Thick, full eyebrows are hot these days. Stars like Cara Delevingne, Jessica Alba, Emma Watson, Lily Collins and other celebrities set the stage with well-shaped, full eyebrow arches. Mere mortals like the rest of us are not usually blessed with a great pair of brows or a personal makeup artist to create the perfect arch. In fact, some of us go about it all wrong. At Talent Management, we see it all of the time. Overzealous tweezing, threading and waxing make eyebrows look thin or, worse, invisible.  Conditions like aging, poor nutrition, eczema, hypothyroidism and other health issues can contribute to sparse eyebrows as well.

You may not want to become a model, but you still want great eyebrows, right? It’s actually easy if you know how. Follow these tips to learn how to achieve thicker and fuller eyebrows, just like the stars.

Clean and Dry

Cleanliness first. Wash your eyebrows and pat dry or let them dry naturally.

From the Beginning to the End

Your arches should ideally start in a straight line up from the side of your nose to the inner corner of your eye. They should end in a straight line up from the side of your nose to the outer edge of your eye. Use a pencil, brush or ruler to measure a perfectly straight line. Tweeze brows that are out of the defined area.

Brush Up

Brush your eyebrows upward using a spoolie brush. Trace the direction of your brows, beginning with the inner and thickest part all the way to the end. Upward brushing reveals your brows’ natural shape and defines areas that are uneven or thin. Brushing also gives you the opportunity to experiment with different looks.

Match and Fill

Choose an eyebrow pencil that’s as close as possible to the colour of your eyebrows. Gently fill in any patchy areas using short, feathery strokes to replicate your natural eyebrow contour. The goal is to create a perfect blend, where pencil marks and eyebrows are virtually indistinguishable.

Powder

After filling in your eyebrows with a pencil, choose a powder colour. Here is where you can make subtle changes. For example, if you want darker brows, choose a slightly darker tint. If you want lighter brows, choose a slightly lighter tint. Using an angled brush, dab the tip into the powder and then lightly brush it into your eyebrows. Repeat until you achieve the definition you want. Avoid overfilling the inner corners of your brows or making the ends appear harsh.

Brush and Blend

Now that you have the desired colour and thickness, run a spoolie brush through your brow to blend out the colour, soften any harsh lines and give it your desired shape. Experiment until you find the look that’s right for you.

Great Eyebrows All Day

You may have the thicker, fuller eyebrows you want but to make them last all day, apply a coloured or colourless eyebrow gel. Brush the gel along the shape of your brows to neatly and invisibly set the hairs in place.

The Finishing Touch

A fluffy brush with translucent powder gives your brows a clean and defined look. Brush and trace the powder around the edges, blending as you go.

More Tips and Tricks for Sensational Eyebrows

Get the Shade Right

Ideally, you want to go for a shade as close to your natural eyebrows as possible. If you can’t find the exact colour, choose a shade a touch lighter to attain a natural look. Eyebrows that are too dark appear fake and mask-like.

Bye-Bye Tweezers

It usually starts by simply plucking stray hairs and tidying your arches. The next thing you know, you’ve gone too far and tweezed too much. Sadly, eyebrows take from one to two months to grow back and, in come cases, never grow back at all. Avoid tweezing if you want thicker, fuller eyebrows. Use tweezers only on growth that is outside of your defined area.

Oil and Condition

Coconut oil is a great skin and hair conditioner. Rub a bit of coconut oil on your eyebrows a few times a week before you go to sleep. Wash the oil off with warm water in the morning. Castor oil boosts eyebrow growth. To apply, dip a piece of cotton in castor oil and pat onto your eyebrows before going to bed. Wash the oil off the next morning using a mild cleanser.

Keeping your eyebrows moisturised, clean and cared for gives you the ideal canvas to create those stunning arched styles. Look out Jessica Alba!