Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1343227
associated-professionals.com 13 Women are familiar with how to handle beauty emergencies (bad hair days, shaving mishaps, and correcting makeup mistakes), but when it comes to brows—especially with so much attention currently being paid to them—the pressure is on. Many of us grew up simply waxing, tweezing, or leaving them au naturel. But now, brows are the hottest "accessory" on our face, with a multitude of ways to groom them and new products constantly hitting the shelves to perfect them. So, what do you do when a client comes in with a brow emergency? We spoke with Umbreen Sheikh, a licensed cosmetologist and founder/CEO of Wink Brow Bar and Salon in New York City, for brow blunder "fix it" tips. PROBLEM: OVERPLUCKED BROWS Fix it! Almost every woman has gotten too close to that magnifying mirror and been overzealous with a tweezer. Sheikh says, "Don't fear. You can fake it till you make it with subtle makeup tricks that will help create the illusion of a fuller, thicker brow." Using a small, stiff makeup brush, softly brush a matching brow powder through for a natural- looking finish. Then, use a sharpened brow pencil in the same shade to define the brow's shape. "Drawing a straight line under the brow will help minimize the appearance of strays. This will also lighten and brighten the entire eye area, drawing more attention to the eyes," Sheikh says. If you'd like to add some extra definition—or need to camouflage random strays above or below the brow—apply a skin tone-matching concealer to a small, angled brush and blend it in to the desired areas. PROBLEM: A TOO WIDE EYEBROW GAP Fix it! The obvious solution to this dilemma is to fill in the points closest to the bridge of the nose to lessen the gap. This can be done via microblading. Microblading is a semi-permanent tattoo technique used to create the illusion of fuller and thicker brows. Using this method, you can create almost any look and shape. It's best to consult with clients about the best brow shape for their face, and select a color that matches their natural hair color and skin undertone. The brow area is then prepped for treatment with a thorough cleanse and application of a topical anesthetic cream. A handheld tool with a grouping of fine needles is used to manually draw hair-like strokes onto the skin. The entire treatment can take 30–40 minutes. Results last anywhere from one to three years, depending on your client's skin type (the ink fades faster on oily skin), after-care, products, and lifestyle. Microblading is also an ideal procedure for women who have lost brow volume due to age, menopause, or chemotherapy. Of course, before you opt to use microblading as a brow emergency solution, you need to be properly trained and insured to perform this technique. PROBLEM: UNRULY BROWS Fix it! Bold, feathery brows are in, but messy is an adjective no one wants associated with their arches. "If brow hairs are wonky, you need a game plan for controlling them," Sheikh says. If the arches do need a trim, she suggests brushing the brows up toward the top of the ear with a spoolie brush and cutting only the tips off the long hairs pointing the scissors down (not parallel to the brow). "This gives trimmed brows a natural look, because none of the hairs are exactly the same length," she says. As a finishing touch, mist a spoolie brush with hairspray and brush it through brows—this directs the hairs up for a lifted look and keeps any stubborn, troublemaking brow hairs in their place. by Emily Morgan