In a world where women like Cara Delevingne and Lily Collins are lauded for their bold eyebrows, it can be tough to look at your own and feel like they don’t measure up. Still, natural brow density isn’t the only road to great arches. That’s right: You can fake it too.
To get all the info on how to fill in your brows in four super-easy steps, we chatted with makeup artist and brow connoisseur Ashleigh Ciucci. See how she can make even the sparsest arches look well-endowed.
Pick favorites
Ciucci believes we all have a “good brow" and a “bad brow” — and you probably already have a favorite. “Pick the brow that you like the best and use this brow as your guide for how to shape the other,” says Ciucci.
Get in shape
That old-school pencil trick you’ve probably heard? “It really does work,” says Ciucci. “First, place the pencil vertically along the bridge of your nose, almost in the indentation of your nostril. Where it passes through the brow is where you should begin shading. Then line it up vertically with your pupil — where it passes through your brow is where your arch should be. Lastly, line it up vertically at the outer corner of your eye. That's how far out you should shade the tail.”
Seal the deal
Not sure if you should use a brow pencil or a gel? Ciucci says it’s best to use both for a natural look. “I like to brush with a tinted brow gel first, like Glossier’s Boy Brow, and then go back with pencil to fill any empty spots. I like Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil.” She finishes by brushing them up with a spoolie for a fuller appearance. But if you’re truly brow-challenged with a lack of hair, “use a tinted pomade like Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade along with a stiff angled brush, like Chanel Angled Brow Brush No. 12 to draw tiny little hairs."
Clean it up
If you’re trying to grow out your brows, you should avoid plucking or waxing, but once you’ve got your shape, “cleaning up those spare hairs will open up the eye and keep the shape looking clean,” says Ciucci, who says stray hairs can look unkempt if you’re not careful.