Brows are the single most important and undervalued feature of your face. Brows provide balance and expression to your face and if they are not shaped correctly you may appear angry, surprised, sad or even expressionless. This is dependant on the shape that the brow is taking. Think about the movie Toy Story where Mr Potato asks, ‘Where are my Angry brows?” or how Mr Spock appears on Star Trek as emotionless with his brows straight across his brow.
If done correctly, brows can enhance the shape of your eyes and you can appear more awake and lifted! It is my philosophy that one’s brows should be sculpted to the shape of your eye relative to your face. It is NOT about putting a stencil on and taking off the hair around. This is NOT about hair removal. You cannot sculpt a brow by putting a strip above and below and removing. That is not an art. And in the process you may damage the follicle permanently.
I became a brow artist because I apprenticed with an amazing makeup artist who taught me how to do brows for photoshoots. It was in that instruction that I could see the importance and value of where the brows angled on the face. If they were too heavy in the front one appeared angry, if they were arched in the middle (which is how most estheticians are taught) one can appear surprised. I was taught how to fill in the brow to make the face balanced. I was also taught how to sculpt by tweezing and trimming. This is absolutely the most precise way.
Everyone has their opinion about brow shape, especially in the days of the sharpie brow, however, I believe that natural brows are the best and that the angles must be aligned according to one’s individual eye structure. I believe in tweezing and trimming ONLY.
Imbalanced brows, brows half waxed off, or brows that travel straight across with no arch, can project unintended messages like you are unapproachable, angry, sleepy or sad. With well shaped brows, you don’t need a brow lift or surgery. You can look well rested, bright eyed, confidant, assertive and happy.
If your eyebrows are not in balance with your face, then all the time and money you spend on your skin, makeup and other enhancements are going to waste. If you have over-tweezed, over-waved or have had a brow mishap, you might need to be in brow rehab. Before your brow session, here are some brow basics to put your best brow forward this year!
BROW REHAB
If you have over tweezed or if you are a victim of over waxing or threading, let them grow. Brows grow on a four to six week cycle. So, do not touch one hair for a minimum of 30 days. Then, you must clean slowly. Because they grow like the “lawn of your face” you have to leave them alone repeatedly. Sometimes this process can take years. DO NOT let them grow for 6 months. The brow growth actually shuts down after 6 weeks. Use the lawn analogy. If you wanted a beautiful lawn you wouldn’t let it grow without mowing for 6 months. You need to get it on a cycle and get them growing all at the same time. We call this BROW REHAB. Also consider a brow growing product.
STAY AWAY FROM THE WAX
Tweeze in the natural light. We actually recommend doing this in your car (while it is PARKED and keys out of the ignition) While in brow rehab, only remove the unsightly “uglies” ONLY ONCE A WEEK if you absolutely have to do it. Leave the hair that is growing in around the brow. Patience is the name of the game. Whatever you do STAY OUT OF THE MAGNIFYING MIRROR. No one sees your brows at 20x magnification. You will pull out way too much hair. Just stay out of it! Most people cannot see the hair growing in. You can’t see it either unless you are in a magnifying mirror so stay out!
WONDERBROW
Wonderbrow Eyebrow GEL/WAX enhances brows as well as fills holes in the brow and emphasizes the arch. This gel with a touch of wax in it is perfect for any hair color. There are seven shades of this fantastic stuff that not only fills too thin brows in, but also sets them in place. All you do is simply apply the Wonderbrow in short SOFT FEATHERING strokes with the mini angle brow brush or a brush w similar hair to your brows to achieve the most natural look.
COLOR THE FUZZ
For blondes or for those of you who used to have brows and now your brow color is non-existent, consider coloring your brows. All those baby hairs (fuzz) make a brow if you color them.I would highly recommend using hair color over brow tint. You have more color variety and a general guideline is to go a half shade darker than your hair color.
A BALANCING ACT
The ultimate rule is that BALANCE IS KEY if you have larger features your brows must be larger. If you have a small face, smaller brows for you. But they all must be lined up with the proper angles first and foremost.
A BROW SPECIAL FROM THE BROW GURU:
Buy a package of 10 brow appointments with Alyson for just $425 (regularly $500.00.) This special discount is only available for purchase until January 31st, 2015. (Must be used by January 31, 2016.)
To book your brow appointment today, visit Authentic Beauty Salon & Studio online here. You can also call 404.849.0443 or or email us at [email protected].
About Alyson:
Recognized as one of the best brow experts in the country and affectionately known as the “brow guru” of Atlanta, Alyson Howard-Hoag received the label “Best of the Best” by Allure Magazine 4 years in a row. In addition, she was voted best brow artist by Best Self Magazine in 2013!
