We all wish we woke up with full, arched eyebrows like Cara Delevingne or Rihanna, but the reality is that most of us need the help of tweezers and a brow pencil to shape our own arches.
"Eyebrows can really contour and change the shape and appearance of your overall look by bringing balance and proportion to not only your eyes, but your entire face," explains Jared Bailey, Benefit Cosmetics global brow expert. What Bailey says is true, but one wrong move with a pair of tweezers and your arches quickly go from soft and high, to over-plucked.
Avoid any mishaps and months of re-growth by knowing exactly where your arch should start and stop, along with what products to use so that your eyebrows look soft and full before you start your tweezing session.
Keep scrolling for a step-by-step guide on how to perfectly arch your eyebrows.
VIDEO: 5 Ways to Maintain Your Eyebrows
Map Your Eyebrows
Bailey says that the first step in arching your eyebrows is identifying three points: the start, arch, and the end.
To find out where the start of your eyebrow should be, take a fine-tip eyebrow pencil and hold it at the dimple of your nose. "You’re going to measure straight up and then make a little mark with the pencil," he says. "That’s where your brows should start." When your eyebrows start closer together, your face will appear more slim and slender.
Next, take the same pencil and line it up to the outside of your nostril, and make a straight line right at the center of your iris. "What will happen is that the pencil is going to point right to where the brow should be the highest," explains Bailey. " It doesn’t mean it has to be a hard point or angle, but that’s going to be your maximum natural amount of height can achieve in a brow."
Finish by mapping out the end of the brow. Bailey says to take your pencil go from the outer corner of the nostril and it will point to right where the brow should end.
Tweeze Eyebrows Into the Arch Shape
When it comes to actually tweezing your arch, Bailey recommends making the marks and connecting them to box out the shape you want your eyebrow to be. "this way you have a boundary and know that when you go to tweeze, you’re not going to go past those lines," he says.
Use the Right Eyebrow Products
Once you've tweezed your eyebrows into the ideal arched shape, follow up with brow products to further enhance your look. Bailey says to choose a brow product based on your needs and desired finish.
For Sparse Eyebrows: A Micro-Fine Pencil
If you have sparse spots or want overall more fullness, use an eyebrow pencil with a micro-fine tip such as Benefit Cosmetics' Precisely My Brow Pencil Ultra Fine Shape & Define. The slip shape of the pencil is ideal for sketching natural, hair-like strokes exactly where you want them.
For More Color: A Wide Brow Pencil
When your eyebrows are light, reach for a chubby pencil like Lancome's Monsieur Big Brow Pencil to boost your arches with an even wash of color.
For More Defintion: Eyebrow Gel
Looking to add even more definition for dramatic eyebrows? Use a cream-gel like Benefit Cosmetics' Ka-BROW! Cream-Gel Eyebrow Color with Brush. Since the formula is buildable, you can layer it depending on how bold you want your arched eyebrows to be.
