Here’s how to do your own eyebrows at home - according to beauty experts

There are certain things you should and shouldn’t do when plucking, waxing and generally looking after your eyebrows, according to beauty experts (Photo: Stasonych)There are certain things you should and shouldn’t do when plucking, waxing and generally looking after your eyebrows, according to beauty experts (Photo: Stasonych)
There are certain things you should and shouldn’t do when plucking, waxing and generally looking after your eyebrows, according to beauty experts (Photo: Stasonych)

Salons in the UK are now able to offer eyebrow treatments, after being restricted from doing so during the lockdown period.

But if you’re struggling to get an appointment, or would prefer to tend to your brows at home, there are certain things you should and shouldn’t do when plucking, waxing and generally looking after your eyebrows, according to beauty experts.

Here’s what you need to know to get the perfect brows from the comfort of your own home.

What should I do before I start doing my brows?

Before doing your own eyebrows, you need to make sure the area is free of makeup and clean.

Health Practitioner and skin/beauty specialist Tammy Richards, at PureOptical, explains that “You should be makeup free when shaping your brows,” even from makeup that is not around the eye area.

“Any make up will give a false representation of the overall look of the face and mean that you are likely to remove more hairs than initially desired.”

What’s the best way to pluck or wax my eyebrows?

There are different techniques you can use when plucking or waxing your brows to get your desired shape.

Ms Richards explains that when plucking or waxing your eyebrow hairs, you should start from the lowest point of the brow and then work your way up.

Target the obvious hairs first and then work on the shape you want.

To achieve your desired eyebrow shape, and to avoid making any mistakes, Ms Richards explains, “An oldie but a goodie – my top tip is to draw your desired brow shape with an eyebrow pencil or liner and then remove the hairs that fall outside the line. This is fool proof and safeguards you from making any mistakes.”

However, the beauty expert explains that if you are in doubt as to how to do your own brows, you could opt for a professional doing them.

“I know it is frustrating but it will save you possibly months of attempting to regrow the hair,” adds Ms Richards.

What should I avoid doing?

When tending to your own brows, there are certain things you should avoid doing, including over plucking or waxing.

“Firstly, when removing any unwanted hairs from the brows it is wise to remember that less is more. The less plucking/waxing you do, the more likely you won’t have any regrets,” Ms Richards explains.

How can I tint my own brows?

If you’d like to try tinting your own eyebrows at home, there are certain steps you can follow to get the desired results.

Suzanne Potts, founder and principal at Aqua Rosa media make up school, explains that you should tint your brows before plucking, as dye in open pores can get lodged or cause irritation.

You should also do a patch test 48hrs before you tint them too, in order to avoid an allergic reaction.

In regards to choosing a colour of your brow dye, Ms Potts explains that “you need to think about your natural hair colour. If you have a lighter hair colour then you can actually opt for something one or two shades darker. For a more natural finish stick to something close to your hair colour.”

However, don’t use regular hair dye on your eyebrows as this is harsher on your skin. Instead, make sure the dye you opt for is designed for brows.

“Vaseline is your best friend,” says Ms Potts, explaining that you should use it to create a barrier on your skin wherever you don’t want the dye ‘to take’.

You should also think about your timing, remembering that whichever brow you start with, it will have slightly longer to develop.

“Account for that in your timings so you don’t end up with two different shades of eyebrow.”

How can I keep my brows healthy?

Similarly to looking after your skin by partaking in a regular skincare routine, it’s important to do the same with your eyebrows, explains owner of High Brow, Leisa Roberts.

Ms Roberts explains, “Just as we take care of our skin and hair we need to give our brows some love and a little attention for healthy, beautiful results.”

The top four products the brow expert recommends are castor oil, a good pair of brow scissors (or nail scissors), a spoolie brush (mascara wand) and a brow razor.

“Massage a little castor oil into the brow hair at night for conditioning and stimulating growth, in the morning brush through the hairs vigorously with your spoolie brush/mascara wand to remove excess dead skin cells, stimulate circulation and then brush the hairs backwards first then upright to make them look nice and fluffy and natural.”

Ms Roberts explains that you should give any long eyebrow hairs a trim each week, doing so by cutting into the hairs, but “never straight across as this will make the hair look blunt.”

“Cut each hair on an angle to keep it looking natural then finish off with removing those stragglers with the best tool you'll ever invest in .. a cute little brow razor.”

No-makeup look

If you’re wanting to keep your brows as natural as possible, and would like them to look the best they can when wearing little makeup, Yorkshire Makeup Artist (MUA) Cydney Beasley offers her advice.

Ms Beasley explains that, “They need to be tidy. Depending on how full your brows already are, I use either a clear brow gel or one with a tint and brush through the brows brushing them slightly up.”