My own brow tragedy dates back to high school. In the 70’s when the Jean Harlow style brow was enjoying a resurgence, a friend’s mother persuaded me to allow her pluck my scraggly (though not bushy) brows. The result was a single line of hairs barely visible above each eye that never fully grew back. Add thinning as a result of the ageing process, and the result is brows that need some help. You won’t see me signing up for more extreme measures though, especially transplants, which entail using hair from the scalp, arms or pubic area. (?!?!?)o_O
I use either a powdered eyeshadow or a soft pencil to subtly fill in the sparse areas. My brows will never be full and dramatic again, but at least I can avoid looking like an alien.
Please, mes petites, learn from my mistake. Don’t overpluck…they may not grow back.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, here’s a little gratuitous brow-on-man action, just for gorgeous and award-winning blogger Wendy B. ~
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My dad used to joke that if he went bald (which he never did), he could comb his thick, unruly brows back to fill in. I’ve obviously inherited those, although they’re beginning to thin now . . .
I know I’m not really in the “normal woman” standard deviation (lacking much interest in clothes etc. and loathing decorating with a burning passion) but I never “got” the eyebrow plucking thing. What’s the point – they grow in and they are what they are? If you think about it, just as silly as ear piercing (again, they grew whole, who am I to damage them)?
That said, I’m still trying to hide my gray (not that I care much, but I know the business world does because the only thing worse than employing women is employing women who age…).
One thing that brow-abusers might not realize is that a natural brow really doesn’t catch the (normal person’s) eye if it looks reasonably normal. BUT an over plucked or bizarre one – very obvious and not in a good way.
I started plucking at the age of 10, when my big brother teased me about my unibrow. However, I came of age when Brooke Shields was doing Blue Lagoon, and Endless Love, so the natural look was in. I’ve stuck with natural-but-tidied look all these years, and my brows are dark brown and full and shaped lovely. Sorry Femme, had to brag!
I’m fair-haired (hence my online “handle”), and while my locks have darkened over the years, my brows have nearly disappeared – though I never overplucked them, thank goodness.
So I get them dyed to match my “base hair color” (whatever that is) and then waxed into shape, once every five or six weeks. They look especially good atop my new tortoiseshell glasses! And that’s another hint – dramatic eyeglasses can cover up for a multitude of overplucking sins.
Thanks for the encouragement to leave my brows alone. I have pretty nice brows naturally, I always thought; but lately I’ve been wondering if I should do more than just brush them. After reading this, I think I’m fine just the way I am–I don’t want to run the risk of losing what I have!
If I never had plucked I would have a uni-brow lol! Now I just do a dab of pencil. I’m laughing over what the texture would be from transplanting from pubic and underarms 😀
At this certain age, I find myself paying special attention to my eyebrows. An eyebrow pencil probably is my most important `secret weapon´. My brows need nearly daily plucking, but there are areas to fill in. Models in magazines show thick, dark brows and yet in real life I see young women with only an artificial dark pencil line. It is also important to find the perfect shade of color for your eyebrows. Thirdly, I think the brows should match your face shape and hairstyle.
I consider a bit eyebrow powder a necessity, but I never had thick brows and I didn’t pluck them until fairly late. I have thin brows, with hollow or “bald” areas, and many random hairs that grow down where I don’t want them. I have idly wished I could transplant them to the desired area, but never seriously.
Sher – I know, can you imagine??? You’d be having to trim daily!
metscan – true. Very few people have those really dark, solid brows. I think some people tend to go too dark when trying to fill in. I’ve had much better luck when I fill in with a shade lighter than my natural color.
Artful Lawyer – ah, but the purpose of ear piercing is to be able to wear all of those fabulous earrings! And as long as you continue to wear earrings, the holes don’t close, so you never have to do it again. It’s true what you say about overplucked brows being more noticeable than those left au naturel.
Jeanne – brag away, and consider yourself fortunate! 🙂
Sal – the only risk is if you overpluck. To put it another way, some of the hairs you pluck today may not grow back tomorrow. So as long as you’re not making the same mistake I did, you should be fine.
Rubiatonta – that’s true about glasses. How long does your brow dye last?
I think some women have had success with applying that stuff that makes eyelashes grow longer to the eyebrow area. (I had to check, it’s called Latisse) It might be worth trying if the eyebrow makeup doesn’t work.
I’m lucky in that I have plentiful brows, but I’ve also had years of very expensive and painful electrolysis as my hair is dark and was just as plentiful on the rest of my face…
Artful Lawyer, I did not cut my hair, shave legs or underarms, apply lipstick, etc. in the mid to late’60s. But times change, and where once my hairy pits were “natural”, now, not I don’t enjoy them.
Though over and over again I told me nail salon ladies not to overpluck/wax sometimes they did, as they all have thin brows, genetically or by preference. Had to stop going there and find a brows only placet hat gets that I want mine kept (relatively) thick.
Plucking out stray hairs is just good grooming, the brows look more defined. Not to be confused with overplucking. I have sparse brows, but getting rid of the strays actually helps. Also, I have “peach fuzz” around my brows, and have that waxed away, it looks more trim then.
I’m trying to think of a comment about transplanting pubic hair to the eyebrows that doesn’t sound completely lewd and gross, but so far I’m coming up emptyhanded…
I find that my brows grow fairly far down onto my eyelids, so plucking them makes my eyes look larger and less tired. Also, when I get really stressed out I get bare patches in my eyebrows and also my eyelashes — not a pretty sight! At least the eyebrows can be pencilled in, but there’s not a whole lot that can be done for missing chunks of lashes.
Hi – I like your blog. Wanted to let you know that youc an use Latisse to regrow your brows. This is a product used to grow lashes long. It also works on brows very nicely.
It seems that une femme has company in the brow-challenged arena. From the NY Times:
My dad used to joke that if he went bald (which he never did), he could comb his thick, unruly brows back to fill in. I’ve obviously inherited those, although they’re beginning to thin now . . .
My daughter is appalled but I never pluck my eyebrows. It hurts:(.
I know I’m not really in the “normal woman” standard deviation (lacking much interest in clothes etc. and loathing decorating with a burning passion) but I never “got” the eyebrow plucking thing. What’s the point – they grow in and they are what they are? If you think about it, just as silly as ear piercing (again, they grew whole, who am I to damage them)?
That said, I’m still trying to hide my gray (not that I care much, but I know the business world does because the only thing worse than employing women is employing women who age…).
One thing that brow-abusers might not realize is that a natural brow really doesn’t catch the (normal person’s) eye if it looks reasonably normal. BUT an over plucked or bizarre one – very obvious and not in a good way.
I started plucking at the age of 10, when my big brother teased me about my unibrow. However, I came of age when Brooke Shields was doing Blue Lagoon, and Endless Love, so the natural look was in. I’ve stuck with natural-but-tidied look all these years, and my brows are dark brown and full and shaped lovely. Sorry Femme, had to brag!
Smash box Brow Tech kit is the best. Sephora a close second. I use Ash blonde and it is never too much.
I’m fair-haired (hence my online “handle”), and while my locks have darkened over the years, my brows have nearly disappeared – though I never overplucked them, thank goodness.
So I get them dyed to match my “base hair color” (whatever that is) and then waxed into shape, once every five or six weeks. They look especially good atop my new tortoiseshell glasses! And that’s another hint – dramatic eyeglasses can cover up for a multitude of overplucking sins.
How and the hell can dudes get away with having untamed brows like that???? Andy Rooney, I put you in this list too!
My brows are thick but I’ve noticed with age they are thinning out so I’m more careful now.
Thanks for the encouragement to leave my brows alone. I have pretty nice brows naturally, I always thought; but lately I’ve been wondering if I should do more than just brush them. After reading this, I think I’m fine just the way I am–I don’t want to run the risk of losing what I have!
If I never had plucked I would have a uni-brow lol! Now I just do a dab of pencil. I’m laughing over what the texture would be from transplanting from pubic and underarms 😀
At this certain age, I find myself paying special attention to my eyebrows. An eyebrow pencil probably is my most important `secret weapon´. My brows need nearly daily plucking, but there are areas to fill in. Models in magazines show thick, dark brows and yet in real life I see young women with only an artificial dark pencil line. It is also important to find the perfect shade of color for your eyebrows. Thirdly, I think the brows should match your face shape and hairstyle.
Yow. I only started plucking a few years ago, but had no idea that I’m running the risk of bald brows!
Printing out picture, hanging on wall, drooling….
BROWS, BABY!
I consider a bit eyebrow powder a necessity, but I never had thick brows and I didn’t pluck them until fairly late. I have thin brows, with hollow or “bald” areas, and many random hairs that grow down where I don’t want them. I have idly wished I could transplant them to the desired area, but never seriously.
I thought your brows looked great in the pic the other day.
fmcfmcllc – I’ll check that one out, thanks for the tip.
materfamilias – but your brows are light, so they really don’t overpower.
LPC – it only hurts the first few times… 😉 Seriously, though, if you’ve gone this long without plucking, no need to pick it up now.
Sher – I know, can you imagine??? You’d be having to trim daily!
metscan – true. Very few people have those really dark, solid brows. I think some people tend to go too dark when trying to fill in. I’ve had much better luck when I fill in with a shade lighter than my natural color.
Artful Lawyer – ah, but the purpose of ear piercing is to be able to wear all of those fabulous earrings! And as long as you continue to wear earrings, the holes don’t close, so you never have to do it again. It’s true what you say about overplucked brows being more noticeable than those left au naturel.
Jeanne – brag away, and consider yourself fortunate! 🙂
Sal – the only risk is if you overpluck. To put it another way, some of the hairs you pluck today may not grow back tomorrow. So as long as you’re not making the same mistake I did, you should be fine.
Rubiatonta – that’s true about glasses. How long does your brow dye last?
Bonjour Madame – yes, they definitely thin out with age (while men’s seem to get thicker and more unruly, don’t they?)
Cindy Kay – if you’re happy, leave them alone would be my advice. From your picture, they look great!
WendyB – Glad to oblige. 😉
Frugal Scholar – thanks, they’d definitely been filled in a bit in the “after” pic.
Mardel – that seems to be the norm (some sparse areas). Most of us at the makeover workshop needed to do some filling on our brows.
I think some women have had success with applying that stuff that makes eyelashes grow longer to the eyebrow area. (I had to check, it’s called Latisse) It might be worth trying if the eyebrow makeup doesn’t work.
I’m lucky in that I have plentiful brows, but I’ve also had years of very expensive and painful electrolysis as my hair is dark and was just as plentiful on the rest of my face…
Artful Lawyer, I did not cut my hair, shave legs or underarms, apply lipstick, etc. in the mid to late’60s. But times change, and where once my hairy pits were “natural”, now, not I don’t enjoy them.
Though over and over again I told me nail salon ladies not to overpluck/wax sometimes they did, as they all have thin brows, genetically or by preference. Had to stop going there and find a brows only placet hat gets that I want mine kept (relatively) thick.
Plucking out stray hairs is just good grooming, the brows look more defined. Not to be confused with overplucking. I have sparse brows, but getting rid of the strays actually helps. Also, I have “peach fuzz” around my brows, and have that waxed away, it looks more trim then.
I’m trying to think of a comment about transplanting pubic hair to the eyebrows that doesn’t sound completely lewd and gross, but so far I’m coming up emptyhanded…
I find that my brows grow fairly far down onto my eyelids, so plucking them makes my eyes look larger and less tired. Also, when I get really stressed out I get bare patches in my eyebrows and also my eyelashes — not a pretty sight! At least the eyebrows can be pencilled in, but there’s not a whole lot that can be done for missing chunks of lashes.
Hi –
I like your blog. Wanted to let you know that youc an use Latisse to regrow your brows. This is a product used to grow lashes long. It also works on brows very nicely.