How to Use an Eyebrow Pencil Correctly, According to Pro Makeup Artists
Before you start
Before even getting an eyebrow pencil, a few tips: stop trying to make your eyebrows symmetrical.
We all know what it’s like with winged eyeliner: a never-ending struggle for symmetry. Many of us carry this quest for perfection onto our brows, doubling our morning makeup frustrations. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve drawn on my eyebrows, only to have to keep adding more to each side to find an impossible balance.
It wasn’t until I went backstage at a fashion week and heard makeup artist Lisa Potter-Dixon explain that eyebrows “are sisters, not twins,” that I realized I’d been grappling with a misunderstanding. Just like faces aren’t symmetrical in reality, eyebrows don’t need to be either. In fact, it is better to accentuate the natural shape of each eyebrow so that it best matches the structure of your face. With the myth of perfectly symmetrical eyebrows dispelled, let’s get to the heart of the matter.
How to prepare your eyebrows
I have a weakness for a brow gel and a spoolie to keep my brows in place, but nothing beats a good old bar of soap. Soap brows have become popular over the past couple of years, thanks to the fluffy brow craze — and with the trend has come an arsenal of new products to create this look.
However, some professionals prefer the OG method. “I swear by Pears soap, straight from the bar,” says makeup artist Naoko Scintu, who regularly works with celebrities like Jodie Comer and Priyanka Chopra. “I just add a little water and brush the brows and it stays perfect all day.”
How to use an eyebrow pencil
When drawing on individual hairs using your eyebrow pencil, make sure you draw rather than crookedly. The trick is to make small, sharp movements using the pointed tip of the pencil to create hair-like strokes.
To achieve a more natural look when filling in your brows, think vertical (or at an angle of 45 degrees or less) – never horizontal. If you carefully study the direction of your natural eyebrow hairs, you’ll see that they don’t grow crosswise, so if you draw a line that goes against the natural grain, it will look artificial.
How to Avoid Accidentally Pencil-Thin Brows
If you’re looking for ’90s pencil-thin brows, then this tip isn’t for you, but if you’re not, take note.
