Your Step-By-Step Guide To Filling In Your Eyebrows

Have you ever finished your makeup and felt like something was missing? Chances are, you may have forgotten to fill in your eyebrows. While evening out your skin tone with a flawless foundation application and adding color to your lips with a nice gloss is essential, so is making sure your brows look full. Even if you're blessed with thick brows, you'll want to ensure they're defined if they're light-colored or have noticeable spaces in between the hairs.

Eyebrows aren't just useful for catching sweat or showing emotion—they're also designed to make your face aesthetically pleasing. Just as curtains make windows prettier, eyebrows accentuate the eyes and help balance facial proportions. If you need to fill in some sparse areas, all you need is a thin eyebrow pencil or a powder that matches the shade of your eyebrow hair. However, if your brows are on the thin side, you'll want to map out their placement using a three-point method.

Eyebrow mapping may sound daunting, but don't worry — you don't need to be a cartographer. You can shape your eyebrows to perfection at home. Melanie Marris, CEO and founder of Brow Code, told Real Simple that you must first mark the front, arch, and tail. "To find the front, place the end of your pencil vertically from the dimple of your nose to the inner corner of your eye, noting where the pencil crosses your brow," she stated.

Next, find the arch by moving the pencil to align with the outer edge of your iris. That should determine the highest point of your brows. To see where your brows should end, move the pencil to reach the outer corner of your eye. Once you've marked out those three spots, you'll have a basic idea of how to draw in your brows.

Your arch height depends on how your brows are naturally shaped, but you can manipulate that when it's time to fill them in. Some prefer a very straight line, while others prefer a dramatic arch. You can experiment with different styles once you've mastered the art of drawing in your brows.

Eyebrow pencils are one of the most popular ways to fill in your brows. They usually come in a thin form, making it easy to draw precise hairlines. However, eyebrow powders are also a great choice as they're quicker and more error-proof. With each method, you'll want a shade close to your natural hair color but not an exact match. If you have light hair, your eyebrow pencil should be a shade or two darker. If you have dark hair, the color should be a couple of shades lighter. Before you start with color, use a spoolie to brush your hair upward so that you can see the outline of your brows. You can also use a brow gel to keep your hair in place at this stage.

For the most natural look, TikTok content creator Ale Jay suggests using a slim pencil to fill in your brows, using light, feathery upward strokes that mimic your natural hairs. Starting from the inner brows, work your way to the ends, blending well. A genius hack she has for fuller-looking brows is to go over them with a brow pen to create the look of individual hairs. If you choose to go the powder route, use a stiff, angled brush and fill in your brows horizontally, starting from the inner corners. YouTuber Shonagh Scott advises using a lighter shade at the start of your eyebrows and a darker color at the ends for a beautiful ombré look.

Once you've filled in your brows, you'll want to ensure they stay in place. Use a brow gel to carefully brush the inner corners of your brows slightly upward while manipulating the middle and ends horizontally. Not only do brow gels keep your hair nice and tidy, but they also make your eyebrows appear fuller. You can use a clear gel, but tinted options are available if you want to add more color. Have a clear gel on hand but want to DIY a perfect-match brow gel color? Mix a bit of your eyebrow gel and a powder shadow that matches the color of your hair on the back of your hand. Voilà — an instant customized tinted brow gel.

Now that your brows are in place check for stray hairs and gently tweeze them. Be sure not to overpluck and do one hair at a time. Finally, clean up the edges underneath your brows and along the top with concealer and a flat brush. This will give you a super-precise look and also highlight your brow bones. Give yourself a quick dusting of setting powder, and you'll be ready to slay the day with your perfect eyebrows.