Eyebrow shaping

The '15 minute face lift' - plucking your eyebrows can completely change your look. But don't get overzealous with those tweezers.

We explain how to get the right eyebrow shape

Get the right shape

• Find a shape that suits your face, and stick with it, don’t try to keep up with fashions that won’t suit you.
• The inside edge of your eyebrow should align with the inner corner of your eye.
• The arch of your eyebrow should follow the curve of your upper eyeline.
• The easiest way to find how long your eyebrow should be is to imagine the under-eye line continued to where it would meet with the eyebrow.

Pluck-pluck-plucking

• Do this the day before that hot date or you’ll be left with unsightly redness.
• Brush your brow into it’s natural shape with a toothbrush, old mascara wand or eyebrow brush.
• Hold a warm flannel over your brow to make it easier to pull the hairs.
• Don’t pluck above your eyebrows, it will look strange.
• Don’t over-pluck, or you’ll have to draw them on and will end up looking permanently surprised.
• Use sharp, good quality tweezers, or the hairs will break off instead of pulling out, which could lead to infection.
• Do a single hair at a time. Grip the hair firmly and pull it in the direction in which it grows.
• First take out any stray hairs in the middle bit above your nose. It will help you get used to the feeling of plucking the hair because it is usually less sensitive here than above the eyes.
• If it really hurts, apply a little teething gel to the area a few minutes before you start. This will numb the skin.
• Start plucking from underneath the eyebrow, working from the inside, by the nose, to the outside.
• Check your brows balance in the mirror. Then use a cold flannel to reduce redness.

If in doubt

If you still don’t feel brave enough or don’t know where to start, go to a beautician’s and get your brows waxed or sugared professionally. It should cost about a fiver and take minutes. Then you can just pluck the odd stray hair before going back and getting it done again.

Picture of plucking eyebrows by Shutterstock.