Perfect Eyebrows Sin No. 7: Your Arch Is in the Wrong Place
The problem: We've all read about the technique of lining up a makeup brush with your nose and eye to find the points where your brows should start and end, and where your arch should go. But according to Crooks, this guide isn't one-size-fits-all. "Often times arches aren't far left enough, and this can make the brows look forced and artificial," she says.
The fix: To find your truest, most natural arch, Taylor recommends taking a moment to observe the muscle movements in your face. Raise your eyebrows, and you'll find that the muscles in your forehead naturally indicate where the arch of your brow is supposed to fall. "The goal should always be the most natural, customized brows possible," says Crooks. Which might mean ditching any prefab techniques -- and perfect arches will put you one step closer to perfect eyebrows.
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Perfect Eyebrows Sin No. 6: You're Forcing Your Brows to Be Something They're Not
The problem: Yes, "perfect eyebrows" exist, but that doesn't mean there's only one kind. "Most people think an arched brow is the only shape, and they force their brows into a shape that often isn't correct for their facial structure," says Crooks.
In reality, there are three main brow shapes: a classic arch, (think: Megan Fox), a rounded arc (like Fergie) and a straighter brow (like Natalie Portman). Your face and hair growth naturally lend themselves best to one of the three, says Crooks. Trying to change this natural shape -- either by yourself or at a salon -- won't result in your most flattering look. So even if you desperately want Cara Delevingne eyebrows, they might not be the best for your hair texture and bone structure. (Le sigh.)
The fix: "Finding the right shape for your face is the first step to perfect eyebrows," says Crooks. But if it's been a while since you've seen your natural shape, look back at old photos of yourself from before you started plucking. "That will tell you which shape you should be going for," she says. You can proceed with your shaping from there.
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Perfect Eyebrows Sin No. 5: You're Trying to Make Your Eyebrows Identical
The problem: You've heard it before: "Brows are sisters, not twins." Of course, that doesn't mean you can disregard balance altogether. It means that tweezing hair for hair on either side is never a good plan of attack.
Since no one's face is perfectly symmetrical, obsessively plucking until each brow is identical will only result in your entire face looking uneven and your brows looking over-plucked.
The fix: To achieve perfect eyebrows, try to make them look as even as possible while considering your natural face shape. To do this, Taylor recommends drawing a thin line with brow pencil along the bottom edge of each brow to use as a guideline. When you go in with your tweezers, only pluck the rogue hairs that fall outside the line.
Then, to fill in your brows, use your pencil to follow the brows' natural shape as best you can. When your brows are almost finished, alternate back and forth, adding a little to each one until the brows look balanced.
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Perfect Eyebrows Sin No. 4: You're Plucking Out the "Meat" of the Brow
The problem: Let's say you have a few gray or coarse hairs that need to be removed. It's tempting to go in and yank them with tweezers. But according to Bailey, this is a recipe for bald spots and mangled, uneven brows. "The closer you get to the brow 'line' the more room there is for error," he says. "We call this the 'no zone.'"
The fix: Stick to tweezing strays only. That means any obvious hairs growing underneath the arches. If there are wonky hairs on top, don't pluck -- control them with brow gel instead. (Try Ulta Eyebrow Gel, $6.) If you need more of a shaping overhaul, leave it to the pros, Bailey says.
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Perfect Eyebrows Sin No. 3: You're Trimming Wrong (or Not at All)
The problem: Trimming is essential for polished, perfect eyebrows, says Bailey. A nice brow shape can get lost under brow hairs that hang too long below the brow line, creating a "hooded" look. If you skip trimming, your brows also might stick straight up (think: crazy old grandpa).
That said, trim with caution. Going too short can create holes in the brows and disrupt the whole shape, says Crooks.
The fix: A subtle trim shows off your shape, making your brows look nice and clean. Simply trim the very tips of the hair to avoid going too deep and messing with your brow shape. "Only use straight scissors, such as the Anastasia Beverly Hills Scissors, $22.50," warns Crooks. "Don't grab those curved ones in a pinch!"
Perfect eyebrows can transform your entire look, according to, well, every makeup artist and brow expert we've ever talked to. On the flip side, an unflattering shape or color can instantly make you look angrier, older and otherwise off your game. And though eyebrow trends seem to change by the year -- from pencil thin to Lily Collins-level bold -- there is such a thing as timeless, perfect eyebrows. And yes, it is possible to achieve them all by yourself.
To start, a few basic pointers: Be cautious when working with tweezers. Especially since a tragic few of us survived the '90s without eviscerating our brows. (RIP, beautiful sprouts.)
That said, letting your eyebrows go totally au naturel isn't always the right move. We get it, it's tempting to lay off the grooming and let your brows do their thing after the great over-plucking of 2002. But you don't want your brow hairs to completely overgrow your arch, either.
Then, there's the matter of filling them in. With so many brow powders, pomades, pencils and more, it can be tricky to find the color and texture that will lead to your own version of perfect eyebrows. Ugh, we know -- so many variables to consider.
Luckily, that's where these priceless tips come in. Here, we share the most common eyebrow mistakes we make, according to three top celebrity brow gurus. If you're guilty of any of them, don't freak out. With these essential tips, perfect eyebrows are finally within reach.
