WHILE I was watching a professional makeup artist work on my in-laws, I noticed how much time she spent on their brows.

I realized most women tend to forget about the eyebrows, which is a shame. Eyebrows make a huge difference in our appearance. If done well, they frame the eyes, compliment the face, and brighten our appearance. I personally prefer my brows threaded, and just pluck re-growth. Most salons have this service. They normally know just to take out stray hair and shape from the bottom. It may pinch a little, but the pain is very tolerable. Once you get used to it, you won’t mind it at all.

There are common problems we encounter when it comes to eyebrows. Here are some of them, along with some simple solutions.

Bushy brows

I think if you have bushy brows, it is hardly a problem. They will actually be easier to shape and style, because you have something to work with. You need to trim your brows to fix them and make them look neat. Get a toothbrush, and brush your brows up. Use small trimming scissors, and snip hair that goes beyond your natural brow line.
Pluck unruly hair under your brows, then use colorless mascara to keep it in shape. I have a friend who sprays a little hairspray on a small brow brush before running it through her brow. It works like a charm. If you don’t have stable hands, ask a trusted friend to do it for you.

Overplucked brows

Before you go and start plucking your brows, remember this: The thicker your brows, the younger you’ll look. Look for a brow pencil that matches the color of your hair to fill in the holes. The best is to rush to your fave makeup counter and have a sales associate pick the right shade for you, and teach you how to use the product. It would be best to have her work on one side while she coaches you on the other. Taupe is normally a color that works best for most of us.

Thinning brows

Look for a wax-based product, and use an angled brush for filling. It is not advisable to use eye shadow, since it has the tendency to fade as the day progresses. Go over the wax with a brow brush, which will blend your brows with your hair color and help them look natural.

Over-trimmed brows

Look for a soft brow pencil, and with very light hands, draw a line on the top and bottom edge of your brows to even out its shape. With the same pencil, fill in the gaps with light feather strokes. Use a brow brush and run it through your brows to soften the look. Then run an eyebrow gel over them to keep them in place

Dark brows, light hairM

When you have your hair lightened, don’t forget your brows! If you do, use an eyebrow mascara with a lighter shade. First it will make your colored hair look more natural. Second, different shades for your hair and brows are distracting. Try MAC’s Brow Set.