On Fleek

MANILA, Philippines - It’s not so much the eyes as it is the eyebrows that convey a whole world of emotions with just one look; just ask somebody whose career sprung from it like Lauren Bacall. Too much tweezing, threading, or waxing can send messages of anger, worry, or surprise too, though unintended—and sometimes, all at the same time.

Keeping a bit of thickness to your brows in its natural shape not only frame your eyes and balance out the dimensions of your face. They can also make you look healthier and youthful. Scrawny brows are bad enough on their own, but they also bring out fine lines and dark circles.

To grow out the perfect feathered brow—modern beauty girl speak for full, defined arches that’s more Cara Delevigne and less of the brow pomade-heavy look of the Kardashians—finding your natural arch is everything. Don’t believe any of those brow stencils; place a pencil beside your nostril and, looking straight ahead, slant it across the center section of the eye to the outside of the iris. Where the pencil lands is where it should be.

Brow rehab can be a major pain in the arch. If your eyebrows are pegged on ’90s girl-next-door Drew Barrymore’s one line brow, you will still have patches that grow back much slower than the rest because taking off a lot of hair at one time wacks out its growth cycle.

Do a Margherita Missoni for three to four months and hide your magnifying mirror and tweezer and don’t go to a brow salon. For the first few weeks, it’ll feel like the stubbles are mocking you, but if you leave them alone, they will eventually form a full brow. If a stray is growing at an odd angle, resist the urge to tweeze and just trim.

In the meantime, fake it with makeup. Lightly fill your brows with a hard pencil or brow powder using short, feathery strokes to mask the gaps. Brows should be trailing off in an upward and outward direction. Brush hairs toward your nose so they really stand up, and when you’re finished, seal with a clear brow gel.

For a more lasting, instant, “I woke up like this” solution, Xtensions Eyelash, Hair, and Eyebrow Extension Salon at V-Mall, Greenhills Shopping Center offer eyebrow extensions. Like lash extensions, they are silk strands that look like real hairs, glued strategically one by one to your real hairs to mimic the look of your own brows if they were fully-grown. It isn’t as drastic as their other service eyebrow cloning, a semi-permanent tattoo which requires a 2-year commitment. When you’re struggling to pick up your tweezers at week 1, it can serve as a source of inspiration.

Near-bald brows can get the full brow extension, where they plant 350 hairs throughout the entire brow (P3,500) or extend brows in the inner and outer ends with 250 hairs (P2,500). If you have comma brows, add 150 hairs to sparse arches and tails (P1,500).

Simply lie back for an hour, and while you’re at it, get lash extensions, too. Xtensions can customize its shape, length, and curl based on your eye shape and desired look. The right lashes don’t only look fluttery and flirty; they also make your eyes look more symmetrical.

Your eyebrows will be lush and full in a way that no gel, powder, pencil, pomade, or even any semi-permanent tattoo can mimic. The only downside is that they do fall off eventually. You’ll be ruined for all other brow services—unless we’re talking brow transplants, but only resort to that once you’ve already tried growing out what you could already have.