Your beauty concern solved: How to shape your eyebrows to flatter your face shape

The shape of your eyebrows can enhance your appearance by flattering your facial shape, making your eyes stand out and balancing your features. If you have thick, full eyebrows you may want to tweeze them, and if they're quite thin you may want to give them a fuller effect with a eyebrow pencil. This easy to follow guide will help you to shape your eyebrows to suit your face shape.

Determine your ideal shape

Firstly you need to determine where your inner brow should end. To do this hold a straight edged object like a pen or eyebrow pencil vertically in front of your face.

• Line the object up so it lies at the outermost edge of your nose and the outer edge of your iris. Mark the spot with a eyebrow pencil
• Repeat for the other eye

 

 Determine where your arch should peak

Angle the object so that it lines up with the outermost edge of your nose and the outer edge of your iris.

• Make sure you look straight ahead - both your face and eyes should be looking into the mirror
• Wherever the line intersects your eyebrow is where the peak of your arch should begin
• Mark that spot with a eyebrow pencil
• Repeat for the other eye

 Determine where your outer brow should end

Angle the straight edge further so it touches the outer edge of your nose and the outermost edge of your eye.

• This shows where your eyebrow should end
• Mark the point with a pencil

Draw a line along the bottom of your brow

• Follow the natural curvature of your eyebrow

 

Pluck the strays that fall below the line and outside the marks you've made

• Your eyebrows should be 1/4-1/2 inch at their thickest (0.5 to 1cm)
• Try not to pluck above the brow as you want to maintain the natural arch. Only tweeze the stray hairs.
• If your brows are sensitive use ice to numb the area before plucking.

 

Consider your face shape

Certain types of brows complement different face shapes.

• To minimise the curve of a round face direct the outer third of the brow towards the top of the ear.
• If your face is square direct the outer third edge of the brow towards the middle of the ear. This will help balance the face. 
• If your face is long keep your brow more straight across directing it above your ear
• An oval face is already balanced however to enhance the harmony you can direct the outer third towards your ear lobe.