I take my brows VERY seriously. After all as far as I'm concerned they are the framing to our eyes - they are what draperies are to windows and what crown molding is too a wall. So just like I wouldn't trust any drapery workroom with my projects, I only trust Kristie Streicher with my brows. Kristie jet sets between New York and LA to see her clients, so you may have to be patient to get an appointment with her. In the meanwhile, here are...
KRISTIE'S TOP DOS AND DON'TS
DO:
... Let your eyebrows fill in. Don't touch those brows of yours for at least 3 weeks to allow you to see the natural growth pattern and shape of your eyebrows. This will also allow the hair to be on one growth cycle – when hairs are taken out at once they will all grow in at once – meaning less tweezing altogether.
... Tweeze hair in a well-lit space using a pair of good tweezers with sharp slanted edges. Hold skin taut and pull hairs in the direction of growth. Pain-phobic? Tweeze after you get out of the shower when the skin is softer and pores are open or use children's teething gel to slightly numb the area.
... Follow your own natural brow line. Everyone's bone structure and brows are different (so don't go trying to copy your favorite celeb's brow – it won't necessarily look good with your face. Lesson learned.) If you're not sure where your eyebrows should be, run your finger along your eyebrow bone. That's exactly where the line of your eyebrow should be. If you arch your eyebrows too high above the bone, it will look unnatural. Still need more guidance? Draw an invisible line from the corner of your nose straight up towards your forehead to indicate where the eyebrows should start. While your brow's arch should fall just outside the pupil and go all the way across the brow bone. (Note: eyebrows that are too long and come too far down can make eyes look droopy, so be sure to feather ends outward, giving the eye a lift.)
... Use your bone structure and hair texture as a guideline for your eyebrows. Softer, more delicate facial features look best with a slightly thinner, more elegant eyebrow, while a stronger bone structure is the perfect face for a thicker, stronger eyebrow. Avoid slanting your brows upward; this has the potential to create an "angry" look.
... Use vegetable dyes to lighten or darken the eyebrows to either soften a hard look or add fullness and definition to a lighter or sparse brow for a natural enhancer that slowly fades out after 3-4 weeks without leaving "roots."
... Use a good pencil, powder, or tinted brow gel to fill in sparse areas. By filling in the growing or thin areas, the eyebrow will appear more defined and complete while also making the sparse hairs underneath less noticeable. Be sure to use a pencil, powder, or gel that's a shade or two lighter than your hair color since it will look darker once applied. Note that powder works better on oily skin while pencil is usually better for more mature or drier skin.
DON'T:
... Over-tweeze or over-cut. Brows function not only to frame your eyes and face, but also to keep irritants out of our eyes, so it's important for brows to remain full. Over-cutting the hairs on your brow can be just as detrimental as over-tweezing since longer hairs can often fill in more sparse areas. Additionally, shape is dependent on how the eyebrows lay, which is compromised if they are cut too short. To trim properly, brush eyebrows straight up and only trim the hairs that stick out too far, one at a time. Then do the same brushing hair down.
... Tweeze more than one hair at a time. Sometimes hairs that look like they need to be tweezed up close are actually a part of the eyebrow and can make a hole if removed.
... Use magnifying mirror. If you can't see the hair in a regular mirror then neither can anyone else.
... Be afraid to tweeze the top of the eyebrow. It is an old eyebrow myth that you should never tweeze from the top. Every eyebrow is different and while some do not need this, it is often required to achieve the perfect shape. Do this last, however, to prevent making the brow too thin.
Excerpts from stylecaster.com Beautiful Brows: At-Home Tips from Eyebrow Expert Kristie Streicher By Alexis Wolfer June 26, 2009 ###For house calls, email kstreicher@gmail.com or make an appointment at one of the Warren Trichomi salons below.
Warren Tricomi New York at The Plaza, One West 58th Street, Floor 2, New York, NY 10019, 212.262.8899
Warren Tricomi Los Angeles 8327 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069, 323.651.4545
