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We focus tons of attention on things like our eyeliner or lipstick placement or even how we apply blush, highlighter, and contour. Eyebrows are worthy of just as much attention, and some pros argue they might even deserve more TLC given how drastically they can impact your overall look. We spoke to a brow shaping expert about the impact of a perfectly arched brow and asked her to share easy steps to nail that arch every single time you apply makeup.
RELATED: How to Find the Best Eyebrow Shape for Your Face
The Impact of Perfectly Arched Brows
A naturally arched eyebrow that’s the perfect length and hits a high point at the right spot can make your face look more balanced, eyes look more awake, and appearance more youthful.
“The arched eyebrow refers to the way a brow angles upward from just above the inner corner of your eye, gradually lifting along your brow bone at the high point of your raised brow muscle and then gently cascading down toward the outer corner of the eye,” explains Michele Holmes brow artist and founder of Rye Beauty.
She adds that when brows are tweezed and customized to your eye shape—with a slightly lifted expression in the resting position—the result is quite flattering. Conversely, poorly drawn eyebrows, unkempt brows, or overly plucked brows can detract from your appearance.
How to Get an Arched Brow Using Makeup
The key to getting a perfectly arched eyebrow is to use the existing structure of your eyebrows. In many cases, your brows are almost there and just need a little bit of TLC via filling out sparse areas. You can also fudge the high point slightly (but not too much) for a perkier eye.
Step 1: Identify Your High Point
Start by brushing your brows up and outward, then identify the high point.
“Most people have a natural arch or high point to each brow. Look in the mirror and raise your brows up, finding the highest point of the raised muscle on each side,” Holmes says. Make a dot with an eyebrow pencil directly on top of your identified high point—just before the top of the brow starts to fall or grow down toward the tail.
Step 2: Mark the Beginning of Your Brows
Balance an eyebrow pencil on the straight part of your nose and draw a line in the front of your brow. Repeat this on each side. “This will give you a place to start on the front of each brow,” says Holmes.
Step 3: Find the Tail
Next, find the ending tail point by balancing a pencil on the outer nostril of your nose and pointing the pencil tip toward the outer corner of your eye. Holmes says, “Brows shouldn’t fall too much farther than that point or it can make your eyes look droopy.”
Step 4: Gently Outline
Take a look at the top and bottom lines of your natural brow. Holmes says they should almost resemble parallel lines growing toward the top of the arch. “Sometimes brows are uneven with gaps along the arched brow pathway. When the parallel lines above and below the brow are broken, makeup is the best way to fill and complete the outline of the entire brow,” she says.
You don't need to create harsh lines here, but it’s helpful to have a light outline to create symmetry and to make sure you’re filling in the gaps.
Step 5: Fill In Your Brows
Filling in your brows is the final step. Holmes suggests using an eyebrow pencil since they’re very forgiving and do a great job of filling in sparse areas in a way that looks natural.
“Fill the sparsest areas first then fill in gaps as needed using swift hair-like strokes,” she says. “If you don’t have a lot of hair, brow powders are a great way to create an entire brow with a soft diffused look on the skin.” Seal your brows with clear gel to lock everything in place.
Permanent Makeup Arched Brows
If daily brow filling skills don’t appeal to you, consider permanent makeup via microblading, powder brows, or nano brows. These techniques offer a long-term solution to finding your best brow shape. And though “permanent” is in the name, most are actually semi-permanent and require touch-ups every one to two years.
“A permanent makeup artist can map the brow area taking your eye size, bone structure and muscle movement into consideration while designing the best shape for your face,” Holmes explains.
Just make sure you’re vetting the artist, have an in-depth consultation, and haven’t had any injectable work done just prior to your appointment.
