Eyebrows are an important beauty feature, but they can easily grow out of control. You’ve probably seen some eyebrow don’ts, such as brows that are too bushy, too thin or the tadpole–a kind of eyebrow mullet, if you will, thick at the beginning with a too-drastic tapering off that doesn’t quite make it to the end. You can avoid all of these eyebrow mistakes once you learn some beauty tips for tweezing them.

Shaping

Eyebrows should have an arch, but don’t overdo this or you will look perpetually surprised. To find where the arch should be, take a pencil and hold it vertically from the inside of your nose. The outside edge of the pencil is where your brow should begin. Move the pencil diagonally across and over your iris, or the colored part of your eye. That is where the brow should arch. Move it again to the outside of your eye. That is where the eyebrow should end. Once you know your start, end and arch positions, you can pluck the hairs that are outside those areas. Do not pluck above your brow, only below. Otherwise, you may be left with a fuzzy-looking area. Make the arch gradually. Take a few days if you need to. You want to avoid overplucking.

When to Tweeze

The best time to tweeze your eyebrows is right after your shower. If that is inconvenient, apply a hot washcloth to your brows to loosen the hair follicles. It will be easier to tweeze if you take that step, according to the Free Beauty Tips Glam website.

Plucking

When you are ready to pluck, pull the skin taut around the brow. This makes it easier to see the stray hairs. It also hurts less when you pull your skin a little. Pluck in the direction that the hairs grow. Stop and evaluate your work often to avoid plucking too much. After you are done, take an eyelash comb and brush your brows upward. Trim any hairs that extend over the brow bone.

The Right Tools

Picking the right eyebrow tweezer can make this job easier for you. A tweezer with a thin tip is good for small, fine hairs. A slanted tip will give you the most control. A square tip is best for coarser hair.

In Case of Pain

If you are in any discomfort or pain from the tweezing, you can apply a little anbesol to numb the area. Sometimes your brow area will be red and a little swollen after tweezing. If so, you can apply cool, wet tea bags to soothe the area. Ice or a soothing lotion, such as aloe, will work too. Do not touch the area too much. This could interfere with healing and could lead to an infection.

Photo Credit

• make up eyebrow image by Julia Britvich from Fotolia.com