It's common knowledge that your hair turns gray as you grow older —including the hair on your eyebrows, too. Other factors like missing particular nutrients in your diet, stress from your lifestyle, or hair pigmentation issues can also contribute to graying hairs — but that doesn't mean that your eyebrows should be sacrificed. There are a slew of gray eyebrow pencils that help you blend those hairs to oblivion (or let them shine), along with some easy tips, too.
“First, match or compliment your natural eyebrow color with the pencil,' makeup artist Min Ma, who works with Hailee Steinfeld and Leonardo DiCaprio, says. 'I like to use fair, ashy shades and light blondes for fairer skin. The idea is to fill sparse areas and give them a shape without making them stand out too much, especially with gray coloring. Think of your brows as an accessory rather than the centerpiece.'
Ma also likes to the use pencils that are larger in diameter instead of the skinny ones because they go on softer and more natural. 'Again, it’s not about coloring gray color onto your brows. Instead, give them a shape,” says Ma.
Flawlessly groom, define and enhance your eye brows with tints, brow gels, and brow kits for a natural-looking finish that matches any hair colour. Eye Brow Makeup + Kit MAC Cosmetics. Shape + Shade Brow Tint fuses the power of liquid and powder in a dual-ended product designed to define and set brows with ease. Fill brows effortlessly using the precision brush-tipped liquid liner on one end, then flip to the sponge on the other end to set your shape with the mess-free powder contained in the cap.
But if you want to let your grays glisten, that's totally fine, too. “I’d leave them be,' Ma reflects. 'Enjoy them. I wouldn’t pluck because good, youthful brows should look full and natural.'
Ahead, see more tips and suggestions from Ma, along with Los Angeles-based artist Michelle Quaranta, makeup artist Joanna Schlip, and Molly R. Stern, an artist whose work can be seen in publications such as ELLE and Allure.
Mac Taupe Brow Gel
So what is this new trending brow hasthtag and what’s the big deal? #browsonfleek essentially means having eyebrows that are perfectly filled and shaped to complement one’s face! Brows are one of the first things people see and they truly frame the face. Over the years I have tried almost every brow product out on the market and wanted to share my holy grail brow items + tips on how I use them to keep my brow game strong.
1. Finding the right color
There’s a general rule of thumb on choosing a brow color: for dark hair choose 2-3 shades lighter than your hair color – for lighter hair go 2-3 shades darker. Brown is a tricky color so knowing your hair tone and color is important! Hair with red tones can opt for both neutral or warm colors, whereas dark black hair would better suit neutral tones.
Some of my favorite MAC shadows
- Charcoal Brown – medium brown with warm tones
- Cork – light brown with warm tones
- Coquette – medium neutral taupe
- Espresso – dark muted brown with slightly warm tones
2. Find what product works for you
There are so many different types of products that do different things for your brows. Gels/pomades are best for fade-free and budge-proof brows that will last you all day and into the night. Pencils are great for naturally defining the lower edge of the brow and also the tail. Powders are the quickest and easiest to apply/blend and will look the most natural, though they tend to fade through the day. I use all three types of products and will use them in different combinations depending on what makeup look I’m going for. Each product varies in the time it takes to set, so getting to know the product and perfecting what order to apply/blend is an art-form in itself!
- Best waterproof gels: Anastasia DIPBROW Pomade and Make Up Forever Aqua Brow
- Best brow pencil: Anastasia Brow Wiz
3. Every brow is different
The saying goes “brows are sisters not twins.” So don’t focus TOO much on getting them exactly the same! Also, there is no single perfect brow shape – one person can have multiple shapes to suit their face. When I met Anastasia (yes… THAT Anastasia) she applied thicker + more arched brows on me, something I never tried. It looked fantastic! Never be afraid to try different shapes and it’s only makeup so you can always wash it off!
4. Keep them groomed
Mac Taupe Eyebrow Pencil
Groomed eyebrows = easier/quicker application. Learning how to shape my own brows and pluck/trim them at home has also saved me tons of $$$. I would recommend getting them done professionally first a few times to find out what shapes work best for you. When it comes time to plucking, remember to always take a step back from the mirror to avoid over tweezing!
Mac Taupe Eyebrow Pencil
5. Practice practice practice!
Don’t forget practice makes perfect so keep calm and brows on!