How to achieve perfect eyebrows

Make-up artist Ariane Poole has been speaking on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour about the latest catwalk trend – shaved eyebrows. The controversial look has been linked to the credit crunch, but Ariane predicts that they won’t catch on in the high street.

Ariane, renowned for her perfect eyebrow shaping skills, plucked a lucky volunteer live on air who declared she looked like she’d had a facelift, so immediate and striking was the effect. Presenter Jenni Murray said she looked 20 years younger and requested the Ariane eyebrow treatment immediately after the show!

Ariane is one of the most successful make-up artists working today. Inspiring confidence in women all over the UK (Ariane was voted most trusted by a poll for Pearldrops – who subsequently made her their spokesperson), she is known for her easy-to-understand, accessible tips and her no nonsense trend advice, delivered in her trademark friendly style.

Ariane has worked with celebrities including Penelope Cruz, Catherine Zeta Jones, Sadie Frost, Uma Thurman, Yasmin Le Bon, Rachel Weiss, Christy Turlington, Anna Friel, Queen Noor of Jordan and Andie McDowell, to name but a few!

Ariane says, “Well-shaped brows are essential to looking good whether you like a natural or fully made-up look. Eyebrows that are well groomed and correctly shaped can really define and accent the face even without make-up.”

The Ariane Poole Brow Kit has been developed with simple to follow step-by-step instructions and contains all the essentials you need for great-looking brows beautifully presented in a neat pink bag with magnifying mirror:

Kit (£40) includes:

1. Slant Edge Tweezers
2. White Pencil
3. Double Ended Brow Brush
4. Universal Brow Powder
5. Brow Gel

How to get the perfect eyebrows:

Step 1 – Eyebrow shaping

For the best results shape brows in good light, preferably daylight, and use a magnifying mirror. Before you pluck, mark any hairs that don’t fall inside the guidelines with the White Eye Pencil to ensure that both brows are evenly matched

Use the pencil test to find the most flattering shape for your eyes and determine where your brows should start and end:

- Starting on the right side, place a pencil vertically along the side of your nose past your eyebrow. Remove any hairs on the bridge of the nose not touched by the pencil - these can make you look as if you are frowning.

- Next place the pencil diagonally from the edge of your nostril to the outer corner of the eye. Any hairs below the pencil should be removed – these can make your eyes appear ‘droopy’.

- Your brows should arch gradually, starting over the pupil. Looking directly into the mirror, place the pencil vertically along the outer part of your iris. Pluck only the stray hairs underneath the natural arch to open up your eyes. Now repeat on the left side.

Step 2 - Eyebrow plucking

- Always pluck out eyebrows in the direction the hairs grow.
- Pluck after a bath or shower when skin is softened.
- Rub some baby's teething ointment or an ice cube on the brows before plucking to help numb the area.

Step 3 – Eyebrow definition; filling in

If you've over plucked your brows in the past they don't always grow back neatly, don’t despair! The Brow Kit contains all the products and techniques you need to correct and define even the sparsest of brows.

- Follow the pencil trick to see where your eyebrows should begin and end.
- Using the brush end of the Double Ended Brow Brush start by brushing your eyebrows down (I know this sounds odd but it works!). Then dip the edge of the angled end of the brush in the Universal Brow Powder and etch the colour lightly along the top of the brows.
- Brush eyebrows back and you'll see an immediate difference.
- You can now fill in the gaps from underneath using the same technique.

The specially formulated Universal Brow Powder works with your skins PH to give you the perfect shade of brow no matter what your colouring. It will blend perfectly with your shade of brow to give you beautifully groomed and defined eyebrows. The double-ended brush will help define and fill-in brows. The angle of this brush makes it easy to achieve professional results every time.

Grooming:

Always complete brows – whether natural or filled-in with a brush of Brow Gel to seal.

Top tips:

Contrary to what we've all been told in the past, it's okay to pluck any strays from the top of the brow. You can also use the White Eye Pencil along the inner rim of your eyes to make them look bigger.

For more information, visit Arianepoole.com.