Taming the brow

Best for brows: MAC tweezers, Becca, Clinique, Yves Saint Laurent, and Chanel. Picture / Carolyn Robertson

Eyebrows really do matter. Shaped well, they are a stunning feature. Badly done and they say footballer's wife quicker than white trousers

M. A. C Tweezers
$70

You need your wits about you to even consider picking up these slant-tipped tweezers for a bit of a pluck. One wrong move, and you could do some serious damage. But used judiciously, these are as accurate as a laser-guided missile and do an outstanding job getting rid of any hairs just starting to grow back. Best I've used.

From Smith & Caughey's Newmarket and M. A. C Chancery

Chanel Perfect Brows
$120 for 5g

In this all-in-one kit - something James Bond's gadget inventor Q may possibly have dreamed up - you get a magnifying mirror (very handy), miniature tweezers, brow brush and applicator (all a bit fiddly to work with) and three shades of eyebrow shadow. There's no excuse for unkempt brows now.

From selected department stores and pharmacies.

Becca Brow Shaping Gel
$38 for 6ml

Those wilful brows that refuse to lie flat in a perfect arch can be tamed with this gel fix - it'll break their rebellious spirit in no time. However, don't be tempted to sweep it over the entire brow for an easy fix. Restrict it to where it's needed for a natural look.

From Glamorpuss.

Yves Saint Laurent Eyebrow Enhancer Duo
$77 for 5ml

This pencil is packing a brow colour at one end and a fixing gel at the other. The brush-on colour helps fill in uneven bits and the gel keeps them where they're supposed to be.

From selected department stores and pharmacies.

Clinique Soft Blonde Superfine Liner for Brows
$37

It's hard to go far wrong with this brow pencil. It's self-sharpening, does a nice fine, natural line for those with a heavy hand and the colours are named after hair colours so it's virtually impossible to choose the wrong one. It's foolproof really.

From selected department stores and pharmacies. 


Get the look


There are no extreme eyebrow fashions at the moment. Stick to the brow's natural shape, clean up any stray hair and don't try to force an arch where there isn't one.


1. Consider a professional brow shaping then try and maintain the shape at home.


2. Invest in good tweezers with a slanted tip and look after them. Ancient, blunt ones are useless.


3. If you really want to pluck your brows at home, go slowly and make sure you're in natural daylight. Start by getting rid of any mono-brow effect by plucking above the nose, then tidy up any stragglers under the brow.


4. When you're ready to shape, take one hair at a time remembering the arch should be three-quarters of the way along the eye. Don't hurry. You can always finish them tomorrow.


5. Don't leave the upkeep for a couple of weeks. It's much less daunting to pick up the tweezers a couple of times a week to maintain the perfect shape .