Spark

From Cara Delevingne to Lily Collins, it’s pretty clear that the bold brow is having a major style moment. But what if you weren’t blessed with full brows? Don’t worry – whether it’s the natural-but-better look you’re after, or full on look-at-me drama, you’ve got plenty of options. Before we jump in, let's quickly go over how to determine your ideal brow shape.

"Finding the right shape for your brows is actually very easy to do,” says Sephora makeup artist, Josh Stark. “To find the start [or “head”] of your eyebrow, hold your brow pencil vertically next to your nostril,” says Josh. "Going straight up, line the pencil up with your tear duct and make a mark for the start of the brow.” To find your arch, hold the base of the pencil next to your nostril, then angle it diagonally through the pupil of your eye, making a mark at the highest point, where your arch should be. “To find the tail of your brow, hold your pencil diagonally next to your nostril,” Stark explains. "Going outwards towards your ear, line it up with the outer corner of your eye and make a mark at the very end of the brow.” At this point, you will have three marks, indicating where your brows should start, where your arch should be, and where your brows should end. Now it’s time to connect the dots and build your perfect brow.

Here are Josh’s top product recommendations:

1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
The lowdown: The Brow Wiz from Anastasia Beverly Hills is a favourite in the beauty world, and a MUST for your makeup collection. This smear-proof formula has a very fine, retractable tip that is perfect for building a natural looking brow. Josh recommends using small, quick swipes to mimic the appearance of natural brow hairs. “It’s a great tool to use if you have very thin brows and need to go outside your natural brows to make them appear fuller,” says Josh. Just make sure you use a light hand near the head of your brow to create a soft gradient effect. Use the spoolie on the other end of the pencil to further blend the product. It might take a few applications to get the hang of the Brow Wiz, but practice makes perfect, and soon enough you’ll be flaunting Delevingne-worthy brows!
Pro tip: “Try not to use the Brow Wiz by itself, because the product is designed to define your natural brows,” says Stark. “If you use it to fill in the entire brow, you’ll end up going through the product very quickly.”

2. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder
The lowdown: “Brow powder is a great option if you want a softer, more natural, feathery brow,” says Stark. Powder helps to add or slightly alter colour if you have fair brows or colour-treated hair. The trick to using this powder is taking advantage of the two colours in the duo. “Using the lighter colour, softly fill in the entire brow and create the shape you desire,” Josh advises. “Use the darker shade to add definition and apply it through the tail.” Make sure to tap off any excess product before applying to avoid going outside the brow. If you want to prevent the colour from fading throughout the day, use a clear or tinted brow gel to hold the powder in place.
Pro tip: Use something with a flat edge (a debit card will work!) as a stencil against your brows. This will keep the product contained and give a soft but precise look.

3. Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse
The lowdown: An eyebrow mousse (similar to a pomade) is the most intense brow option on the market. It has a light, airy consistency and sticks easily to your existing brow hairs. Start by creating a soft line underneath your brow, to map out the shape you want. Next, fill in the outline you’ve created using soft hair-like strokes. Be conscious of how much product you use because a little goes a looong way. “Use a spoolie or eyebrow comb to comb through your brows and blend the product upwards,” says Stark. “This will fix any unevenness and result in a natural effect.” Once you’ve finished applying the product, use a bit of concealer on a sharp definer brush to outline your brows and cover any stray hairs. This will add definition and clean up any edges.
Pro tip: “Avoid applying too much product, because that will give an artificial and ‘drawn-on’ look to the brows,” says Stark.

If you’re not sure what colour of brow product you should use, Josh has a few guidelines you can follow. “As a general rule of thumb, brunettes should choose a shade lighter than their hair if they want a softer, more natural brow.” As for blondes, “try going one shade darker than your hair if you want more definition,” says Stark.

Watch our video tutorial above to see these products in action!

Visit Sephora St. Vital Centre to pick up any of the products mentioned, or to get a tutorial from Josh (or one of their other great makeup artists!):

- Brow comb: Sephora, $18
- Brow pencil: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, $27
- Brow powder: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo, $30
- Brow gel: Tarte Coloured Clay Tinted Brow Gel, $25
- Brow mousse: Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse, $38
- White button-up: Gap, $54.95
- Bib necklace: Le Chateau, $22