If makeup is the foundation of your beauty look (no pun intended), then your eyebrows are the accessories. And just like a few pieces of jewellery or a cool pair of sunglasses can instantly upgrade a basic, everyday outfit, careful eyebrow shaping can totally transform your face. Here, we’ll teach you exactly how to shape eyebrows to enhance your natural beauty.
Learning how to shape your eyebrows doesn’t have to be intimidating. In fact, how to shape eyebrows at home is one of the most useful beauty skills you can master. Whether you're a seasoned pro or wondering how to shape eyebrows for beginners, this handy guide is here to help.
We’ll cover everything from picking the perfect eyebrow shape for your face, understanding the basics of brow mapping, and exploring simple styling techniques. If you’re wondering how to shape eyebrows for beginners at home, check out these step-by-step tips that make it easy – no salon visit required.
Finding the Perfect Eyebrow Shape for Your Face
When it comes to eyebrows, it’s not one-size-fits-all. If you’ve ever searched for ‘the best eyebrow shape for my face’, then look no further – we’re here to help.
Different eyebrow shapes flatter different features, so understanding your face shape is a non-negotiable first step. Let’s dive into the different types of face shapes – round, square, oval, heart, and long – and what eyebrow shapes are a match made in heaven for each.
Eyebrow Shapes for Round Faces
If you have a round face, you’re in good company – it’s one of the most common face shapes out there. Round faces are roughly as long as they are wide and generally have softer features. If you have this face type, angular, arched eyebrows are your best friend. High arches give definition, which can help balance the natural softness of a rounder face. This is one of the best eyebrow shapes for women with fuller, softer features.
Eyebrow Shapes For Square Faces
Square faces, like round faces, are typically as wide as they are long. However, they differ from round faces in that they’re angular – particularly along the jawline and forehead. To help flatter sharp features, opt for fluffier brows.
Eyebrow Shapes For Rectangular Faces
Full, fluffy eyebrows are also among the best eyebrow shapes for long faces – particularly if your bone structure is more defined, as is the case with rectangular faces. Aim to keep your brows relatively unstructured to help balance your more angular features.
Eyebrow Shapes For Oval Faces
Oval faces are similar to rectangular faces but slightly rounded along the forehead and jawline. Complement your face’s symmetry with softly angled brows that are on the fuller side.
Eyebrow Shapes For Heart-Shaped Faces
People with heart-shaped faces typically have high, prominent cheekbones, a somewhat rounded forehead, and a narrow, pointed chin. To help add balance, we suggest opting for arched, rounded brows, avoiding anything too defined or angular.
Eyebrow Mapping: The Key to Symmetrical Brows
If you’re not familiar with eyebrow mapping, we’ve got you. It’s a technique used to find the ideal start, arch, and end points of your brows, making sure your brows have symmetry and balance. When combined with your understanding of the best brows for your face shape, mapping can help you determine exactly how to shape your eyebrows to flatter your unique facial features.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to map your eyebrows at home using simple tools to help you find your best eyebrow shape.
Step 1: First, grab a white eyeliner pencil and place the bottom end of the pencil at the outer edge of your nostril, holding it vertically. Draw a vertical line where the top half of the pencil intersects with your eyebrow—this is where you’ll want your brow to start.
Step 2: Next, with the bottom end of the pencil anchored to your nostril, shift the top half of the pencil diagonally toward your temples. Looking straight ahead, stop and mark where the pencil crosses over your pupil. This should be two-thirds of the length of your brow (give or take) and is where you’ll want your arch to begin.
Step 3: Then, continue rotating the pencil diagonally until it lines up with the outer corner of your eye.
Step 4: Mark where the pencil intersects with your eyebrow to determine the ideal endpoint for your brow.
Step 5: Finally, connect the three marked points to sketch out the basic outline of your eyebrow.
Step 6: When you’re done with the first eye, repeat the process on the other side to complete your brow mapping. Keep in mind that your brow outline may not be perfectly identical on both sides. That’s totally normal—as they say, brows are sisters, not twins. They should, however, be similar in shape and size.
How to Shape Your Eyebrows at Home
Want to know how to shape your eyebrows at home? You can save time and pennies doing it yourself rather than going to the salon – and it’s a skill you’ll have for life! Check out our top tips for shaping your eyebrows at home:
Tip 1. Determine Your Shape First
When a painter sits down in front of their easel, they usually have at least a general idea of what they’re going to paint. And there’s a good reason for that: having a plan when you’re creating something makes the process smoother. That’s why we recommend using the eyebrow mapping guidelines above to determine your ideal brow shape before you sit down in front of the mirror.
Tip 2. Work in Natural Lighting
To get the best results, you’ll want to work in natural lighting if possible (in front of a window is ideal!). This helps ensure your face is well-lit so you can ensure your brows are even in shape, size, and colour.
Tip 3. Avoid Magnifying Mirrors
It can be tempting to use a magnifying mirror when doing your brows—so much detail!—but we find that it’s a temptation better avoided. Here’s why: When you zoom in on one specific area of your face (as you do when using a magnifying mirror), you become unable to see the whole picture. So you could spend a few minutes perfecting one brow, only to pull the mirror away and realise it’s not centered properly on your face, or it’s way higher than the other brow.
Tip 4. Be Choosy With Your Products
While less of a tip about shaping eyebrows and more of an eyebrow styling tip, we feel it's important to emphasise the importance of choosing the right shade for your brow products. Even the most perfectly-shaped brows will look unnatural if they’re too dark or have an unflattering tint to them. Generally, you’ll want to reach for products that are a shade or two lighter than your natural brow colour to achieve the best results.
Enter: Brow Glue Instant Brow Styler. This long-lasting brow glue comes in five pigmented shades to complement an array of skin and hair colours. Comes with a precise round bristle brush to style and shape your brows
Styling Techniques for Defined and Flawless Brows
Want to level up your brow game even more? After you’ve shaped your eyebrows, styling them can make them stand out even more and complete any makeup look. After feathered, laminated, natural, or high-definition brows? Let’s explore some brow styling methods, using products like pencils, gels, and tints, to achieve the perfect eyebrow shape.
Once you’ve got the eyebrow sculpting basics down, you can have a little fun with it and experiment with different shapes and styles. Need some inspiration? Below, find four eyebrow trends we’re loving right now.
Laminated Eyebrows
Wondering how to laminate your eyebrows? Well, think of brow lamination like an eyebrow perm, and it’s exclusively done by pros. It involves straightening your brow hairs, brushing them up, then setting them in place. While the professional service is semi-permanent, you can achieve a similarly sleek look at home with the help of a Lift & Snatch Brow Tint Pen, brow pencils, and long-wearing brow gels.
Feathered Eyebrows
Feathered brows, like the feathered hair trend of the ‘80s, are all about volume: the fuller, the better. You can achieve this trendy look by brushing up your natural brow hairs with a thickening brow gel. If your natural brows are on the sparser side, consider using a Fill & Fluff Eyebrow Pomade Pencil to draw hair-like strokes to create the illusion of thicker brows.
Skinny Eyebrows
The ‘90s gave us a lot, beauty-wise: vampy lipstick, grungy eye makeup, and of course, skinny brows. While back then, achieving skinny brows meant tweezing your natural arches to oblivion, these days, you can fake the look with a micro brow pencil and a bit of well-placed concealer.
Natural Eyebrows
Eyebrow trends can be super fun to experiment with, but sometimes, you just want to let your natural beauty shine. Natural brows allow you to do just that. With this trend, the goal is to emphasise your natural brow shape – not make your arches thinner or thicker. A clear brow glue can help you achieve a groomed look without adding or taking away from your natural arches.
Not sure what eyebrow styling products are best for you? Check out our brow finder to discover your perfect brow in just a few seconds.
Next: Now that you know how to shape your brows like an expert, read about another eyebrow trend we love in the article HOW TO LIFT BROWS NATURALLY
Shaping Eyebrows FAQs
How do I shape eyebrows for my face shape?
First, identify your face shape (round, square, oval, heart, or long) and choose a brow shape that balances your features. For example, high arches flatter round faces, while soft, angled brows suit oval shapes.
What is eyebrow mapping and how do I do it?
Eyebrow mapping is a technique used to find the ideal start, arch, and end points of your brows using facial landmarks. Use a brow pencil to mark three key points: the inner brow (aligned with your nose), the arch (through the pupil), and the tail (angled from the outer nostril to the outer eye).
How to shape my eyebrows at home as a beginner?
Start by determining your ideal shape, use natural lighting, avoid magnifying mirrors, and work slowly with tweezers or brow razors. Brow gels can help guide and fill in your shape. Follow a step-by-step guide on how to shape eyebrows for beginners at home for the best results.
What’s the difference between eyebrow shaping and eyebrow sculpting?
Eyebrow shaping focuses on removing stray hairs to create a clean outline. Eyebrow sculpting goes further – it includes shaping, filling, and defining the brows using makeup or professional techniques for a more polished look.
