Well Groomed Brows

The tools and tips you need to either simply enhance the natural beauty of your eyes or create glamorous, well groomed brows. Here's the best way to define and shape brows.

Shape It Up

Place a pencil alongside your nose, up past your eye (that's where the brow should start). Then move the pencil across the eye, to its outer corner (that's where the brow should end.) This is just a guideline: Don't obsess over a little more or a little less. Tweeze only one hair at a time, and don't be afraid to pluck strays above the brow line. Wax like a pro at home- it's as easy as 1-2-3. Don't panic if you've never done it before. Urban Apothecary makes it easy with Cheat Sheets, a pack of reusable eyebrow stencils to steer you in the right direction!

Fill in the Gap

Here's how you can fill in tiny gaps in eyebrows: Choose an eyebrow pencil or powder in a shade slightly lighter than your natural brow color. When in doubt, use taupe, it suits nearly everyone. Starting in the center of the brow (the part that should appear darkest), apply the product to any gaps. Then use a brush (most brow products come with them) to smudge the color outward in both directions. The closer you get to either end, the lighter the color should appear. To keep it simple, you may want to use a Brow Kit. DuWop makes a great one: Brow Wow.

You can get more impact for evening by using an eyebrow pencil in a shade that matches your own brows (going too dark can age you). Using hair-fine strokes, fill any gaps, then extend brows at the outer ends, no more that an eighth of an inch to frame the face. Blend with a brow brush.

Scaly red patches on your eyebrows may be seborrheic dermatitis (like dandruff, but on your face). To treat it, wash with a mild soap-free cleanser. Don't moisturize; instead, use an AHA gel or liquid and an over-the-counter one percent cortisone cream once a day. If the flakes don't disappear after two weeks, see a dermatologist.

Tension Tamer Tip

Try this mini massage to relieve tension around the eyes and help you feel calmer all over:

Cup your face in your palms. Breathe deeply a few times, then rub your cheeks up and down until they feel warm. Place palms over your closed eyes and take a few calming breaths. With eyes closed, press your fingertips on the brow bone, moving outward from the eyes' inner corners. Do the same on the bones just underneath the eyes. Repeat three times.

Pinch the bridge of your nose between your thumb and index finger. Hold for ten seconds, then pull fingers away; repeat three times.

Massage your temples in a circular motion, gradually increasing the pressure, then hold your fingers against your temples and take a few more relaxing breaths.