How to have the best eyebrows for your face
The reign of skinny brows ended a long, long time ago: it’s all about big, bushy eyebrows these days.
The reign of skinny brows ended a long, long time ago: it’s all about big, bushy eyebrows these days.
Times have changed since the Ultra Thin eyebrows of the 1990s and now we’re in the golden age of bigger, fuller brows—not quite woolly bear territory, though. So whether you’re planning an attack with tweezers, threads, razors, or wax, you’re gonna need to know that secret formula. We see celebrities with perfect eyebrows that dance elegantly across their brow bones, and contouring that can LITERALLY slice bread, so why can’t you have that?
There are so many ways to style and shape your brows that it can feel kinda really effing overwhelming. No two brows are the same (seriously—stare closely at all of your friends and tell me if I’m wrong), which means the journey to getting the “perfect” eyebrows is going to look a little different for everyone.
The process to find the best eyebrows for you is not that different to finding the right part and the right bangs for your face shape. Like a hairstyle, certain brows will work better for certain face structures. So you need to know what type of face you have before deciding how to proceed with your eyebrows.
Round, square, oval, long ,heart-shaped? Find our what is your face shape and let us guide you through the best eyebrow styles for each.
Rounded brows on a rounded face will only make it appear rounder. The objective is to make this face shape look longer and the jaw to appear narrower. Opt for a soft lifted arch and a lengthened tail to create the illusion of a longer face and slimmer jawline. Avoid a sharp, angular shape as these will not complement the curves of the face, and keep the contours of the brows soft and slightly curved under the arch. Equip yourself with a pencil that is a good colour match as you will be extending the lines slightly beyond your natural shape. Feather lines from the start of the brow at a strong angle up and then a sharp change in direction from the arch to the tail. Blend with a spooly.
Celebs with a round face shape: Gabrielle Union, Ginnifer Goodwin, Kirsten Dunst.
A square face tends to have more angular features. Opt for a soft lifted arch and a lengthened tail which will help to elongate the face and make the jawline look slimmer. Avoid flat brows on a square face as the face will appear shorter and even more square. I would recommend a brow tint to make the brows a shade or two darker. Alternatively use a coloured brow mascara to buff over the hairs in a richer tint/colour.
Celebs with a square face shape: Olivia Wilde, Malin Akerman, Nicole Richie.
The best eyebrow shape for oval faces is a soft angled eyebrow shape as it will not deter from the harmony that is already at play here. Make sure not to put oval brows on an oval shaped face. You can avoid this by making sure your arch doesn’t sit in the centre of the brows. Go for soft angles and shallow arches. NO DRAMA. Dramatic shapes will make your fabulous oval face into something else.
Celebs with an oval face shape: Jessica Alba, Beyoncé, Eva Mendes.
Heart-shaped faces follow the general outline of a heart, with a wider forehead that tapers down to a pointed chin. Our objective is to make the forehead appear narrower and in turn soften the chin, making it look less ‘pointy’. A heart-shaped face looks best with a soft arch, which balances a longer chin. When it comes to thickness, choose a fuller shape. A soft and natural powdered brow will work well here. Be sure to apply your powder in curved strokes not straight lines. Avoid any high arch, as it is too dramatic for the chin.
Celebs with a heart-shaped face: Cara Delevingne, Kourtney Kardashian, Reese Witherspoon.
A long face is typically oblong or rectangular in shape and tends to be very narrow with close and deep set eyes. The objective is to make this face shape appear shorter and wider. Avoid a height to the brows as this will make the face look longer. Keep brows flatter so as not to create the illusion of a shorter face. Keep characteristics soft and curved to complement the features.
Celebs with a long face shape: Joan Smalls, Sarah Jessica Parker, Liv Tyler.