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,
Link up here at WOTM or with another of us in the Lovin’ Life Linky team:
Leanne of Deep Fried Fruit
Deborah of Debbish | Jo of And Anyways
It doesn’t matter where you link up as it will magically appear on all our blogs.
22 Comments
I always had a lot of brow & was kept very busy plucking & waxing – now I wish that I hadn’t plucked and waxed as much as I had as I’d love the brows I had then.
It’s funny how we’re all different. I don’t think I even knew I had eyebrows when I was young. I just wasn’t bothered with them. Plucking hurt so I wasn’t interested in it and wasn’t really even aware of what the current eyebrow trend was! 🙂
I don’t do anything to mine. Apparently they look like I pluck them, but I don’t. I guess I don’t look good for the fashion now. I don’t really get the eye brow thing. Of all the things on my face, they bother me the least.
I was like you when I was younger Lydia! These days my eyebrows ask for attention! LOL AND … if I give them a bit of attention they look so much better and I look a little more put together. I certainly don’t go crazy though.
Hi Min, I’ve been actually DIYing my brows with tinting and waxing and didn’t do a bad job. However, last week I took myself off for some pampering and had the brows and eyelashes tinted. Felt a million dollars! I just wish my brows were thicker but at least with the tint I can see them now LOL:) Have a great week. #lovinlifelinky
Good on you for DIYing all that time Sue! I’m too blind to do it properly so it suits me to get mine done when I get my hair done. Nothing fancy – just a tidy up and a tint. How did you go with the eyelash tint? I had that done once and it stung like crazy and I didn’t find it made very much difference. Haven’t had it done again. Enjoy the rest of your week! 🙂
Hi Min thanks for linking up at #MLSTL and although I usually DIY I treated myself yesterday to the works – hair colour, eyelash and brow tint and eyebrow shaping. I feel a new woman! DIY is okay but if you can afford to have a professional do it, it is certainly much easier and a treat!
I had the works yesterday too Sue. Yesterday was my hair appointment (every 7 wks) and when I get my brows waxed, plucked and tinted! So fresh hair and fresh eyebrows – makes such a difference to how we feel doesn’t’ it? 🙂 xo
Hi Min – Good for you to get your brows professionally done. It’s DIY for me and no, I wouln’t get tattooed brows. #lovinlifelinky
You must have better eyes (eyesight) than me Natalie! Glad you agree about the tattoo’ing. I think it looks great (for today) but I won’t be joining the club.
When I thought they needed doing, I went to where my then DIL was working and got the full pamper from one of the girls there. I have not been to anyone for my brows for about 3 years. Hair, as I have aged, is becoming more sparse. So, I am grateful for that. I also have grey in my brows now so all I need is a wee bit of eyebrow pencil applied and I have some definition. This was a lesson I got when I went to the free cancer workshop called Look Good Feel Better. We came home with a lot of free quality cosmetics which I use every day.
Denyse
That’s so wonderful to hear that about the cancer workshops Denyse … that they understand the effect on self-esteem and provide free advice and products. Look Good Feel Better – I wasn’t aware of them. That might be a good blog post idea for you actually. It’d be interesting to hear about. Have a great day! 🙂 xo
I was given a Veet precision trimmer for my birthday, like you say though it can be a bit tricky plucking/trimming coz I need glasses to do it! I’ve also discovered it’s very easy to take off more than I meant to ooooopppsss.
I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a Veet precision trimmer Janet! I think it would be dangerous in my hands though cos I’m blind as a bat without my glasses! LOL (seems you might be the same!)
I outsource my brow and have regular wax/threading done, usually around the same time I get my hair done. I haven’t really changed the shape of my brows over the years and mine are still very dark, but must say I’m not a fan of the current chunky look brows, unless as you say Min, they’re done well. Very interesting to see how the shapes have changed over the years too. #mlstl
I outsource too Deb! My hairdresser waxes and tints my eyebrows each time I go for my hair appointment. Suits me very well! My eyebrows have always been the same – that is the shape hasn’t changed. I never paid them much attention when I was young. It’s only now that nature means I need to give them attention! lol
My eyebrows haven’t changed for decades Min – they just do their own thing and I pluck out an occasional stray. I don’t think I’ve ever had them waxed and certainly not tinted, but I can see the benefits of doing that when the eyesight begins to be a bit dodgy (maybe mine are worse than I think and I just can’t see them!?)
A friend of mine had hers feathered and they look great – she’d been a victim of the thin line of eyebrow style from the 70’s and 80’s (you can see the style in all the school photos from that era) and she looks soooo much better with a bit more volume.
Thanks for linking up with us at MLSTL and I’ve shared on my SM 🙂
Mine have had very little attention over the years Leanne. It’s saved me from being left with too thin eyebrows because I never bothered with them or followed fads back in the day. However, they do get attention now as I find that mid-life requires a little more ‘maintenance’ to keep looking ok. 🙂
Loved seeing the images of the different styles of eyebrows across the decades. I don’t do much to mine. I pencil in a bit to make them darker. There seems to be a lot of options for eyebrow pencils these days. I am noticing a few rouge white hairs now and then so maybe dying them is in my future. I don’t think I’d ever tattoo them in. I’m afraid I’d be regretful I did. Cheers! Shared on my SM 🙂
The images of the different eyebrow styles over the years is interesting isn’t it Barbie? And yes … I think there are too many eyebrow pencil options nowadays! I went to buy one recently and there were so many options I was left rather confused! I get those rogue white hairs too – and pluck them out as soon as I spot them! lol I also get my brows tinted once every 7 wks when I get my hair done. I seem to become higher maintenance the older I get!
Hi Min. I almost got my brows tattooed in Riga, but I’m glad I didn’t. I agree with you, what if the trend changes. I like the idea of getting mine tinted when I get my hair done. I’ll check into that. As soon as I can get a post together for our move to the Republic of Georgia, I’ll join your link party. Thanks for sharing this very informative post.
Thanks Christina! Knowing my luck – I’d get my brows tattooed and the trend would change soon after. So, I won’t be taking that risk. You’ve only got to look at the graphic within this post showing the different styles throughout the years to know that a change in trend is inevitable.