Beauty: The brows have it!

This post is part of the Gorgeous 50’s series inspired by a book given to me by one of my sisters on my 50th birthday – ‘Grown up and Gorgeous in your 50’s’ by Pamela Robson.  I will be sharing some of Pamela’s words and my own thoughts along the way.  To see all posts published as part of this series, go here.

Under BEAUTY we’ve already discussed the subject of beauty in our 50’s generally, and we’ve looked at The Three S’s, Skin Care, Make-Up, Back to Base and Making Eyes.  In this post we’re focussing our attention on our brows!

Pamela says:

The carefree unruly brows that looked charming in our 20s look downright untidy in our 50s. Worse still, they can appear quite masculine. As with everything else on an ageing face, brows need more maintenance as the years pass. Fortunately, brows are finally being given the credit they deserve for the role they play in framing the face. Brow stylists and brow bars are no longer a rare commodity and this means there’s plenty of expert help for those who don’t want to venture into brow shaping and tinting on a DIY basis. If you’ve never had your brows done professionally, you are in for a treat. You’ll be amazed at the difference a set of shaped and tinted brows can make (some women swear it’s as good as a facelift!). This is one beauty treatment that is value for money.

But wait … Pamela has more to say …

Want to DIY?

Have an initial session with a professional brow stylist. Observe their techniques (usually waxing, plucking and tinting) and take note of where they place the arch.

When shaping your own brows, get comfortable in front of a regular mirror (not magnifying) and make sure the lighting is good, and natural.

Pluck two hairs at a time, from under the arch – checking your handiwork as you go.

Here’s an idea 

Tattooing can be a good option for brows that can’t be coaxed into shape through the usual means. A good cosmetic tattoo artist can create a new brow line, and, with the wayward hairs waxed out, it can make a big difference. Again, do your homework and only go to a practitioner who comes recommended for their ability to create natural-looking brows. Ask them to start with a colour that’s closest to your natural shade – you can have the colour deepened over time.

Update your look instantly: buff up your brows

Grooming your brows immediately frames your face, balances features and makes your eyes brighter. Invest in a brow kit (several make-up brands carry one containing brow powder, brush and wax), then, to create a lovely, lasting shape, fill in sparse arches with powder using a mini angle brush, and finish with a coat of clear wax.

My thoughts:

The evolution of eyebrow trends over the decades

The early days

Ahhh the brows.  You know, I really don’t think my brows even factored into my skin care/make-up routine when I was young.  Back when I was a teen/young adult, ‘thin’ eyebrows were all the rage but I wasn’t into all that stuff, so apart from plucking a few stray hairs now and then, I left my eyebrows alone (and so thankful now that I did)!  I didn’t use an eyebrow pencil back then either. My eyebrows just weren’t part of my beauty/make-up routine at all.  They were as Pamela said ‘carefree and unruly’!

These days

These days things are very different.  You start to notice the brows aren’t quite as thick anymore, that there’s a few greys in there, and some of those midlife brow hairs are a bit wiry (I call them my ‘wild’ ones), so my brows DO factor as part of my skin care/make-up routine now.  Pamela is quite right, along with other things, the brows do require more maintenance when we get older AND well maintained brows really do make a huge difference to the face.

So what do I do with them now?  Well since my eyes don’t see so great and you can’t do your brows with glasses on, I outsource!  I get my brows done every 7 weeks when I get my hair done.  My hairdresser does eyebrows which is so very convenient!  I get them waxed, plucked, and tinted and it’s fabulous!  She (my hairdresser ‘Amy’) does it after she’s finished washing and rinsing my hair and I’m still at the basin.  I’m on one of those lie down lounges and I’m all sleepy and loving being pampered and I honestly don’t even mind the waxing and plucking and tinting at all.  So along with fresh new hair, I leave the salon with freshly revived and awesome looking eyebrows as well. Win, win!

My thoughts on the latest fad of tattooing on the brows (eyebrow feathering)

Ok – well I think it looks fabulous when done well but I would not ever get it done.  Why?  Because what happens when the trend changes?  What if thinner brows comes back in or maybe different shaped brows?  What will the thick, dark eyebrows of today look like when you’re a very old lady?  I’d rather stick with my regular outsourced maintenance and use an eyebrow pencil and not be locked into a look that could become redundant any day (see how the trend changed each decade in the image above).  With tattoed brows I’d be stuck, locked into a look that has been superceded, and I’d most likely be feeling rather silly and self conscious and nobody be needing that!

What do you think?  Do you outsource your brow maintenance or do you DIY?  What’s your thoughts on tattooed brows?

Ciao for now,