The A, B, C of raising eyebrows

The A, B, C of raising eyebrows

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
The A, B, C of raising eyebrows

From balding or bushy to droopy or disconnected, no matter what problem is raising eyebrows Wimonrat Wilairat can fix it at the Benefit Brow Bar where, after a 20-minute session, one can walk away with awesome arches.

The senior brow expert has trained 11 other Thai beauticians to deliver Benefit's brow make-over, which was first offered in the US back in 2003. Costing 450 baht, the beauty service is now available at six "brow bars" located at Benefit cosmetic counters in leading Bangkok department stores.

"Brow grooming is a mini make-over that can open up the eyes, define the face and improve your general appearance. We recommend doing it once a month to keep your brows in good shape," Wimonrat said.

Brow design considers other facial features _ the forehead, eyes, nose, cheekbones and chin _ in order to achieve a good balance and proportions. Large eyes, for example, are offset by strong, well-defined brows, whereas small eyes are complemented by making the eyebrows thinner and more refined looking.

Be a stunner with awesome arches.

"Beauty is often about creating a balance," Wimonrat noted. "An imbalance of the two brows include cases where one brow is higher than the other because the left and right browbones are not exactly on the same level. This affects many of our Thai clients and we need to bring their brows to the same level to obtain a balance."

The make-over begins with a consultation, which involves a procedure called "brow mapping" to mark the ideal position for an eyebrow to start and end and the point at which the arch is at its highest.

To find these three points yourself, hold a pencil (or a chopstick, strand of spaghetti or any straight object) vertically and place its base on the point of your nose where the nostril flares outwards. Look into a mirror and the spot where the upper part of the pencil crosses the browbone is point A, the ideal starting point for the eyebrow on that side.

To find point B, the ideal highest point of an eyebrow arch, leave the base of the pencil on the same position on the nose (if you are of Asian ancestry) and align the pencil with the centre of the pupil of one of your eyes; where the pencil bisects the browbone is point B. For this exercise, people of non-Asian extraction have to use a different base point for the pencil: the "corner" of the nose _ the lowest spot at which the flared portion of the nostril meets the cheek.

To find point C, the ideal end point for an eyebrow, both Asians and non-Asians should place the base of a pencil in the corner of the nose and align the pencil with the outer edge of the eye; where the pencil cross the browbone is point C.

After points A, B and C have been identified, waxing is used to remove any unwanted hair growing beyond these points.

"Waxing is the preferred method because it allows the removal of all the hair. The removed hair will grow back, but it will do so more slowly and it won't be as thick as it was before. However, not every one can opt for waxing. Some people are on certain medications that make the skin extra sensitive," Wimonrat explained.

Clients sometimes worry that the waxing will be painful. But it just takes a quick tug and then the job's done before you know it. Tweezers are also used to remove especially unruly hair and then a cooling gel is applied to soothe the skin and prevent any redness.

The ideal brow shape is then enhanced with make-up, starting with a dash of a product called brow wax. Onto this base, powder is applied, followed by mascara. A pop of highlighter applied beneath the brows accentuates their shape while further brightening the eyes.

Daily maintenance can be quickly done, Wimonrat advises, by using make-up products such as Instant Brow Pencil, Speed Brow gel and the newly launched Gimme Brow volumising fibre gel.

Tokyo Brow Station

Located at Shu Uemura cosmetic counters, Tokyo Brow Station is a new destination for eyebrow styling that takes often-overlooked arches to the next level. The Japanese brand believes that eyebrows definitely need more attention as they influence the overall look and emotions of the face.

The styling firstly defines the best shape, length and position of eyebrows, and then matches the colour with the hair for a natural look. Tweezing of hair and trimming with scissors make brows neater before drawing and giving them a "manicure".

Shu Uemura introduced Hard Formula as its signature eyebrow pencil in 1984. Sharpened into a shape echoing the naginata Japanese sword, the pencil enables precise drawing to recreate hair with naturally soft lines.

With a brush designed for brow application, the Eyebrow Manicure further adds colour, shine and texture for well-polished arches.

With these products, you can get a free brow makeover. Classroom lessons can also be arranged for groups who want to learn more about Shu Uemura eyebrow philosophy and technique.

BROW BOOSTERS

Without eyebrow wigs and hair extensions, you can create lusher and more appealing arches with these beauty wands and make-up kits.

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