chérie liquor: November 2018

, by TS

Eyebrows: The Good, The Bad, The Fix

After most unfortunately plucking to hell what I wouldn't know until years later was a genetic gift, I've had to gradually re-learn how to treat my brows. These odd forehead-eye socket borders we all have upon our faces can be a hindrance or a blessing. Some grow like vines on an abandoned castle and others struggle to so much as exist. Whichever category you may fall into, unless you're an esthetician yourself, you require a bit of guidance as to what your options are in the brow realm. I've gathered all my research from pencils to serums to procedures you can try out for the best eyebrow maintenance.

Brow Pencils, Gels, and Pomades

I regularly make a Boy Brow purchase at Glossier (because I have mega thick Hulk smash brow hairs) ever since it went on the market and it's cheaper than Anastasia Beverly Hills's brow gel while doing an equally solid job of conditioning the hairs while keeping them from getting scraggly. If you want an even cheaper fix, NYX has a clear one for only $6. Clear mascara has been recommended as a dupe for brow gel as well, but if you have mega thick hairs like me, it might not hold throughout the day like a traditional brow product would.

My greatest discovery this year was the Shu Uemura Brow Pencil because it introduced to me to what I was missing from other products I'd tried in the past. The shape of the pencil features a wide, flat tip that makes it not only more accurate at creating individual hair strokes for filling in gaps, but makes it less likely to break off when pressure is applied. Formulated differently than regular brow pencils, it has a consistency more like a pomade/gel crayon, which can also be presented in pen forms like this one from The Face Shop I've been using lately.

Anastasia Beverly Hills has the most well-renowned brow pomade, I mean it's in every YouTube beauty tutorial I see. If you have less hair or want that gradient Instagram brow, this product melts into the skin to create a smooth application that can easily be cleaned up with concealer. (e.l.f. has this one for $4)

Brow Serums and Oils

If you're looking to grow thicker, healthier brows, it might be time to invest in essential oils or serums to aid the process, cause it's gonna be a stressful one for sure. When growing out eyebrows, there is no greater need for patience to be bestowed upon you than when hairs start growing wherever the hell they feel like it and you look like a mess. But the payoff is so sweet, I promise.

There aren't a ton of reasonably priced brow serums in stores, but RapidLash and Shiseido have vitamin and amino acid packed products at $35. Conditioning is the key to getting your brows in tip top shape, so you can opt for a conditioning primer like Benefit's Browow! too.

Oils can be found at most drugstores and are useful for not just brow care but skin, hair, nails, and even aromatherapy. Lavender oil, horsetail plant oil, peppermint oil, rosemary oil, cedarwood oil, and thyme oil are best for accelerating hair growth.

Threading, Waxing, Plucking, and Tinting

Here's a simple breakdown: Threading gets individual hairs out with minimal pain and redness, waxing takes care of removing hair in sections but can cause redness and breakouts, and plucking is useful for at-home maintenance of brows in between appointments with a professional if strays pop up.

You're likely to do threading if you're aiming to reshape or do minor clean-up of your brows whereas waxing can take care of unibrows (unless you've happily embraced yours) and unwanted surrounding hair that might be easier to just whack off all at once.

Tinting is great for those who dye their hair or want their brows to look fuller without having to fill them in every day. Tinting doesn't involve bleach so if you're looking to go lighter, I recommend seeing a professional salon colorist after personally making the mistake of bleaching my own and immediately screaming upon getting a glimpse of the result.

Microblading

For anyone who has little to no hair or simply has no desire to continue the brow upkeep step in their makeup routine, microblading can have you set for life. The procedure tattoos individual hairs onto your browbone to mimic real hair growth and look as natural as possible. Pricing ranges from $350-800 depending on your geographical location and doctor. Although it is considered a form of permanent makeup, you'll have to get retouches every 1-3 years depending on your skin type.

Leave comments with any other products or procedures you've discovered!