Holy Eyebrows Batman!

Right, so to start off I'm going to begin with a very mistreated area, the eyebrows! I have very pale skin and dark hair, but my eyebrows are so sparse they look non-existent and really don't do anything for my face as a good eyebrow should. Having your eyebrows done properly can give structure to your face, make your features more defined and make you look more polished. Who doesn't want that?

Let's look at proper shaping. I'm sure all of you will have seen someone walking down the street and thought, jeez, what happened to her eyebrows? You know the kind of people I mean, they either shave their brows off and draw them back on again like the McDonalds 'M', have them tattooed on badly or they've gone completely overboard on the makeup and made the brows a different colour to the rest of their hair.

So here is my quick 5 step guide to shaping:

Step 1. Make sure you have proper lighting, natural or bright lights are best. I find it easier to do in the morning near a window as this gives the best light so you can see even the tiniest hairs. Examine your brows carefully, are they the same shape, length, width? Eyebrows need to be symmetrical!

Step 2. Take a pencil (I use my eyebrow pencil, you can use eyeliner, a ruler, anything like that) and, looking at the picture to the left, place it in these three positions. Point A is the ideal place for your eyebrow to begin, point B is the ideal place for your eyebrow to end and point C should be the highest point of the arch. Simples!

Step 3. Take a small brush (I use the one on the end of my eyebrow pencil) and brush your brows in place so you can get a better idea of where to start. If you find plucking your eyebrows is a painful experience then either use something cold to numb them a little afterwards or you can do what I do and place a warm cloth on them before you pluck as this opens the pores a little and helps the hairs slip out easier and with less resistance.

Step 4. Start by removing the hairs between the eyes and the nose bridge, but be careful not to make the gap between eyebrows too big (I did this once when I was a teenager, made me look constantly surprised like an anti-botox. Not a good look!) Then pluck any strays from the end of the brows, and finally from underneath. If you're doing this for the first time I find it helps to draw a line and follow it so you don't get carried away, also keep moving from one to the other and take frequent breaks to stop and look. Make sure to keep checking that they you are plucking both brows into the same shape.

Step 5. When all strays have been removed and you have an arch you can be proud of, you can then fill in any gaps. I have a few products I use for this - I will do a review for them all later - but in my opinion the easiest one to use is the trusty eyebrow pencil. Use short, feathery strokes in an upward motion to mimic the natural hairs, and use a shade that is either lighter than your own for a natural look, or the same shade as your brows for more definition, which is great for nights out.

So there you have it, and when it comes to shaping your brows remember:
DO invest in a good pair of tweezers. They will grab hairs better and you will be able to pluck even the shortest pesky hairs away. Plus they really do last a VERY long time so are worth the investment.

DO pluck strays regularly. It helps keep your appearance clean and polished and your brows will look good even if you haven't got time to fill them in.

DON'T over pluck your eyebrows! If you are unsure, do one hair at a time and take regular mirror checks to make sure you are not plucking more than necessary.

DON'T use an eyeliner if you have no brow pencil (yes, I have seen some sights!) if your brow pencil runs out then simply use eyeshadow in a similar shade if you have one available, and use an eyeliner brush to fill them in.

K