How to Tweeze Eyebrows: Experts Share Top Tricks + Why It's Best for Women Over 50
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then brows are like the curtains, framing them for a beautiful end result. And no matter whether you diligently pluck them every week or just grab tweezers any time you spot a particularly unruly hair, it’s highly likely that you’ve tweezed your eyebrows in some way, shape or form at some point in time. It’s admittedly not a super complicated beauty task — not to mention one that can easily be DIY-ed in the privacy of your own bathroom. Still, there are a few simple tricks and techniques that can make all the difference. So we tapped brow experts for a complete step-by-step guide for how to tweeze eyebrows. We also asked them to weigh in as to why you should opt for this hair removal method over others and they share their top tips for post-tweezing aftercare. Here’s what they had to say.
Why tweeze eyebrows instead of waxing or threading?
Curious about why tweezing is a great method to groom eyebrows compared to other techniques. Keep scrolling!
It's more precise
For starters, plucking is way more precise than any other types of hair removal. You’re removing individual hairs, which allows for the most precision when it comes to creating the perfect shape, explains celebrity brow and lash artist Melina Cespedes.
It's a gentler option
Tweezing is also way more gentle on skin, which is a major win especially as you get older. Your skin gets innately drier with age (credit those good ol’ hormonal changes) and may not be able to tolerate more aggressive forms of hair removal such as waxing or threading that also impact the skin, notes brow expert Michele Holmes.
Tweezing has little or no effect on the surrounding skin because only the hairs are being removed, making it the perfect option for women with more mature skin, she adds. Beauty and brow expert Robin Evans agrees, noting that she’s had many clients who are approaching menopause come to her thinking that brow waxing burned their skin, when in reality it actually caused tearing because the skin was too thin to tolerate the wax. Ouch!
It's easy to do yourself
And, of course, there’s the convenience factor. You can easily tweeze your eyebrows pretty much anytime, anywhere, without having to make an appointment or spend the money on a service such as waxing or threading.
How to tweeze eyebrows
Ready to try tweezing out for yourself? Read on for the simple steps.
Step 1: Prep the area first
Start by washing the brow area using a gentle cleanser. Avoid anything super exfoliating or harsh, as you don’t want to cause any irritation to the skin, notes Cespedes.
Step 2: Sketch out your shape
Rather than trying to copy some kind of brow trend, you want to find the shape that’s the most flattering based on your individual face shape and features, says Holmes. One easy way to do so? Follow Evan’s go-to technique. Line a brow pencil up against your nose, pointing straight up — this is where your brow should start. Then, turn it diagonally, in line with the corner of your iris — this is where the highest part of your arch should be. Finally, turn the pencil toward the outer corner of your eye — this is where the tail of your brow should end. Using these three points as guidelines, you can sketch out a preferred shape and fill it in with the brow pencil. It will look heavy and over-drawn, but it’s just to help create a stencil and determine which hairs you should tweeze, explains Evans.
Step 3: Trim any super long hairs
Next, brush your brows in an upward direction with a clean spoolie brush, suggests Cespedes. One to try: Jane Iredale Deluxe Spoolie Brush. This will let you see if there are any super long stragglers that need to be trimmed. You can do so using a pair of brow scissors, like Facega Professional Grooming Scissors.
Step 4: Begin plucking
Starting at the inside of the brow and working your way outward, pluck any hairs that fall outside of your drawn-on shape, making sure to grab just one at a time, advises Cespedes. It bears mentioning that all of the pros we spoke with say that they like slant-tip tweezers for the easiest, most precise plucking. Try: Tweezerman Ultra Precision Slant Tweezer. It’s also a good idea to pull the hairs out in the direction of the hair growth and at an angle, rather than straight out. This is the way they naturally grow and will help minimize any pain and discomfort, notes Holmes.
Step 5: Clean everything off
Finish by wiping off that excess brow pencil and applying a moisturizer if needed (more on that point in a moment).
To see an in-depth eyebrow tweezing tutorial, watch the below video from @kerrylou3 on YouTube.
How to prevent over-tweezing brows
Tweeze just one hair at a time, staying a bit further away from the line that you’ve drawn-on, says Evans. That's because tweezing too close to it can cause you to end up removing too many hairs. And while they’re very tempting, avoid magnifying mirrors at all costs. They tend to distort what you’re seeing and result in over-tweezing, cautions Cespedes. She also adds that it’s a good idea to take a step back and assess your work after every few hairs that you pluck. At the end of the day, less is more. Be conservative and remember that you’re not trying to completely reshape your brows, says Holmes.
Related: Castor Oil Proven to Regrow Hair on Head, Eyebrows + Eyelashes — For Pennies A Day!
How often should I tweeze my eyebrows?
This is largely a matter of personal preference, but, as a general rule of thumb, every two to three week is a good idea. “This is the point at which you’ll see some regrowth and you can start to tweeze them before the brows are fully grown in,” says Evans. That being said, you can also wait a bit longer, tweezing in six to eight-week intervals. “Hair grows in this time cycle and this gives the hairs time to complete the growth cycle, minimizing the likelihood of damage to the hair follicles,” explains Holmes.
Related: Powder Brows: The Most Natural-Looking Technique To Thicken Thinning Eyebrows
How to care for brows after tweezing
Skin looking a little red? Cespedes recommends applying a dab of aloe vera gel to the area. Evans suggest a tiny bit of an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream can also help. And if your skin isn’t irritated, a little bit of a plain, gentle moisturizer is sufficient. CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Face and Body Lotion fits the bill.
In related news, Holmes adds that it’s important to give your brows a little extra TLC in between tweezing sessions — and even more so as you get older. “The texture of the hairs can change, becoming thick, coarse, or more brittle with age,” she points out.
Try Holmes' recommendation for an easy, weekly brow treatment (that’s beneficial for both skin and hair). Start by using a clean, dry spoolie brush to dry brush the skin under your brows before you shower. This will help slough off any old makeup and dead skin cells, she says. Then, apply a little conditioner to your brows in the shower to keep the hairs soft and supple. Finish by applying moisturizer to the entire area.
Learn about more ways to enhance eyebrows:
Eyebrow Tinting Makes Sparse Brows Look Instantly Thicker — Here’s How to Do It at Home for Less
‘Soap Brows’ Are the Secret to Making Sparse Eyebrows Look Thick and Fluffy in Seconds
