It’s not easy to achieve perfect eyebrows these days. You can have thick eyebrows but not too thick. They should be arched but not too arched. There are many brow gels and pomades available in different colors and shades. Sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start.
Although no one can determine the shape of your eyebrows, there are some professionals who can help you sort through those options. You just need to pay attention to your physical features, and then you can try a lot of things. This is how to choose the right eyebrow color.
Take stock of the color and tone of your hair
While bold, dark eyebrows have been a popular choice in recent years, Azi Sacks, a New York City brow artist, says that eyebrows don’t fit everyone (or are a one-size fits all) situation. Delina Medhin, a New York City makeup artist says that eyebrows are very personal. It’s important to take into consideration your hair color and skin tone when choosing brow makeup.
Medhin looks at her clients’ hair and skin before choosing a eyebrow color. Tommy, a fellow makeup artist based in New York City concurs. “I pay attention to the roots color of my client’s hair.”
We know this seems obvious. A brow powder that is too dark might make you feel overwhelmed if you have very light hair and skin. A lighter-colored powder won’t work if your skin is darker. It’s more than just having brown hair and choosing the best brown eyebrow makeup. Medhin says that she is able to determine the right eyebrow makeup for clients by looking at their skin and undertones.
Sacks suggests that observing the texture of your hair can help you decide how dark or light your brows should be. She explains, “This allows me to gauge how hard or soft I should go.” People with naturally dark hair and dense eyebrows will be more comfortable having equally dark and dense eyebrows. People with finer or lighter hair might prefer a “rich, dense” eyebrow in a lighter shade.
Sacks can also determine the brow color by looking at your facial structure. She says, “I also consider the forehead space.” If the forehead space is smaller, I will create a softening fill. According to her, the brow should look “enhanced but still not overdone.” If you are afraid to go too bold, it is worth paying attention to your hair’s color and density.
Try to choose shades that are slightly lighter in color than your natural eyebrow hair color
Okay, now you have a good idea of your hair color and skin tones and can buy brow makeup. What now? Now it’s time for you to decide how dark or light your brow product should be. Tommy will almost always choose a color one shade lighter than the client’s hair after determining their root hair color.
He explains that the ideal color should mimic the eyebrow hair’s shadow. Medhin follows a similar approach. “I’m searching for an eyebrow pencil that.. conveys shadowlike appearance,” she states.
Reiterating: It is not the goal to create brow makeup that matches your brow hair. The goal is to match the color of your shadow-cast skin between your brow hairs. Sacks states that this rule can be used to “camouflage” your brow makeup.
She says that if your brow color is too dark or too light and you want to fill in the gaps, your brows may appear to have pigment. However, they don’t look like filler or are drawn on. Brow color should not alter the brow’s ton but it should increase density or depth.
It might seem a bit strange to not match your brow makeup with your brow hair, but it is the contrast between darker and lighter brows that creates the illusion of thicker brows. It can cause brows to appear flat and blocky if brows are filled with a color that isn’t exactly match (or darker) your brow hair. If you can see your own brow makeup in the mirror, then it may be time to switch to lighter shades.
If in doubt, choose neutrals or cool-toned colors over warm shades
This is where skin depth plays a major role. Medhin’s rule is that the “more fair the skin, the more warm I would prefer the brow pencil.” Tommy says that a person’s skin color can help determine how warm or cool they will look. He explains that if someone is more yellow, their eyebrow pencil may need to be a bit warmer.
Medhin clarifies that redheads are the exception to this rule. She says, “That is when I lean towards the warm pencil.” Tommy says that the goal is to imitate a shadow, not actual hair. Therefore, he believes it is better to choose shades that are cooler.
He reiterates that eyebrow colors look best when they’re colder and not reddish or orange like a shadow. Iope Eyebrow Auto Pencil Khaki Gray, Anastasia Beverly Hill’s Dipbrow Pomade In Taupe, and MAC Coquette Eye Shadow are some great examples of cool-toned eyebrow products that Tommy uses on his blonde clients.
Sacks suggests that you choose neutral-toned, lighter browns if your brow makeup is difficult to distinguish between warm and cool. If it looks weird to you, you can adjust for that later. She explains that you should go taupe and then, after you have increased your density, length, and styled your hair, you can add another tone to it. This is like a cake topper.
It is important to choose brow products that have a lighter shade and are cooler than your natural eyebrow hairs. You’ll be able to use more product if your brows are naturally thick or dense. You should be cautious if your brows are naturally sparse. Use smaller amounts of product until you get the desired look.
We have already mentioned that your eyebrow shape, color and style are entirely up to you. Dark and bold is what you want. You can also opt for lightweight, low-key looks. Wear warm colors if you prefer them to cool. There’s no objectively correct or incorrect way to wear eyebrows. However, these guidelines can help you if you need expert-approved ways.
