There is a straightforward premise to any Complete Grooming Guide for the male brow: it should be tidy but unmistakably your own. One does not want a painted-on arch or a forehead as bare as in a rental property. Proper grooming is about getting rid of the more conspicuous strays and restoring some balance while leaving your natural countenance as it is.
I am Scott Waverly. In my time running a skin clinic out of Brisbane I have had my share of brow jobs go wrong. It is often overconfidence that is to blame, with bad lighting and a set of dull tweezers not far behind. What follows is an explanation of how to groom, shape, trim, thread, wax and tint for mens eyebrows in the Australian climate and complexion, including aftercare.
The Case for Brow Grooming
Your eyebrows put a frame on the eyes and dictate the look of the rest of the face. You can put some balance in your features by way of minor adjustments to the length, spacing or thickness, all without being overt about it.
Then there is the practical side of it. Put in some tidying around the centre and you will not have a unibrow to draw attention; cut back the long hairs and they will not be in your eyes. Ideally the effect is understated. You may come across as looking fresher, though no one would put a finger on why.
In Favour of the Natural Look
A dramatic arch is not required of most men. The natural brow has the density to complement a man’s face and is not so rounded. We are after some control of the growth, not uniformity.
It is easy to be taken in by the fact that brows are rarely symmetrical; one might have a thicker tail or be inclined to grow faster. If you try to put the two sides on a par you will end up taking too much from the better of the two.
Shaping for Balance
When it comes to shaping, follow the brow line that is already there. Take stock of the outer tail, the highest point and the inner edge before you make a move; these are what give the brow its form and are to be put in order, not re-drawn.
A brow stylist will use mapping to judge proportion. For your part at home a makeup brush handle or a clean pencil will do to see where the brow ought to start and finish and where the arch lies.
Putting in Your Main Points
Normally the inner brow is to be found near the nose, but it is a matter of your face width and how the hair grows. Leave the highest point in and let the tail taper off instead of coming to an abrupt end.
Do not be concerned with every little discrepancy. An eyebrow with a touch of irregularity is more convincing than a pair of matching lines.
Be Conservative
Fullness in the inner section with a soft lift in the middle and a bit of a taper to the outside is the way to go. A flatter line is fine for a longer face, a rounder one benefits from some definition.
But put in a sharp arch and you will look startled; thin the tail out and the brow seems to have no connection to the face. Err on the side of caution and take another look in the daylight.
| Face Consideration | Approach | Where men go wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Rounder face | A gentle mid-brow lift | An arch that is too rounded |
| Longer face | Something of a flat line | Excessive height |
| Strong jaw | Soften the strays, keep the density | Thinning it out |
| Close-set eyes | Inner edges left natural and clean | Too much removed from the centre |
Trimming Done Right
You can put off the professional for a while by learning to trim, but do not mistake it for cutting the brow short. The idea is to get the excess length while the density remains.
With a fine-tooth comb or spoolie and a pair of scissors to the brow, brush the hair up and only those tips well past the line are to be trimmed. Go at it slowly, a careless snip is something you will see for weeks.
Keep it Simple at Home
Bright natural light is best. Make sure the face is washed and the brow dry. After a hot shower the skin can be a little swollen or flushed, so wait until you are cool and composed to get an accurate read on the shape.
- With brow scissors, pare down the longest tips of the hairs you have brushed up.
- Do not cut across the entire brow.
- Any strays that are in plain view below or between the brows can be taken with tweezers.
- Put the tools down and go to some daylight to see how both sides look.
Unless one is very sure of oneself, it is best to leave the razor, beard trimmer and big household scissors well away from the brow. A trimmer has a way of taking more than you mean to and a razor will leave a blunt line when the hair comes back. Before you know it a bit of tidying has become a reason for wearing a hat for a month.
Know When To Stop
One is apt to make the error at home of carrying on when the brows are already in order. The act of removing hair gives a sense of progress so people persist. Make a note of how they are with a photograph to begin with and in five minutes see if the outcome is any different.
Broadly speaking, if the two are balanced then leave them at that. Symmetry in the perfect sense is not something to be had and the skin about the eyes is no place for experiments.
Threading, Waxing And Tweezing: A Comparison
There are men’s eyebrow threading, waxing and tweezing and each has its merits depending on the hair, the skin and one’s tolerance. A good professional will want to know of any sensitive skin, medication or past reactions before he decides on an approach.
Threading with its twisted cotton thread is fine for controlled work along the brow line. Waxing can be efficient but is not for those whose skin is made fragile by certain products or medicines; a reputable men’s salon will have words on the subject before they put wax to your face.
Choose The Right Method
| Method | Best For | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|
| Threading | Dense stray growth and shaping with precision | Some redness or irritation |
| Waxing | A broad area to be done quickly | Heat sensitivity, lifting of the skin or irritation |
| Tweezing | Maintenance and small adjustments | Inconsistency if there is no plan |
Make An Appointment With A Professional
If you have a pronounced unibrow or have been in the habit of over-plucking the tails, or simply have not shaped your brows, a men’s eyebrow salon is a sound option. A stylist will look at the face as a whole instead of dealing with every hair on its own.
- See that the salon advertises its services in threading, waxing or shaping.
- For a first visit, with consultation and clean-up, set aside 20 to 40 minutes.
- Present yourself with clean skin and put the stylist in the picture on any peels, sunburn, laser work or other irritation.
- Have him show you what he has in mind and insist on a natural finish.
- If your skin is prone to reaction, make for a quick trip home without the sweat.
Logistics are part of it too. Check for street parking or a car park in the shopping centre, or public transport that is within a reasonable walk. In Brisbane and like Australian cities where the humidity is high, a few blocks in the midday sun after being waxed is not pleasant. Nor should one book a train or bus ride straight into a long outdoor commute or time at the beach or for sport.
To Match Your Face
An eyebrow shape ought to be in keeping with the face, not at odds with it. How thick the brow is, the height of the forehead, where the eyes are set and the way the hair grows naturally are of more consequence than anything seen on social media.
A professional will leave the best of the brow intact; a wide face does not call for a thin brow any more than a high forehead demands a high arch. It is a matter of proportion.
Be Realistic
You may expect an appointment to render the brows identical. In fact it is only meant to put things in balance at normal viewing range.
More hair removed does not necessarily mean a cleaner look; do it in excess and the brow line becomes harsh and the eyes exposed.
As for tinting, do not think it will put hair where there is none. Men’s tinting will darken what is there and perhaps put a tinge on the skin, but nothing more. Pick a shade that does not draw attention from the other side of the room.
Skin and Hair
Tell the stylist of any sensitivity prior to waxing or threading. Postponement is the sensible course if there is eczema, broken skin, active irritation or a cosmetic treatment in the recent past.
Tinting calls for patch testing and some guidance on the product. There are reactions to be had from cosmetics and the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s information on this in Australia.
Brow maintenance should be part of the plan
A man has little call for everyday eyebrow work. For the most part, maintenance is a matter of a weekly once-over and putting in some tidying when the hairs start to look uneven or otherwise distracting.
Then there is the matter of growth rates; one size does not fit all. A man with coarse, fast-growing hair might have to do a bit of tweezing between his appointments. Fine or slow growth will see him put several weeks in between professional visits.
Be practical about it
Once a week after you have washed your face, have a look at your brows and cull any strays that stand out but do not meddle with the shape. Should you be using a professional, make your next booking as soon as the line of the brow is getting untidy, not when the shape has gone altogether.
You will find that upkeep is faster once an initial shaping is done and the stylist has put a sensible outline in place. Make a note of how you reacted and what was done; it makes for a smoother session next time round.
Aftercare for the skin
The job is not done with the last hair. In the Australian heat and humidity, some aftercare is needed to stave off redness, stinging and blocked pores.
For a day or so, leave the area alone: no rubbing, heavy perspiration or strong sun, and do not pile on products. It is not the time to try out a new exfoliant or anything too active in the way of skincare following a wax or thread.
Keep it simple
Wash with something gentle and do not handle the treated area with dirty hands. Should the skin be warm, a cool compress is better than reaching for every cream in the cupboard. Of course, if the salon puts forward other advice, heed it; the stylist is aware of what has been applied.
Any swelling, blistering, a rash that is spreading or pain of any severity calls for a doctor. Some redness is to be expected, but if it lingers or gets worse, give it the attention it warrants.
Brow questions I am asked
Clients come to me wanting their brows to be natural and tidy without making a vocation of grooming. My answer tends to be moderation and good tools and knowing when to put them down before you get carried away.
Do men have to get rid of a unibrow?
It is up to you. But if you are going to, let the inner edges be and do not make too wide a gap. A professional will put you at a proportionate starting point.
Threading or waxing?
One is not always superior to the other. Threading gives you control, waxing will cover more ground in less time. But if the skin is fragile you would do well to steer clear of waxing. Let your skin condition and past experience dictate the choice.
Clippers for trimming?
Risky business. They will take length in a uniform way. Scissors are safer for the odd adjustment at home. If you must use clippers, employ a guard and be very light with them.
Is tinting going to look contrived?
Only if the application is too broad or the shade too dark. A proper tint should complement the hair you have and fade in due course. Those with fair or thinning brows should ask for nothing too bold.
What to do if you have over-plucked?
Put the tweezers away and let them grow. Repeatedly filling in the same spot will not help as regrowth is rarely even. A brow stylist can put order in the surrounding hairs and leave the sparse parts be.
In the end it is about a finish that is natural
Men’s grooming should be unobtrusive and suited to the face. Do some trimming, map the brow if you require the structure, and only have it threaded or waxed if your skin will take it.
The rule holds whether one is looking for a mens eyebrows service or a professional of repute: be sparing in what you remove, judge the outcome by daylight and let your brows be. It is a sure way to keep the face in balance and the maintenance to a minimum, and the result will not suggest you have lost a bet.
