Stephanie Eva: Perfectly Imperfect Eyebrows

I want to start off this post by explaining what exactly "perfectly imperfect" eyebrows are! It's just my fancy way of calling them "natural-looking". Don't get me wrong, I love a heavy brow or an extreme arch, but most days I am wearing no makeup, and still want my brows to frame my face while not looking "done-up". I've been doing my brows this way for about a year, and they always turn out just as I want them. Obviously no one is perfect, hence the term "perfectly imperfect". This quick-tutorial will give you an idea of the process behind the brow.

There are a lot of great tutorials out in cyber space, but many of the girls are wearing a full face. I decided to not wear any makeup in these photos because realistically I would not be wearing makeup while plucking eyebrows (with the exception of finding a stray hair during makeup application), and neither should you! I'm starting off with a freshly cleansed and toned face.

You're going to need one of these doo-dads. Eyebrow comb? If you do not have one you can comb and straighten along with your fingers, but this tool makes it much easier.

Something else handy, but optional, is a hand mirror. I always use a hand mirror while shaping my brows because I feel I get the best view and can be totally precise. Also, it is portable which allows me to sit directly in the sun and get the best lighting possible. Of course, a standing or wall mirror is fine too.

I always apply a moisturizer to my brows after tweezing. The facial skin is so sensitive and when you've been tugging at it for upwards of fifteen minutes, it can get kind of irritated. This Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturizer is great because it creates a cooling sensation when applied to the skin.

You'll also want some small scissors. I know they make eyebrow-trimming scissors, so if you are willing to go buy a pair, you can use those. But I'm just using this pair of mini scissors because they've been working well and that's what I've got.

And the man of the hour, the tweezers! Couldn't get the job done without them. I'm using these precision ones by Tweezerman. I never thought "investing" in a good pair of tweezers was worth it, but after switching to this brand I don't think I'll ever look back.

To begin the process, I lightly comb my brows how they would naturally fall. This just creates a "clean slate" for us to begin on.

Next, you'll want to mark out the start of each brow. Rest a stick (I'm using the other end of my brow comb) at the side of your nose and make it follow up through the inner corner of your eye. Where the line extends is where you will want to begin tweezing.

Next you'll want to take your comb/fingers and comb the hair upwards, against it's natural growth. It will now look like little caterpillars have inhabited the space where your brows once were. This helps show the base of your eyebrows. Place the "guide stick" at the side of your nose again and follow it up through your pupil. Where that extends is where your arch should begin. Mark a path from the start of your eyebrow to that arch point. However slanted this line is, is up to you and your personal preference.

Again with your guide stick, place it at the side of your nose and follow it through the outer corner of your eye. Wherever that extends to is where you will want your eyebrows to end. Then follow from your arch point down to the line. Again, the slant at which you continue is up to you.

Now you'll want to trim your eyebrows. Using your comb (or finger) push the hairs upward and away from their resting position. You'll be able to see the ends stick up over the roots.

Trim wherever there is a hair above the line. Be careful when trimming the eyebrow's tail. Too much off can leave you with some sad notches.

Now, all that's left to do is apply your moisturizer, comb them out, and you've got yourself a set of perfectly imperfect eyebrows.