How to Shape Your Eyebrows Without Plucking

Co-authored by Yuka Arora

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References

If plucking your eyebrows isn't something you like to do or aren't good at, there are several other ways you can easily get a better shaped brow. The shape of the eyebrows has a major effect on your overall facial appearance, so you should never neglect your brows.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Figuring Out Your Best Brow Shape

1
Understand the best eyebrow shape for your face. As with hairstyles, the shape of your face should dictate which brow shape looks best on you.
- If you have a square jaw, softly rounded brows that aren't too angular or round are the way to go.^{[1]
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  Research source} However, if your face is round, angular brows work better because there is a lack of definition in a rounder face that angled brows can fix.
- If you have a heart-shaped face, bold brows will probably overwhelm your face. Don't make your brows too thick but you want a controlled shape that isn't too bushy. If your face is oval, a classic balanced brow works well because your face is already well-proportioned.
2
Outline the eyebrow shape you want. It's important to figure out exactly which shape you are going for before you attempt to shape your brows. You need to plan this out with care.
- The way to do this is to remember that the front of your brow should line up with the bridge of your nose.^{[2]
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- You could use a pencil to determine where that spot is, and draw a little washable dot there with brow pencil. Hair inside the line will be filled, and hair outside the line lightly trimmed or removed.
- Your brows should begin directly above your tear duct. They should peak at the outer side of your iris. They should end 45 degrees from the outer corner of your eye.^{[3]
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- The brow arch should be about three-quarters away from the nose bridge. The tail of the eyebrow should taper off after that. Figure out your brow thickness. Although this varies, a rule of thumb is to have brows that are between a quarter inch and a half inch at the thickest.^{[4]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Waxing or Threading Your Eyebrows

1
Try waxing, either at home or in a salon. Waxing is a relatively quick way to shape your eyebrows without plucking. It will remove finer hairs, too, that you would be unlikely to see with a pair of tweezers and a mirror. If you have thick or dark brows, waxing may be the best bet.^{[5]
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- At a salon, they will spread wax under and on top of your eyebrows. Then, they apply a small cloth or strip to the wax and pull the wax off (the hair comes with it). This is somewhat painful, but it's over fast. One benefit of waxing is that the hair won't grow back as fast as it will with some other methods.
- You can also buy at-home waxing kits at local drugstores.It would be a good idea to try waxing at a salon first. If you mess up, eyebrows do grow back, but it's still not a fun thing to go through. At home kits usually include wax and application sticks. Another version of at-home waxing kits are waxing strips that are already shaped for eyebrows.
2
Try threading to shape your eyebrows. Threading involves using cotton strings to remove hairs by twisting them off. The stylist can shape the eyebrows this way with great precision.
- You should ask at local salons or malls whether they offer threading. It's best not to try this yourself unless you are specifically trained in it. Threading is an ancient art that dates back to ancient Eastern culture. ^{[6]
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- One benefit of threading is that wax can irritate sensitive skin, but threading is less likely to do so because you aren't applying a chemical to the skin.^{[7]
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  Research source} Another benefit is that threading creates very detailed definition of the brows.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Grooming Your Brows with Other Methods

1
Comb and trim your eyebrows to make them look neater. One way to make your eyebrows tidier is to trim them with a pair of small manicure scissors (don't use large scissors!)
- First, start with a spoolie brush. This is a mascara style brush (but that doesn't have mascara on it). You can buy these makeup brushes at drug stores and beauty stores. Comb your eyebrows upward. This will neaten your eyebrows and help you determine their natural shape.
- Then, cut along the tips of any eyebrow hairs that extend beyond the top of your eyebrow. Be careful! You can't undo what you cut. The smaller scissors will be easier to control.
2
Use an eyebrow pencil or powder to fill in your brows for a better look. The problem with tweezing is that you could accidentally over tweeze your eyebrows. Luckily there is a fix for this. You can also use pencil or powder to define brows even more that are already in decent shape.
- Fill in the thin spots of the eyebrow with an eyebrow pencil. You can find these at beauty stores or drug stores, and you should choose a color that most closely matches that of your eyebrows. If you don't have a special brow filler, you can use a matching eyeliner pencil or eyeshadow.Don't draw too hard or the pencil could become too obvious. You want to go for a natural look here.
- For more filling, use eyebrow powder and a small makeup brush. This will create a natural look that shapes your brows. Look for open spaces by holding a pencil or tweezers from the front of your brow to the arch. Then fill in any open spaces with powder or pencil.^{[8]
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- Begin applying the powder in the center of the brow. Work outward to the edge of the brow and then back toward the beginning of the brow. Use short, light strokes. You can use more pressure on the underside of the brow. ^{[9]
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3
Use an eyebrow gel to make them look more in control. There are eyebrow gels widely available that will make your brows look more tamed and shapely.
- These gels usually come in a mascara like tube, and you put the gel on your eyebrows with a small mascara style wand that comes with the product. The gel is usually clear, but you can also buy tinted gel for eyebrows.
- Another variation is to put hairspray on your eyebrows. This method will also hold the fine hairs in place, but it gets a little stickier.
What Our Expert Does: "I think brow gels are great for keeping eyebrows tamed. I use one after I pencil my brows."

Community Q&A

Question

Without waxing or threading, how can I shape my eyebrows?

Community Answer

You can use a clean mascara brush and brush your eyebrows into the shape you want them to be. Apply a bit of hair gel or moustache wax for staying power.
Question

My eyebrows are black and thick, but they are not very perfectly shaped, and I'm not allowed to get them threaded or waxed. What can I do?

Community Answer

Try make them even with eye shadow. Apply to your eyebrows and make them the same shape.
Question

I have an oval face, what eyebrow shape is best for me?

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Top Answerer

Bold, minimally arched eyebrows are best for your face shape. If you don't like the way those suit your face, you can always do some further research.