MAKEUP RULES: Royally simple brows

 By Bobby Walsh (The Real King Bob), Weekender Correspondent Jan 16

Hi. My name is Bobby Walsh, though most know me as The Real King Bob. I’m a makeup artist at The Sapphire Salon & Spa (247-249 S. Main St., Pittston), a freelance makeup education artist with Stila Cosmetics, and a beauty guru on YouTube (youtube.com/TheRealKingBob). I eat, sleep, and breathe makeup. Now I am able to share my knowledge of fashion and makeup with all of you! Remember – makeup is my life, and I’m here to make it rule yours.

What better way to start my first article than with what I love the most – eyebrows! Most people will tell you that, “Eyebrows frame the face,” “Eyebrows are cousins, not twins,” and “Eyebrows are the key to the soul,” and they are right. Well, maybe not the last one. Brows don’t have to be perfect, but they do have to stand out. The face is the first thing people notice, scan, and critique when interacting with each other. I know that when I’m having a conversation with someone, I make eye contact. When I don’t feel 100 percent confident in making eye contact, I stare at their eyebrows.

One way to quickly and easily fix your eyebrow situation would be to go to your local salon and spa, and, for an average of around $9, have your eyebrows waxed, tweezed, or threaded. That alone will greatly improve your overall brow appearance. Another way to quickly enhance your brows and keep them in place would be to purchase a clear mascara or brow gel. Using one of these gels will hold your brows’ shape and help keep any random hairs from falling out of place. It gives you a more groomed look without any real maintenance. A few higher-end makeup companies, such as Benefit and Anastasia, have tinted brow gels that color and correct that average $16 to $22. Drugstore brand companies like Revlon, Maybelline, and Cover Girl carry similar items for only $6.

Reshaping your own brows plus bi-weekly upkeep will save you that in-salon cost, but it isn’t the easiest of tasks. That is why I am here to help! To start, you will need an eyebrow liner or brown eye shadow with an angled brow brush, a pair of tweezers, and a clean mascara wand.

First, take the mascara wand and comb your brows up and out. Second, take your brow color and apply it in an upward and outward motion, following the direction of hair growth starting with the front section of your eyebrow located by the bridge of your nose. Brows should begin right before the inner corner of your eye, the arch should appear right after the iris, and the brow should end about a thumbnail past the outer corner of your eye. You want to make sure your brow mimics that of an obtuse angle with straighter lines – no curved McDonald’s arches (see diagram).

It’s also important to maintain a nice thickness – skinny brows are out! The last step would be to tweeze any excess brow that does not fit into the shape you just created. Once you are finished, you can comb through the brow with the clean mascara wand to soften the brow color, and you’re done! I recommend going in and plucking the new hair growth every two weeks before they start interfering with your new perfectly shaped eyebrows.