Secrets to a Beautiful Brow

WOMAN’S WORLD

Whether you pluck them, wax them, pencil them in, plaster them down with gel or let them go feral a la Frida Kahlo, your eyebrows say a lot about you.

Those curved, delicate hairs that follow the shape of the lower margin of the ridges above your lids frame your eyes, accentuate your expressions and mirror your emotions.

Their form and shape can convey an entire range of messages, from surprise or anger to dread or downright confidence.

Just like any other part of your appearance, those erratic arches can be tempered and tamed, and, with the right grooming, can become a key asset in helping to make you your absolute beautiful best.

Here, then, are some tips and guidelines for keeping your brows neat and tidy and saying exactly what you want them to say.

The starting point to deciding the most suitable eyebrows for your features is determining the shape of your face and maintaining the natural line of the eyebrows.

First off, sit down in front of a good magnifying mirror, keeping a distance of between 10 to 20 centimeters (four to eight inches) in order to get the entire view of your face.

Then, take a few seconds for an impartial and critical look.

There are several techniques to determine your face shape.

The easiest one is drawing your reflection on the mirror and then, comparing it with a geometric figure such as an oval, square, round, oblong or diamond.

If you have a round or square face with big eyes, aim for thick and dense eyebrows.

If you have sparse brows, use a powdered shadow or brown makeup pencil to fill them in, keeping in mind that your goal is to continue their natural line while accentuating the arch.

For those balanced and small oval or diamond face shapes with small eyes, your best plan is to start plucking the eyebrows in order to get a thin line shape.

But be careful to not go overboard when plucking the area.

Unlike other skin areas, the brows are extremely sensitive and the hair might not grow back.

In case you have an oblong face, with a big and prominent nose, go for a smooth and thin line, trying to elongate your brows towards the width part of the face in order to give more balance to your features.

If you have noticed that your eyebrows are asymmetric, before taking the tweezers, give a second hard look in the mirror and choose which one is the best and prettiest.

This one will be the model, so try to match the other one to it.

Accomplishing harmonious eyebrows requires not only a good knowledge of your face shape, but also getting used to the various parts of your eyebrows.

The beginning or head of the eyebrow, situated just above the inner corner of the eye, should measure around eight millimeters in length and should start from an imaginary parallel line along the side of the nose.

The arch or highest part of the eyebrow should measure about five millimeters in length.

Beautiful eyebrows will always have a slight arch.

The space between the eye and the arch of the brow should be equal to the size of the iris.

The final part of the brow should be around one or two millimeters long.

In order to find it, take a pencil or eyebrow brush and hold it against the side of the nose and take the other side of the pencil to the outside corner of the eye.

There are several effective techniques for removing excess brow hair, including salon waxing and threading, but because the delicate skin around your eye is so sensitive, regular plucking with a high-quality pair of tweezers is often the most practical option.

Once you have shaped your brow, use a soft cosmetic pencil, powdered shadow and/or a colored gel with a tiny mascara brush to fill in any sparse areas, working your way out from the head of the brow and following the natural line while emphasizing the arch.

Be sure to choose a brown or gray shade slightly lighter than your natural hair.

Keep in mind that eyebrows that are too dark or too thick can give you a hostile and aggressive appearance.

On the other hand, excessively fair eyebrows tend to downplay your appearance.

WHAT’S NEW

Tropical Delight
Starting in September, the high-end French skincare and cosmetic brand Sisley will be offering a trifecta collection of Tropical Resins especially suited for oily and mixed skin types (a category that encompasses 80 percent of Mexican adults). The first product in the trio is a Gentle Cleansing Gel that works on all three factors responsible for oily skin and associated skin disorders: hyperseborrhea (excessive oil production), hyperkeratinization (the accumulation of dead skin cells along follicles) and inflammation. The cleanser has benzoin extract to deep clean, myrrh and incense extracts and D-panthenol to soothe skin and mallow extract to moisturize. There is also a highly concentrated Sisley Tropical Resins Intense Serum with purifying ingredients to unclog pores, refine the skin’s texture and visibly diminish imperfections. And rounding out the line is an oil-free Sisley Mattifying Moisturizing Skin Care face cream to nourish and keep skin soft and supple all day. The entire line is based on natural essences extracted from tropical rainforests and smells as great as it feels.

Fluid Haircare
Orofluido, the Spanish haircare company that introduced the first-ever hair protecting serum tested in the Sahara Desert, has now released a selection of long-stay hairsprays in strong and medium hold that are also enriched with Orofluido elixir to give shine and protection while keeping your tresses sleek and frizz-free. The unique Orofluido formula shields, enhances and maintains the beauty of your hair even in the harshest of environmental conditions. Inspired by Middle Eastern ancestral beauty secrets, all Orofluido products are composed of an exquisite blend of three natural oils: argan oil, to tame unruly and flyaway strands; cyperus oil, to leave hair silky and soft; and linseed oil, to provide instant shine and luster. The exclusive formula is also enriched with potent solar filters against UVA/UVB rays and jojoba oil and vitamin E to protect your hair from the effects of free radicals. On a personal note, I have to say that this is absolutely, hands-down, the most effective and enduring hairspray I have ever tried.

Beauty Boost
We all need a little pick-me-up once in a while, and just like your body and mind get zapped after a long day of rushing to the office, running to a meeting, maneuvering your way through a power lunch, beating the afternoon deadline, picking up the kids, rushing home to make dinner and then slipping into a LBD to sparkle at a corporate business dinner, your complexion too can lose its radiance and grow dull after a super-charged day. Guerlain’s new Radiance in a Flash is an instant fix for your face that revitalizes tired skin with a radiance-boosting, beauty-enhancing treatment that instantaneously tightens sagging skin and illuminates facial features. It is the perfect pepper-up and comes in a tiny plastic tube that can easily fit into a clutch purse or makeup bag. A definite must-have for air travel, which can wreak havoc on even the most perfect complexion.

Wonderful Lashes
The Swedish direct sales cosmetic company Oriflame has expanded its super-successful The One line to include a new Five-in-One waterproof Wonder Lash Mascara that curls, separates, strengthens, lengthens and adds volume, all with a single stroke. This incredible mascara has a powerful micro-sphere formula that can stand up to tears and humidity. Wonder Lash, made from natural vegetable waxes to condition and protect lashes against breakage, will even stay put when swimming. Wonder Lash provides even coverage with no clumps or sticking. The intense black color is a perfect one-size-fits-all for stunning lashes. And the very affordable price makes it an indulgence that practically any woman can afford.

Masculine Scent
Most Mexican men want to wear a clean, fresh aroma, but usually don’t have the time or patience to bother applying a fragrance after bathing. So Axe, the Unilever men’s deodorant and skincare line, has developed four new scented two-in-one body gels and shampoos that clean and refresh to leave them feeling and smelling great all day. These seductively masculine gels include: Peace, with a blend of green citrus, nutmeg, cedar and amber; Apollo, with crisp mandarine and exotic sandalwood; Dark Temptation, with hints of chocolate and other gourmet scents such as red peppercorns; and Black, with bergamot, mint and aquatic undertones.

THE NEWS