Oréal’s Brow Artiste Plumper uses a mascara brush enriched with fibres to not only tame those arches but also help fill out those little gaps.
 
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#8. Pencil It In

Whatever your look is make sure it’s bold; no one wants sparse eyebrows. If you’re after a sharp look with a crisp finish use an eyebrow pencil. The biggest mistake you can make with pencils is using a shade darker than your brows. Rather choose one shade lighter so it blends in more naturally. These brow pencils come with a spoolie brush to neaten your arches both before and after lining: Catrice Eye Brow Stylist, Yardley Eyebrow Pencil, Essence Eyebrow Designer and L’Oréal Brow Artist Xpert.
 
Start by outlining the shape of your brow then fill it in. For a more natural finish try using alternating long and short strokes to emulate hairs with the pencil. If your brows come out a bit too sharp for your liking smudge them with a brush to tone down the drama.
 
If you’re more interested in colour than a precise shape use an angled brush and a powder to fill in your eyebrow gaps. There are some fabulous eyebrow styling sets to make it all so much easier: Essence Eyebrow Styling Set and Rimmel Brow this Way Brow Sculpting Kit in Mid Brown.

View Video. Eyebrow Tutorial: The BEST Way to Fill In Your Eyebrows

#9. Smudge-Proof Brows

The trick to beautiful brows doesn’t lie in the brows alone but also the skin around it! Using an angled brush like Cala Brow Brush, carefully outline your brow with your foundation. This creates a barrier between your hairs and your skin, giving you a crisper finish and preventing your brow products from blending into the surrounding skin.
 
After blending your foundation line into the rest of your skin, use a bigger brush (like Cala Concealer Brush) and a powder in your skin tone to seamlessly blend it into the rest of your skin.
 
Read More. How to Choose the Best Eyebrow Shape to Perfectly Suit Your Face

 

To end on a little fun note. Did you know that face readers can pick up your personality from even the smallest features on your face? Don’t believe it? See if you can recognise yourself in this article from Byrdie on What Your Brow Shape Says About Your Personality.