Groomed EyeBrows = Younger Looking Eyes

I have my Dad’s eyes. They’re blue and very expressive, but they’re also hooded. Which means that as I’ve aged, my eyebrows have dropped, causing me to loose considerable real estate on my upper lid. Which has had me dreaming of a blepharoplasty (that oh so lovely cosmetic procedure in which the excess skin on the upper lid is surgically removed) since my early 30’s. But I’m also a gal who doesn’t really rush into anything, especially something permanent like surgery. So, instead, I decided to have my eyebrows groomed in an attempt to regain a little space. The results were pretty dramatic and have kept me surgery free for the past 20 years. Why? Well, your brows frame your eyes.  And as anyone who wears glasses knows, good frames hide a myriad of sins. So, having your eyebrows waxed, plucked or threaded by a professional will take years off your face. Not only does it open up more real estate, but a properly groomed arch lifts the whole upper half of your face by making your eyes look perkier, brighter and more youthful.

So, my first piece of advice is to find someone in your neighborhood who grooms eyebrows for living. If you are in LA, make an appointment at Anastasia Salon. I started seeing Anastasia Soare before she was eyebrow guru to the stars (Madonna, Oprah, the First Lady, Jennifer Lopez). Eyebrows are her passion and even though she no longer does them herself, she has trained her staff well. She also designed a fantastic eyebrow kit with stencils so that you can do them yourself.

Second, if you are blond or your eyebrows are going grey, dye them. It’s really easy and will help make your brows look fuller. Which makes for a better frame. Your eyebrows should typically be about one shade darker than your hair. I am a golden blond so I use RefectoCil 3.1 which I mix with 3-4 drops of their Oxidant (they’re sold together with a little brush and mixing tub on Amazon). I apply it on my brows, let it sit for about 5 minutes, and then remove it with a wet cotton ball. It lasts about 2 weeks and though I still need to use a pencil to fill in my “sparse” spots, I think it creates a more natural look than pencil or powder alone.

Third, if  you are developing bald spots in your eyebrows, try Latisse. Although it was developed for eyelashes, it works on the eyebrows as well to promote hair growth. As we hit menopause, many women loose hair on their head and, apparently, on their eyebrows as well. I developed a bald spot on the inner corner of my right eye about two years ago. I used Latisse everyday for a couple of months to build it back up and now, I just apply it every other day. The good news is that it works. The bad news is that you have to use it continually or the hair will stop growing.

Putting a little time and money into your eyebrows is the best kind of facial rejuvenation out there: inexpensive, easy and needle free.