We’re talking about eyebrows here before you get excited/disappointed. There are many things I could say about eyebrows, so here’s some of it.
They’re one of those insidious beauty ideals. They have to be perfectly shaped with no hair out of place. It doesn’t matter how alternative the model is, if there is a hair out of place the torrent of abuse directed at the artist and model is vile. It’s incredibly disturbing how ingrained it is in the beauty culture that female models must have this thin strip of hair that’s perfectly arched and how nasty people get when not presented with it.
So bearing this in mind there are two choices if you feel like shoving it in the face of society. Let them grow or shave them off.
Now letting them grow is no longer an option for me. I had electrolysis done and even before that they were never really big and busy. So while they grow, they never really grow out of shape.
So that’s the second option. Lose them all together. It’s something I’ve done a couple of time now and it’s always fun to see the glances. So here’s the pros and cons of each method of removal.
Plucking and Waxing
Simply put don’t. Plucking and waxing pull the hair out at the root and will eventually cause the hair to stop growing. When I am really old (not just old like now), it’s be nice to still have my eye brows even if they’re really grey. I’m sure you might feel the same the older you get.
Bleaching
Good for the person that’s most scared of losing them. The hairs are slightly more hardy and will stand up to repeated bleachings. However it does mean using peroxide near your eyes. Using the right kind of bleach will help as it’s designed not to drip. It has an advantage though, it leaves you with a guide if you want to fill them in with interesting colours.
Hair Removal Cream
Again this means using a product near your eyes that’s not really meant to be near them. This could be a nice alternative if you’re not a fan of shaving them.
Shaving
The best method for total and temporary removal. Of course the face is not a smooth surface. When you’re not used to doing it care must be taken. A new sharp blade, a good shaving foam are a must. If you’re finding it really awkward, I’d advise shaving first with the hairs to remove most of the length and then go against them to get rid of the stubble.
Once you’ve removed them what to do next?
Well, you can leave them off. Some people look really good without them, Shrinkle for example. It’s really up to you if you think you can pull off this look or not.
You can freehand them back on. This can take a little practice but it does give you a huge amount of freedom over the shape, size and colour. Anything can be created from Gothic arches, Vulcan short style to your normal brows.
You can use a stencil. Elf and many other companies provide stencils that can be used over your natural brows as well. The advantage of these is that they will always be even. Even if you don’t have a steady hand or are just too tired in the morning you’ll end up with perfect brows.
It’s really up to you if you want to take them off or not. I know I like them when they’re not there most of the time. I like the freedom it gives me to chose the shape. How about you?