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PLUCKED. Shaping the Perfect Eyebrow

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Hairchick.com - Eyebrow Shaping
Few things make you look as glamorous as a well-groomed pair of eyebrows. Hairchick tells you how to get the perfect eyebrow shaping results!

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Bright eyed and bushy browed? The good news is, few things make you look as glamorous as a well-groomed pair of eyebrows - they are the perfect targets for a quickie makeover that will instantly prettify your face. The bad news is that done wrong, eyebrows can make you look frightening or old or frighteningly old - and there are few ways to hide the damage.

Eyebrow Shaping - So how do I get a perfect result?

First, take a good inventory of your eyebrows and face shape and determine the eyebrow look you want. Do you want a dramatic look? Do you want full brows or thinner brows? As a general rule, most faces look best with an eyebrow shape close to their original shape - only tidier. Some women do make dramatic changes in the shape and color of their brows, though - and look fabulous. If you want dramatic change, take your brows to a good salon or spa, or your results may be dramatically traumatic, not to mention long lasting.

Next, go "brow shopping" in magazines. Find pictures of eyebrows you like and check out the face shapes of models who have them. If you have a round face, Gwyneth Paltrow brows may not look great on you. Look for models that have similar features and choose a brow shape accordingly. As a general rule, you'll find that women with round faces look best in arched brows that angle towards the top of the ear. Long faces look great with straighter brows, and oval faces look nice with brows that angle dramatically towards the bottom of your ear lobe. If you are changing the shape of your brow, take these pictures in with you to your aesthetician.

What if I just want to tidy my eyebrows?

It makes sense to take your first tweezing to a salon. Yes, it costs extra, but eyebrow hairs that have been plucked take a lo-oo-oong time to grow back, and your brows are right on your face. If you have your brows professionally "done", then later pluckings are as easy as tweezing away any stray hairs. Plus, you can learn a lot about tweezing technique from a professional.

I'm ready to go ahead and pluck my eyebrows myself ... now what?

Start with a good pair of tweezers - this makes a lot of difference. You don't need to spend very much (around $10.00). My personal favourites are gold-tipped ones; they grip hair well and they don't rust. An old pair could leave you very frustrated just trying to grip stubborn strays and it could even break delicate skin in your eyebrow area. It's a good idea to tweeze your eyebrows after a bath or shower - your skin is softened and pain is kept to a minimum. Prepare your eye area by using eye make-up remover to do away with all traces of dirt and oil. Use a brow pencil to trace the natural shape of your brows. Then, sitting by strong natural light and using a magnifying mirror, start tweezing. Pull your brows taut when you are tweezing to keep pain at a minimum. If you still find yourself smarting, apply heat with a hot wash cloth or gently "freeze" the area you are plucking with an ice cube wrapped in a plastic baggie. Tweeze one hair at a time and keep switching between your left and right eye with each tweeze to get an even effect. Stick to hairs under your eyebrows and between your brows and be sure not to over-pluck. This will keep your general, natural eyebrow line - you certainly do not want to encourage unruly growth above your eyebrows. It takes a while, but the effect is worth it. If you have long scraggly brow hairs, snip them - one at a time with manicure scissors - very carefully and only a little bit before tweezing.

After tweezing, use a gentle toner to cleanse your brows (make sure not to get any into your eyes) and take a look at the total effect. Use a brow pencil or powder to make your brows look even more dramatic and defined. Sweep your eyelashes with a subtle blend of eye shadow and mascara, apply matching lippie, slip into your best party dress and you're well on the way to a superb evening out!