Eyebrow Shaping: What Is It and How To Do It?

Eyebrow shaping is a trend that illuminates the face without the arch losing its symmetry. This risk-free technique is popular because it is a styling technique that looks great without even needing makeup.

Eyebrow shaping contrasts the most prominent features of the face, opens up your look, and shapes the arch of the eyebrows. It’s a technique that defines the shape of this area and determines the color that best suits it in makeup. In addition, another of its purposes is to give prominence to the upper part of the face.

All eyebrows look different due to the amount of hair they have and their arrangement. Some are very thin and others are very thick. However, thanks to aesthetic treatments such as profiling, it’s possible to modify the appearance of the eyebrows without altering them.
This cosmetic procedure creates facial harmony while respecting the functionality of the eyebrows, which is to protect the eyes from dust, solar radiation, sweat, and other environmental aggressions. Find out more about the method in this article!

What is eyebrow shaping?

Eyebrow shaping is a form of designing and sculpting the eyebrows according to the structure of the face and eyes by drawing reference lines from the beginning of the nose. The objective is to freshen up a person’s look, giving a natural look to the eyebrows, whether they’re thin, thick, short, or long.

Overall, this technique can bring out the following formations:

• Angular eyebrows highlight a person’s features. They go up from their ends and then curve down, covering the outer corner of the eye.
• Arched eyebrows enlarge the eyes. The angle is as marked as in the angular ones, but the descent is subtle in this case.
• Straight eyebrows give the impression of a short, oval face. They look flat.
• Rounded eyebrows have a slightly accentuated arch. They soften features and match the eyelid line.

The success of the outlining is in customizing it according to the person’s desire, without losing sight of the style of the eyebrows, and carrying out the hair removal that best suits your needs.

How to do eyebrow shaping

As time has passed throughout history, the way eyebrows are groomed has gradually evolved. The ultra-thin arches of the past are rarely seen nowadays. Nowadays, thick but perfectly groomed eyebrows are more popular among models.

Although there are various techniques for the care and makeup of the eyebrows, such as organic coloring, microblading, semi-permanent tattooing, and lamination, it’s the profiling that promotes a simple, painless, and immediately noticeable results. Here’s how to do it.

1. Define the style

The first step is to define the eyebrow style. Choose between thick and thin. From there, the shaping process begins.

The thicker ones require an arch definition to polish them, while the thinner ones require hair plucking in the surrounding area to reduce the volume. The most requested styles are as follows:

• Natural eyebrows: The design is close to the natural appearance and shape of the eyebrows. It’s advisable to add colorless gel for a better finish.
• Thick and thick eyebrows maintain the model with a good base. To care for this style of eyebrow, it’s advisable to brush them.
• Thick and well-defined eyebrows balance features and complement the look, adding shadows and pencils.

2. Prepare your tools

Few materials are used in this cosmetic treatment. According to the design and type of eyebrows, the appropriate instrument for hair removal is chosen.

Usually, they’re tweezers, threads, wax, or a razor. It’s also feasible to use a caliper to precise the symmetry.

In some cases, the outline is sealed with a little dye for a more noticeable final result.

3. Outline the eyebrows

With a white eyeliner pencil, make an outline from the corner of each nostril to the following straight lines:

• Up to the beginning of the tear trough, i.e., the origin of the eyebrow.
• Up to the middle of the eyebrow, in order to establish the height of the angle.
• A final line to the tail of the eyebrow, to know where the outline ends.

Apart from that, mark the space between the eyebrows so you get the hair out.

4. Pluck your eyebrows

Now it’s time to remove the excess eyebrows with the tool of your choice. You may use tweezers if you want to keep the original shape.

Waxing is only for the hairs that are too long or for those millimeters that refuse to come out. In this case, it’s wise to first do a test on a small patch of skin on the back of your hand to rule out allergies or sensitivity to the ingredients of the waxing substance.

Another popular method is threading, which consists of intertwining strands to pull out the hairs. The benefits of this alternative are that it doesn’t tighten the skin, doesn’t cause irritation, and works well on thick hairs. A razor is for emergencies only, because its frequent use thickens the hair.

Are there any risks involved in eyebrow shaping?

Shaping eyebrows does not pose any danger, unlike other eyebrow beautifying procedures. However, it’s essential that the technique is applied by a professional, to avoid cuts or burns during the handling of certain instruments.

In fact, the American Academy of Ophthalmology warns that it’s important to be very careful with this area of the body in companion with other treatments because it’s a part of the face very close to the eyes. The effects of making a mistake or applying unhealthy chemicals range from possible sensitivity reactions to vision disorders.

As for the recommendations for the correct hair removal, the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology emphasizes doing it in maximum conditions of hygiene and avoiding sun exposure the following days.

Makeup and maintenance for profiled eyebrows

The estimated time for a new appointment with a beautician to get your eyebrows retouched is 21 days. It’s not a strict period of time, but it’s advisable to avoid repeating the procedure completely.

The new hairs that have just grown can be removed at home with tweezers, although the correct maintenance is in the hands of the profiler.

Regarding makeup, make sure to select shades similar to those of your eyebrows so that they define the arches and the profiling looks impeccable.