Common eyebrow mistakes you’re probably making

The days of tadpole brows and penciled-in shapes are long gone thanks to the likes of bold brow beauties Cara Delevingne, Brooke Shields, and Lily Collins.

With show-stopping face-framers being the norm right now, you’d think we could finally dismiss those major brow mistakes as a thing of the past, right? Wrong. It turns out you may be sabotaging your own gorgeous eyebrows without even realising it. The solution: Remember these tips before your next tweezing session.

Eyebrow Mistake #1: Choosing the Wrong-Color Brow Pencil

If you have brown hair, you don’t necessarily want to use a brown eyebrow pencil. Buy a brow product that’s a shade or two lighter than your actual hair color. It looks more natural and less harsh that way. Another tip? If you have highlights, match the pencil shade to the lighter strands for the most genuine-looking finish.

Eyebrow Mistake #2: Tweezing Too Often

Routinely tweezing the eyebrows every day can lead to some serious over plucking. Instead, shape your brows every one to two weeks, depending on your rate of hair growth. By allowing them to grow in a bit, you’ll have more to work with and avoid going too thin.

Eyebrow Mistake #3: Applying Skin Care Products to the Brow Area

You wouldn’t slather face cream on your scalp, would you? Of course not! So there’s no reason to apply it to your brows either. Avoid getting any lotions, gels, sunscreens, foundations, or moisturizers on or around the brow area. They seep into the brows and prevent growth, or worse, cause the hairs to fall out.

Eyebrow Mistake #4: Making Brows Identical

When grooming your brows, don’t obsess over symmetry. Try to shape your eyebrows in a way that ensures they start and end at generally the same points. Keep in mind that your face isn’t perfectly symmetrical, so your brows may not be either; as the saying goes, eyebrows should be sisters, not twins.

Eyebrow Mistake #5: Misplacing Your Arch

A strong arch is essential for giving you the ultimate sultry gaze, case in point: Marilyn Monroe’s perfectly arched brows. An arch too close to the center of the brow, however, could leave you stuck with a perpetually surprised or angry look. Avoid this by keeping the arch two-thirds of the way out from the beginning of your brow, says Healy. This will enhance your eye shape rather than distract from it.