Good eyebrows have the power to transform a face, and if you’ve ever overplucked your brows or had them half waxed off in a beauty blunder, you’ll know this saying is true. Did you also know that as we age, we should be reassessing our brow shape to make it suit our facial features?
This careful eyebrow examination is something that some of the most beautiful women in the world do – including, it’s reported, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle. Of course, the A-list have beauty experts on hand to assess their eyebrow shape for them, which might not seem achievable for your normal person. The good news is that these experts use a technique called “brow mapping” to find the best shape for their client – and, thanks to TikTok, this technique is actually pretty easy to do for yourself at home.
What is brow mapping?
“It’s a process used to create symmetry between both brows when styling. It involves using multiple measurements across your brows and eyes to establish the most flattering shape for your face,” explains Fides Baldesberger, CEO of Rubis Tweezers. “It's also one of the easiest ways to prevent major errors, such as a brow being plucked too thin or an arch being pushed too far inwards. Most frequently done in salons or brow bars, this technique can be done at home too!"
The Royal effect
We wish we knew the full ins and outs of the Royals’ beauty regimes, but sadly we’re left pretty in the dark about most of what they have done aesthetically. However, the reason it’s commonly believed Kate, now 41, went for a brow mapping consultation is because she appeared in the summer of 2020 with visibly fuller and fluffier arches.
As she was just approaching 40 at the time, the transformation suggested that her previously tapered brow tails and straight style weren’t giving her the “lift” she wanted, and she turned to brow mapping to find a better shape to suit her new age.
As for Meghan, the 41 year old went on a whole brow reshaping programme with expert Sherrille Riley, to get the best look for her face – and we can say confidently that the Duchess’ angular arches are working perfectly for her.
So how is TikTok involved in the technique?
Brow mapping has been going viral on the app for a few months, with users uploading tutorials on how to do the process for yourself. Others have posted before and after pictures to show the “mini face lift effects” of the technique. In fact, brow mapping has become so popular that TikTok now even has a filter to make the process even simpler. This filter has been used to varying degrees of results, so we advise you to do the more accurate pencil and pluck version (see a tutorial here from user @slaybyjess) rather than the digital alternative.
How to brow map for yourself
"Start by using a brow pencil to mark three key points along each brow: the front, the arch, and the tail. To find the front, place the end of your pencil vertically from the dimple of your nose to the inner corner of your eye, noting where the pencil crosses your brow,” Fides says.
“To find the arch, lay your pencil from the dimple of the nose towards the brow, but this time turn it slightly diagonally so that it's in-line with the outside of the iris. This is the point where the arch should be the highest.
“Finally, find where the tail of your brow should end by tilting your pencil from the side of your nostril to the corner of your eye, closest to your ear. These three points will help you to determine the basic shape of your brow. From there, outline the top of your brow by connecting these points with your brow pencil. Then, outline that same shape along the bottom of your brow.
“Voilà, you've just drawn your perfect brow shape. All that's left to do is to tweeze any brow hairs that fall outside the lines to help create symmetry and tidy up your brows."
READ MORE
-
Lydia Bright shows off her natural hair texture and gorgeous holiday curls
-
These popular beauty brands have hit the Love Island Villa for the first time this season
-
Jennifer Lopez's multi-coloured 'unicorn' hair is a work of art