How to Get Natural-Looking Brows: Choosing the Right Pencil and Shade

Most over-drawn brows come from two mistakes: a shade that is too dark and lines drawn instead of strokes. Fix both and brows look fuller without looking done.

How to choose your shade

Match the pencil to your brow hair, not the hair on your head.

  • Blonde or light brown brows: light brown or taupe
  • Medium brown brows: medium brown
  • Dark brown brows: dark brown or dark coffee
  • Black brows: dark brown or grey-black. Pure black often looks harsh.
  • Grey brows: grey or grey-brown

Rule: if you are between two shades, choose the lighter one. You can build color; you cannot take it back.

Which pencil to use

The 4-step natural brow method

  1. Brush up. Brush brow hairs upward with a spoolie to see the real shape and gaps.
  2. Map three points. Start: in line with the side of your nose. Arch: in line with the outer edge of your iris. End: in line from the nostril past the outer corner of the eye.
  3. Draw short strokes, not lines. Use light, flicked strokes in the direction of hair growth. Start at the arch and work outward. Use the least pressure at the front of the brow.
  4. Blend. Brush through with the spoolie to soften. The front third of the brow should always be the lightest.

Keep brows tidy between routines

Remove strays below the brow line only, and only in natural light, with precision tweezers. For color that lasts days instead of hours, a brow and lash tint kit tints the hairs themselves. Always patch test first.

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