Get ready for a tweaked, but not tweezed, bold eyebrow trend that will be a big hit this spring. I’m talking a darker, longer, and loud kind of brow. Eyebrows are one feature that can really make or break the face, so application is key. What we saw at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York was the spark of something exotic. This tiny tweak, emphasizing the brow more, gives a very exotic look while the rest of the makeup is left very natural, emulating a flawless porcelain skin. While florals will continue to rule the runways, you can also expect fashionistas and princesses alike, to have an emphasis on strong brows this coming spring and summer.
Prep
Shape the brows while allowing them to grow out. To ‘shape’ the brow means using tweezers, but being careful not to tweeze the brow itself. Just remember the old adage, “less is more”. As brow hairs grow out underneath the arch, begin to fill in with subtle color until the eyebrows are fuller. Make sure your inner brow faces downward toward the nose while the outer section of the brow is lifted. An easy way to accomplish this is fill in color on the bottom of the brow from the nose to the arch; fill out the top of the brow from the arch to the other eye area. Look through your collection of eyeshadows and find one in a matte finish one shade darker than the hair on your head; this goes for natural or dyed locks (for blondes; go one shade darker than your brows). Keep in mind, eyeshadows look very different in their packaging then on the face, so test a few out first.
Application
So, how do you get these darker brows, without going overboard, yet still make a statement?
Use a standard brow comb to comb the brows up and out towards the forehead. Do not try to put them in place just yet, that will be done later with your angled brow brush. Next, take a working hairspray with a medium hold and spray it on your fingers. Before this has time to dry, lightly dab it on your upward facing brow hairs. Use the angled brow brush to lightly press on the brow beginning closest to the nose and working your way out, brushing upward and away from the nose. For a softer shading technique, try dipping the brush in the shadow and then taking the first swipe of the brush to your hand (you can clean your hand later!) before applying it to the brow. Draw a ¼ inch vertical line on the bottom portion of the brow just inside where it grows thickest, closest to the nose. This is the only part of the brow to have a definite line, every other area of the brow should be filled in softly around the edges, so no line is evident. The brush strokes should be kept straight until you hit your arch, at which point you will pivot the direction of your hand and begin to stroke slightly downward toward the outer point of the brow. Try not to emphasize the arch. It should remain soft. The look isn’t about the arch this season. Your arch should be slight. This is also called a ‘flat’ brow. As this technique is used, the hairs fall into place that were previously combed upward, yet the hairspray has kept them from pointing downward.
Finish the look
Add a pale pink, peach or orange-hued lipstick, leaving the rest of the face empty of blush, eyeshadows that are any shade other than nude or lighter, and heavy eyeliners. The skin should look simple, clean and radiant with only the lips and brows standing out.
Take this look to the fashion icon level by:
Sectioning small pieces of brow to spike up a in the first ¼ inch of the inner brow. Brush silver eye shadow into the brows, covering the entire eyelid on each eye. Gold dust brushed into your brow as your filler. Try fun shadow colors like purples, blues, reds to fill the eyebrow.