I'll be honest: despite going through a global pandemic, I am still having the odd stress over first world problems such as my roots and the state of my non-Shellac'd nails. While the most important thing right now is looking after our health, maintaining certain practises at home can help us to feel our best selves, which in turn allows us to ride out the storm with confidence. Now that we can't get out to the salon, eyebrows are a big issue for many of us. Wondering how to maintain your brows during lockdown? I've got you covered.
Grow Them Out
First up, if you're panicking about your brows not getting their usual maintenance, try to switch up your perspective. Instead of panicking about it, embrace it, and consider that this is the perfect time to grow out your brows Cara Delevingne-style. Like with the hair on your head, growing things out can look rather weird in the in-between stages, so at least this way no one will have to see it.
Not touching them is probably the safer option, too. "If you are not going out and you are not zooming, leave it to the pro and leave it alone," says makeup artist Laura Geller.
Treatwell Brow Expert Shavata also agrees with this approach, and recommends applying castor oil to your brows to get things going. “There’s no better way to get thicker, fuller brows," she say.
General Maintenance
If you really can't stand leaving your brows to their natural state, it's OK to give them a touch of maintenance; just be careful.
"If it makes you uncomfortable [to leave them], take a tweezer; however do not go too close to the shape your pro goes. Only take off those few strays," advises Geller.
Shavata also suggests sticking to tweezing just a few hairs a day, rather than leaving them then trying to do it all in one go. “That way you can easily stick to the shape – especially if you’ve had them done professionally recently," she explains.
Perhaps one of the best tips for plucking your brows from home is to use two mirrors to keep things even. “Use a magnifying mirror when tweezing but keep checking the “bigger picture” in a larger mirror”, she explains.
Last up, if your brows are getting a little too overgrown for your liking, they may just need a little trim. Pick up a pair of brow scissors and a spoolie brush, such as this little kit by Tweezerman in order to do this. To trim, “brush all the hairs up – anything standing beyond the shape of your brow is what you trim," says Shavata. "Make sure you use small snips, one big snip will give you a wonky line."
Tinting & Other Treatments
Now, here's something you should ideally leave to the professionals, if you can try and hold out. If you've not tinted or laminated your brows before, it's risky to try right now, given that if things go wrong, you can't get them fixed by an expert. Vanita Parti MBE, CEO and founder of Blink Brow Bar told The Independent that she does not recommend trying tinting at home, largely due to the fact that you need to have an allergy test before you have it done, which takes place with your brow expert.
However, if you really want to brave it, or have done it before, be sure to follow the instructions on the packet of your product, and watch a YouTube tutorial to take it step by step. Oh, and make sure to do a patch test 24 hours before usage, even if you have had one done previously.
Getting Zoom-Ready
When all is said and done, we can be as conscious of our brows as we want, but no one is really seeing them apart from us! Outside of our daily exercise outside, we will be staying firmly inside our house, and when we do go out, our brows will be the least of our concerns in the current climate.
However, as someone who is currently having a bit of a freak out about my hair root growth (seriously, it's alarming), I understand how it can still be a bit rubbish to not feel your best self. So, if you do find yourself coming face to face with others on say, a Zoom call for work, or a Houseparty pub quiz, there are quick, instant ways to bring your brows back to their former glory (or at least, fake it 'til you make it... to the brow experts).
From pomades to gels, pencils to ink pens, there are some amazing brow products out there to fill and colour. Here are a few that are old favourites of mine, or that have really caught my eye recently and I can't wait to try:
