Superstar Look: Perfect Brows and Lush Lashes

Brows

The perfect brow size and shape for your face depends on your own features and your unique browbone structure. The thick end should start after the bridge of your nose, the arch should be around the middle, the thin end should go just past the corner of your eye a bit. You don't need whip-thin, sculpted brows to look modern. A stenciled brow that's just a little bit off can make you look angry, surprised, older, or even lopsided. No thanks! Better to work with your natural brow shape. To get your brows †o look natural and as lush as possible, don't pluck a single hair for three months, then have them shaped professionally.

Tweezers and Usage

Experts like a pointed, slanted tip, especially if you haven't plucked before. You can hold that shape easily and grab longer hairs. For those short, stubborn hairs, turn the tweezer at an angle and pull from the pointed edge.

If you see a dot of hair growing under the skin, resist the urge to pull it. You don’t want to break the skin and risk a scar. Wait a day and that little hair probably will poke through the surface, ready to be plucked. In the meantime, if it bothers you, cover it with concealer.

Fuller Brows

Fill in sparse brows with a powder, pencil, or gel. Go two shades lighter than your hair color if you’re brunette, two shades darker if you have pale blonde or silver hair. When in doubt, taupe works on almost everyone. Use tiny strokes over your arches and blend with a brow brush to remove extra color. 

Note: If you aren't sure about your own brow judgment, a beauty specialist can find the best shape for your face. 

Lashes

Curled lashes make you look wide-eyed. Do it before you put on mascara. Use firm pressure but don't clamp down too hard. You don't want to pinch your skin, crease your lashes, or pull them out. A corner lash curler can get †o hard-to-reach outer ones.

Mascara

Your mascara matters for making lashes look fuller or longer. The brush matters, too! Rubber bristles coat even the tiniest lashes from root to tip, adding length. Plastic bristles give you a clean, natural-looking lash line. Fiber bristles build lash thickness and boost the fringe. If you like your mascara but want a new look, try using a different brush. You can buy them at beauty stores. You don't want eyes that look like scary spiders! Dip the brush in the tube and wipe it on a paper towel (not a tissue) to get rid of extra mascara. Another trick: Twirl a clean, disposable mascara wand through wet lashes. For easy, no-scrub cleanup, loosen the mascara with a warm, damp washcloth. Press it against your closed eyes. Next, dip a cotton pad into a makeup remover for sensitive eyes. Wipe the pad downward on your lashes a few times.

Lash Extensions: Pros and Cons

False lashes equal pure glamour, but they can be tricky to master. They come in full strips and individual lashes. Hold the lash with a pair of tweezers while you put a dot of glue on your upper eyelid. Let the glue thicken, and then use the tweezers to guide the lash to your lid. Lash extensions can give you a long, full, lush fringe for two to three weeks. The catch is you can't wear mascara (you might not want to anyway.) And you will probably have to keep them completely dry. So get a pair of swim goggles to wear while you shower or wash your hair. No kidding!