W ith pencil thin brows a thing of the past and fullness the name of the game, arches look more natural than before. Some say a thicker brow is slimming. That may or may not be true, but full brows do lend the face a more youthful appearance. And the effect, particularly against Indian skintones and dark hair, is electric.
MAC, in collaboration with brows guru Damone Roberts, has released a full line to capitalise on the bold brows trend. The range includes brushes, powders, pencils and cremes in a variety of colours. Roberts suggests that you start by using the Big Brow Pencil (`1,550, available in five shades) to create an unstructured brow that looks natural but volumised. Use the Small Angle Brush (`1,600) and Fluidline Brow Gelcreme (`1,330, in three shades) to get the defined shape of the straight brow. Start at the front and work towards the arch in short, feathered strokes. Those looking for a stronger arch should use the thin Eye Brows pencils (`1,300, in three hues). If you want even more drama, try the Veluxe Brow Liner (`1,550, available in 10 shades), which has the precision of a pencil, but the opaqueness of a brow powder. The fine particles plump up sparse arches, but don’t disappear even if you sweat. Perfect for the Indian summer and monsoon.
Finally, run the spooly brush of the Brow Set (`1,300, in three hues) through the brow. Roberts says it is a great product for beginners. “By brushing your brows upward and keeping them in that direction, it can open up the eye,” he explains, and adds that men can use it too. Robert Downey Jr loves it, apparently. Anyone feeling inspired?
Trend
NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED
Inspired by model Gigi Hadid’s double brow on the catwalk for Giambattista Valli’s AW16 show, French women are painting on an “under eyebrow” that emphasises the shape of their natural brow. You can recreate the futuristic look freehand or with the help of a stencil and a kohl pencil or glitter liquid or any eye shadow. Make-up experts recommend pairing the look with dewy skin, colourless mascara and a natural lipper. But if you must be a drama queen, swipe on a bold lipstick and let the viewers decide where they want to look first.