THE TOP 10 EYEBROW MISTAKES YOU MIGHT BE MAKING

Brows – this decade’s ever-evolving obsession: Instagram brows, natural brows, microbladed brows, brushed-up brows, boy brows, even squiggly brows (#whatislife). With so much going on, it can be confusing deciding what to do with your brows. Read through the common brow mistakes + find tips for brows that look natural and suit you best!

1. MATCHING YOUR POMADE SHADE EXACTLY TO YOUR HAIR COLOR

It’d be amazing if there was just one rule for choosing a brow shade, but to get it right, it’s better to take a more individual approach:

If your hair is dark: Pick a brow color one shade lighter than your natural locks.

If you have naturally blonde or red hair: Pick a shade that matches the deepest shade in your hair. This goes for highlighted hair also – match your brow color to the darkest tone.

Photo 1: She has gorgeous, radiant red hair. Rather than matching that bright red shade, she’s chosen a richer, darker shade to pick up the deepest shade in her hair. The result: defined brows that complement her hair but still look natural. Her shade in our Nourish & Define Brow Pomade: Autumn Sunset – a rich warm shade suitable for every shade of redhead.

If you’ve dyed your hair from ultra-dark to ultra-light: In this case, picking the darkest shade might look too harsh. Instead, pick a shade somewhere in the middle of your roots and your ends.

Photo 2: With her icy blonde locks and dark roots, one shade lighter on her brows would tie everything together more naturally. We would choose Chestnut Decadence for her – a medium brown for drama without too much darkness.

For more on shade-matching, read our blog on brow shape & shade.

2. OVERPLUCKING

Whether it’s getting tweezer-happy all over the brows, or just between the brows like the example below, over-plucking can create an imbalanced look. The lovely lady on the left has a large space between the brows which is a bit distracting and pulls your eyes towards that large gap. To find the perfect starting point for your brows: hold a pair of tweezers/brow brush vertical beside your nose – this is where your brows should start.  

Trying to grow back over-plucked brows? We get, it’s tough – no one loves the in-between look of random little hairs everywhere. Your best bet: use our Nourish & Define Brow Pomade to speed up the growth process, fill in your brows, and masquerade those baby hairs that are starting to grow in!

3. CUTTING OFF THE TAIL OF THE BROW

This is a super common mistake – either plucking the tail away or just not filling the brows all the way to the end. A tapered brow tail elongates the eye outwards and adds balance to the face. You can see the difference from left to right: on the left, her brow is shortened and comes to a bit of an abrupt end. On the right, her brow has a graceful taper to a point – it accentuates the shape of her eye and adds definition to the face.

If you’ve already plucked the brow tail off, just use your brow filler to lengthen it out! The more you apply your Nourish & Define brow pomade in that spot, the faster the hairs will come back.

4. TWEEZING AT THE WRONG TIME

If you’re constantly getting in-grown hairs along your brows, it’s likely because you’re tweezing them at the wrong time. Pluck when your follicles are open, like after a steamy shower. The hairs will come out smoothly and with much less pain. No more in-grown hairs or bumps!

5. FIGHTING YOUR NATURAL SHAPE

This tip can be more personal preference, but for a natural brow look, follow your natural shape and arch. Your natural shape matches the contours of your face best and will vary for everyone. In the first example, her brows have been thickened quite a bit and the arch has been moved to the end of the brow. In the second example, her shape has been followed and her brow filler just adds definition and fills in the sparse areas.

For more on how to work with your natural shape, read our blog.

6. OVER OR UNDER TRIMMING

There’s a magical brow length that depends on the amount of hair you have and the shape of your brow. Sometimes it’s to your advantage to leave brow hairs a little longer so they drape across sparse areas and help define your arch. Plus, at the right length, you can get that trendy #brushedupbrows look. On the other hand, when they’re too long, they can look wiry and unkempt.

In the left photo, many of the hairs are trimmed too short, making the brows look a little piecey and not uniform. On the right, the hairs were left a little longer, so they can be brushed into place with a spoolie. The result is a more uniform, flowing look.

7. TOO MUCH PRODUCT OR INTENSITY

Especially with a brow pomade, it can be easy to apply too much product and end up with extra-intense and dark brows. Our top tip: dip the pomade in the pot, wipe the brush off on the back of your hand, then start applying with what’s left on your brush. You can probably do most of your brow without even touching the pomade left on your hand.

8. DOING YOUR BROWS TOO EARLY

If you do your brows before pressed powder, bronzer, blush, or eyeshadow, you run the risk of getting these powders all over your gorgeously filled brows. It can be subtle, but you end up with a powdery or glittery finish on your brows. Our tip: do your brows last. This is also helpful in matching the level of brow drama to the rest of your makeup.

9. OVERDEFINING

It can be tough to strike that balance between definition and over-defined. Again, this is personal preference, but for a natural look, a few things are key:

• Concentrate most of the product in the middle of the brow and then spread it towards the tail. Whatever is left on the brush, use at the front of the brow (very sparingly).
• Next, blend with the spoolie to desaturate the color a bit.
• The main mistake we see with over-definition is the front of the brow – ending up with a rectangle block end. Our tip: make upward, hair-like strokes - pressing very gently. 

10. OVERBLENDING OR UNDERBLENDING.

The spoolie brush end is your best friend when trying to achieve a natural, seamlessly blended brow. Use it to diffuse any harsh lines or take down the intensity overall.

In the first example, you can see under-blending. In the second example – the front of the brow has been blended so much, it looks a bit more like watercolor paint – too diffuse.

Just a few upward strokes with the spoolie should be good to get that perfect blend! Our other tip: try to only apply pomade where your hairs would naturally grow – when you try for an unnatural shape, it's more difficult to get a natural look. If your brows are on the thinner side, that’s ok! Just work with what you’ve got and the result will suit your face the best.

We hope you enjoyed this blog Pluminati! If you have any questions or comments, leave a comment down below or send us an email anytime <3

-The Plume Team