12 Things You Should Never Do to Your Eyebrows

12 Things You Should Never Do to Your Eyebrows

If eyes are the windows to the soul, then eyebrows are the essential frames that allow us to see through those windows. They help others interpret our facial expressions and emotions, and a well-groomed brow can add a touch of elegance to even the simplest face. While eyebrow care isn’t as frequent or complex as skincare or haircare, mistakes can undo all your hard work. So, take the “safety techniques” for eyebrow care seriously.

1. Avoid Using Magnifying Mirrors

When plucking or coloring your eyebrows, avoid mirrors that distort your view or size. These mirrors might be handy for applying lipstick or eye makeup, but they can be detrimental to your brows. The magnifying effect can lead to over-plucking, resulting in thin, unexpressive lines.

2. Don’t Apply Cream Before Depilation

While moisturizing creams can soften the skin and make depilation less painful, they also increase skin sensitivity to irritants, especially around the delicate eye area. This can cause temporary irritation, rashes, or even breakouts. Use creams after hair removal, and if you need to soften the skin, hold your face over hot steam for a few minutes.

3. Never Use a Non-Sterile Tweezer

Any tweezer that looks clean to the naked eye can still harbor infections for open wounds, which is what remains after plucking a hair follicle. To avoid micro-abscesses and itchy inflammation, always sterilize your tweezers with an antiseptic before use.

4. Don’t Strive for Perfection

Perfectly symmetrical eyebrows don’t exist. Don’t try to make them identical twins if they aren’t naturally. Our faces aren’t perfectly symmetrical, so slight differences won’t be noticeable. However, if your brows look significantly different, you might need more practice.

5. Don’t Remove Too Many Hairs from the Top

The upper part of the brow often has unruly single hairs. Be extra careful with these. Removing a few can change the entire brow shape. It’s best to correct the brow shape from below, only removing hairs from the top when absolutely necessary.

6. Don’t Use Brushes from Other Cosmetics

Eyebrow brushes should be specific to brows, not borrowed from other cosmetic sets. Even mascara brushes aren’t suitable for evenly distributing color or combing brow hairs. If you’re using liquid eyeliner on your brows, use a thin, flat brush instead of the one that comes with the set.

7. Don’t Experiment with Stencils

Most experiments with stencils don’t end as planned. Stencils can be helpful, but only if a professional in a good beauty salon selects them for you. Otherwise, brows that look attractive on another face or mannequin might become unexpressive lines above your eyes, leaving you waiting for them to grow back.

8. Don’t Overdo Hair Removal on the Bridge of the Nose

Many people with thick brows find that the hairs tend to merge on the bridge of the nose, making you want to remove all the hairs there. However, this area significantly affects your overall facial expression. Remove hairs very carefully and without excessive enthusiasm. The optimal hair-free distance between your brows should be equal to the width of your nose without the nostrils. Increasing this distance can negatively alter your facial expression.

9. Don’t Try to Match Your Brow Color to Your Hair Color

If you’re coloring your brows, don’t use the same shade as your hair. This can look harsh and unnatural. Naturally, brows are usually a bit lighter and softer than your hair, so keep this in mind when choosing a color.

10. Don’t Pluck Hairs in the Bathroom or Shower

While it might seem convenient to pluck your brows in the bathroom or shower, it’s not advisable. Although it’s easy to rinse away hairs and the hot steam softens the skin, tap water can introduce infections into the open follicles. Unless you’re bathing in pure mineral water or goat’s milk, avoid brow depilation in the shower.

11. Don’t Remove Hairs Immediately Before Applying Makeup

Depilation, whether with tweezers or wax, is a traumatic procedure that requires some recovery time for the skin to initiate regenerative processes. Applying makeup immediately after can cause redness, even with the lightest products. It’s best to depilate 1-2 hours before applying makeup, but in a pinch, 30 minutes will do. Then you can apply foundation, powder, eyeshadow, and mascara.

12. Don’t Hesitate to Consult a Specialist

Eyebrows are as crucial to your appearance as your hairstyle. It’s best to trust a professional with brow correction at least once or twice. They can help you choose the right shape, color, and stencil. Then, you can maintain this look as needed and return to change it when you’re ready for something new. Don’t take risks with such a delicate area; you wouldn’t attempt to replicate a trendy haircut you saw on someone else at home, would you?

For more information on beauty and wellness, check out this authoritative source.