Get back to basics
Your first step to achieving perfect eyebrows is also one of the most challenging: hands off for three months. “This lets your eyebrows fully grow back to their natural shape before you groom them again,” says Ramy Gafni, New York City-based makeup artist founder of RAMY Beauty Therapy who has worked with everyone from Halle Berry to Taylor Swift. “I can’t tell you how many thin-browed clients come in for a brow shaping and tell me they grew in their brows… for all of a week!” He emphasizes, “By constantly removing hairs in an effort to improve your brows, you perpetuate overly thin or misshapen brows.”
Exercise restraint
“Women with great brows don’t obsess over every stray hair and don’t over-zealously pluck their eyebrows,” Gafni says. “I always preach, ‘When in doubt, don’t pluck it out!’ If it’s truly an errant hair, you can always remove it tomorrow.”
Treat your brows like the hair on your head
You don’t just need to shape your eyebrows, you need to groom them, too. “Brushing through your brows with a spooly brush helps keeps hairs in place, exfoliates the skin under your brows and increases blood flow,” Gafni says. “This not only helps your brows look their best, it encourages hair turnover and growth.” You can also condition your brows with your hair conditioner or coconut oil.
Don’t fight Mother Nature
Your eyebrows are how they are for a reason—they correspond to your facial structure and bones. That means you shouldn't stray far from your original shape and positioning, no matter how much you want to “help” your situation out, Gafni says. So no shaving off the outer half if they’re full or, on the other end of the spectrum, don’t create an artificial arch using makeup.
Do nothing permanent
Chances are, you’ll regret making a nonreversible change to your eyebrows. “I don't recommend permanent laser hair removal or eyebrow tattooing,” Gafni says. He says he has never met a single person who was happy with permanent hair removal in their brow area and very few women who were happy with the outcome of tattooed brows. “Your face and your brows change over time, so you don’t want anything permanent done that may not be flattering in the long run,” he says.
Use makeup to your benefit
“Even the fullest brow can benefit from a brow filler like an eyebrow pen or pencil or a clear brow gel for unruly brows,” he suggests. “A brow filler can fill the little gaps created by our hair patterns and make the eyebrow look more perfect,” Gafni says. “They key is to use a product that is universally flattering and then brush through your brows to blend the product so your brows look amazing—not made-up,” he says. If your light brows need bumping up try a pencil slightly darker than your natural shade like one from Eylure Eyebrow Liner Pencil. On the other hand if your brows are full and only need light taming, try a brow gel like Ramy When Harry Met Sealy in clear. (Related: Find other ways to use makeup to make your eyes pop.)