I’m a firm believer in the importance of good
brow grooming. It might be one of the
first things to get axed from your beauty routine when you’re short on time,
but it shouldn’t be, because it makes a huge difference in how polished and
together you look. 

Luckily, there are
plenty of products out there tailored to your exact brow needs. We already told you about Tarte's The Toolbox, but below are three other options for keeping the brows in check. 

1. The two shades housed
in Laura
Mercier Brow Powder Duo ($30) can be used separately or blended together to
achieve your exact color match.  They can
also be applied dry for a more natural look (which is what I prefer), or if
your brows are seriously sparse, you can wet it for more saturated
coverage. 

2. If your brows are like mine (naturally full, but a little
unruly without some help) try Three Custom Color Specialists
Brow Gel ($18.50).  It looks and
applies a little bit like a clear mascara, but it won’t flake off—it’ll just
lock your brows where you want them. It
comes in tinted, too.    

3. What sets Clinique
Superfine Liner for Brows ($13) apart from a garden variety brow pencil is
the seriously miniscule point on this thing—you can practically draw on
individual hairs.  It’s a twist-up pencil
too, so no more worrying about having to constantly sharpen it to avoid a
really thick (a.k.a. fake looking) line. 
 

More Like This:

1. When it Comes to Creating the Perfectly Groomed Brow, You’ve Got Options
2. Tarte The Toolbox Helps Even Brow-Grooming Idiots Keep Arches Presentable

I’m a firm believer in the importance of good
brow grooming.  It might be one of the
first things to get axed from your beauty routine when you’re short on time,
but it shouldn’t be, because it makes a huge difference in how polished and
together you look.  Luckily, there are
plenty of products out there tailored to your exact brow needs.

No more settling for “eh, close enough”…the two shades housed
in Laura
Mercier Brow Powder Duo ($24) can be used separately or blended together to
achieve your exact color match.  They can
also be applied dry for a more natural look (which is what I prefer), or if
your brows are seriously sparse, you can wet it for more saturated
coverage. 

If your brows are like mine (naturally full, but a little
unruly without some help) try Three Custom Color Specialists
Brow Gel ($18.50).  It looks and
applies a little bit like a clear mascara, but it won’t flake off—it’ll just
lock your brows where you want them.  It
comes in tinted, too.    

What sets Clinique
Superfine Liner for Brows ($13) apart from a garden variety brow pencil is
the seriously miniscule point on this thing—you can practically draw on
individual hairs.  It’s a twist-up pencil
too, so no more worrying about having to constantly sharpen it to avoid a
really thick (a.k.a. fake looking) line. 
 

More Like This:

1. When It Comes To Creating The Perfectly Groomed Brow, You’ve Got Options. Use Them.
2. Ramy The Brow Master Will Save Even The Most Pathetic Of Arches

What: Tarte's The Toolbox: Brow Know-How Set, $32

Why: The first thing Tarte's Brow Know-How Set instructs you to do is measure the proper length of your eyebrows with a pencil. Well, this was enlightening in an embarrassing way, as I realized one brow is oddly longer than the other, and apparently has been that way for much of my adult life. That aside, the rest of the instructions and tools in this quaint kit proved to be quite helpful. 

There are three stencils, brow gel, wax, powder, a pencil, and tweezers. The instructions are brief, but thorough, so you're not involved in an in-depth tutorial. Although I didn't end up tweezing off the left side of my face, I did use the wax and powder to fill in gaps. And the gel was great at keeping everything in place.

My only qualm was with the stencils. Their shapes were fine, but it took an awkward hand-arched-over-head position to keep steady. It would have been nice to have them adhere around the brow while I was toiling away.

Get Yours: beauty.com

More Like This:

1. Ramy The Brow Master Will Save Even The Most Pathetic Of Arches
2. When It Comes To Creating The Perfectly Groomed Brow, You’ve Got Options. Use Them.

A drawer full of new spring makeup colors is pretty much useless if you can't figure out how to apply them. Below and on Better.tv, see a bunch of kits make getting it right it as easy as paint by numbers.

Plus, they make packing for trips as simple as throwing a palette into your carry-on – and they’re usually cheaper than buying all the products separately.

Always confused about where to put which eyeshadow? Neutrogena Nourishing Eye Quads ($10) and Avon Eye Artist Eyeshadow Trio ($6) take out the guesswork by telling you where each shade should go. Plus, you get multiple colors for a minimal price.

If you want to extend time between brow waxings – or will be away on vacation for a week – Tarte’s Toolbox Brow Know-How Eyebrow Kit ($18) has everything you need: tweezers, stencils, powder, wax and brow gel, all in a tiny handbag-friendly case.

Moving on to lips and face, It Cosmetics’ My Naughty Mouth Set ($69) contains everything you need to make lips look plumper, teeth look whiter, and keep lip color where it should be (i.e. not in the fine lines around your mouth). For a whole-face look, just follow the illustrated instructions that come with Sonia Kashuk’s How To Create The Bronzed Face palette ($20).

And finally, if you’re set on shelling out for fewer bikini waxes (or just want to give someone a not-so-subtle hint with a neatly groomed arrow), the ReadyBetty Styling Kit ($15) contains cream hair remover that’s safe for your bikini line, plus stencils and scissors.

More Like This:

1. Paint Your Face Step By Step And You’re Less Likely To Mess Everything Up
2. Deal Of The Day: Take 30% Off Travel-Friendly Makeup Kits From Beauty.com
3. Step Into Modelville And Get Addicted To Carol’s Daughter

The Topic: Bushy, Caterpillar Eyebrows
The Debate: In August of 2006, when the bushy eyebrow trend was in full force and so completely in the spotlight that even the New York Times covered the style, I had my misgivings. Now, almost a full year later, it seems to be back in full force and bushy brows are bigger than ever.
In my opinion, this trend is getting out of hand. Runway shots of women sporting eyebrows bigger than their brow bones are getting painfully prolific. It’s gotten past the point of natural, and makeup is now being employed to fill in and expand on what is already garishly bushy. Is this actually sexy? The answer is crystal clear to me; a resounding and undeniable 'no.'
In defense of my crusade against the bushy brow I bring you one of the worst caterpillar attacks of the season: Sienna Miller sporting huge brown slabs on her pale forehead. Red lipstick, blond hair, gargantuan brown eyebrows? Forgive me, but while some will follow suit with this horrible beauty trend, I choose to laugh from the sidelines.
The Verdict: Not hot. I’m all for getting away from the pencil-thin horrors of decades gone by, but this too much. Even if you do decide to grow your eyebrows in, I believe that moderate shaping or the plucking of stray hairs is still advised. Trim away the bush with illuminated tweezers and then tame and shape with tinted Anastasia Eyebrow Gel.
What do you think? Is it time to take a weed whacker to these things or what? Tell us what you really think.
If you're going bushy make sure you stock-up on:
Benefit Brow Zings
Anastasia Brow Gel
Find out the secret make-up artist tip to using a Brow Filler.

More Like This:

1. Moving On To Her Brows: How Michelle Obama Ditched The Arch
2. News: The Times Loses Their Brows, Size 6 Model Makes It Onto Mag Covers, And More
3. Full Brows That Let You Remain Friends With Your Waxer

Inauguration Day finally came in all its glory, and most pundits are just ramping up for the long haul. However, there are a few Michelle Obama critics (now First Lady Michelle Obama critics) who'll have one fewer thing to harp on: her over-arching brows. Looking at the photos, Michelle on the campaign trail (left) has a higher arch, but yesterday, in her lovely Toledo ensemble, Michelle appeared with a softer brow.

According to an article in Monday's Chicago Tribune, Obama's makeup artist, Ingrid Grimes-Myles, started to gradually train Michelle's brows to grow lower. And while Grimes-Myles does admit to using Tweezerman tweezers, she's keeping mum on the types of powders and pencils she uses. Alas, we figured that since she slipped up and revealed using a MAC lip pencil on Obama, the MAC brow shader ($16) was a safe bet. Even if she doesn't use it, I do, and find it perfect for filling and shaping.

If you're in the same boat as Michelle, a good place to start would be with a brow stencil. Brow maven Anastasia makes an excellent All About Brows Kit ($75) that includes four different stencils, brow powder, and gel (among other essential goodies). The stencils are key, though, in getting your brows into shape. There may be a few difficult months in there, but that's what the highlighter pencil's for (camouflage), and if the First Lady can do it…

More Like This:

1. Full Brows That Let You Remain Friends With Your Waxer
2. Michelle Obama Belted In Python… That’s The Way You Spice Up A Cardigan And Slacks
3. Michelle Obama Wears Jason Wu To The Inaugural Balls… We Can All Breathe Now

How far would you go to get Brooke Shields-quality eyebrows? Some women who have put their brows through the virtual ringer via waxing, tweezing, and shaving are turning to brow transplants for arch salvation. Not a far cry from scalp hair restoration (think Hair Club For Men), eyebrow transplants take hair follicles from "donor areas" (usually at the back or sides of the scalp)and use them to fill in patchy spots, add thickness to overplucked arches, or replace long-gone brows altogether.

Not ready to take that extreme of a plunge? Keep your arches golden — and resist the urge to take them past the point of no return — by investing in a shaping kit from Anastasia of Beverly Hills ($75). Anastasia's kit contains stencils to keep you in line and prevent overplucking, natural-looking powder liners, and an invisible gel to banish patchiness.

And if nabbing those little hairs below the brow line is what always gets you in trouble, pick up a Trim & Shape Brow Grooming Tool from Ardell ($3.50 for three). The razor-like blade in shaped to pick up those fine strays without messing with your actual brows.

More Like This:

1. Ramy The Brow Master Will Save Even The Most Pathetic Of Arches
2. When It Comes To Creating The Perfectly Groomed Brow, You’ve Got Options. Use Them.
3. Tarte The Toolbox Helps Even Brow-Grooming Idiots Keep Arches Presentable

They say your eyes are the windows to your soul. You wouldn't want ratty drapes blocking anyone's view, right? No matter how beautiful your eyes, or how meticulous your eye makeup, unruly brows can ruin the whole effect, drawing attention away from your peepers and making your face look unfinished or unbalanced. Luckily, there's lots of brow beating technology in the cosmetics world now, so worrying about misshapen, patchy arches becomes a thing of the past.

There are basically four tools to pick from if you want a quickie, one-step brow shape-up: pencils, powders, waxes or gels. Traditional pencils, like Dianne Brill's Eye Lingerie Dual Brow Pencil ($24) are easy-to-operate precision tools that let you fill in patches with small, swift strokes and allow you to trace along your natural arch. Stick to pencils if you've got a steady hand and if your arch shape is easy to identify. Don't go too heavy—drawn-on brows (especially thin, too-perfect ones) are just as bad as bushy brows.

Pick a tinted brow powder or wax, like Benefit's Brow Zings ($30), for the most un-made up look. Brow Zings' split palette contains a contouring wax and a complementary setting powder for a one-two punch of arch support. Choose a powder that's one shade darker than your hair color and pat it into your brows with an angled, stiff-bristled brush, following the natural direction of hair growth. You can get a long-handled brush from Bare Escentuals ($24) if the brush that comes with your kit is too stumpy and you want more control. Lorac Brow Wax ($16) is another no-nonsense option you can smooth on with your fingers or a Q-tip. After trimming brows (go easy—it's always better to trim too little than too much!), use your index fingers and smooth up and outward, starting at the insides of your brows by your nose. One quick slick and voila! Brow beauty.

Brow gels are another simple way to go. They're the best option for extending the life of salon-perfect brows after you've had a professional wax or thread job you want to maintain. Benefit's Speed Brow ($16) and Paula Dorf's Brow Gel ($19) work just like mascara for your arches. Sweep it on and let it set for a sleek look (think of what hair gel does for your ponytail). In a pinch, a bit of good old fashioned Vaseline will work, too.

If your brows are more of a mess than a single makeup product can cure, you may want to invest in a whole-hog brow shaping kit to clean up your arch act. Anastasia of Beverly Hills, browmaster to the stars, has cleverly packaged her tools of the trade into one chic Brow Shaping Set ($75) that includes two-toned brow powder, a two-ended shaping and filling brush, brow gel, a highlighting pencil, tweezers, and four foolproof eyebrow stencils. (Just need a little color-inside-the-lines assistance? Get Anastasia's Stencil Kit for $20). Tarte's Toolbox ($32) is a pocket-sized version of Anastasia's kit, with mini brushes, gel, tweezers, stencils and a pencil tucked into a tiny palette. And if you feel more comfortable leaving it to the pros, have a little touch-up kit on hand. Bliss Poetic Brow Shaping Sugar Wax kit ($40) comes with easy-to-apply sugar wax, muslin strips, and calming gel to target the little bite of waxing.

More Like This:

1. Moving On To Her Brows: How Michelle Obama Ditched The Arch
2. SheFinds Asks You: Bushy Brows, Hot or Not?
3. News: The Times Loses Their Brows, Size 6 Model Makes It Onto Mag Covers, And More

I love those Beauty Insider emails that I get from Sephora every once in a while. The most recent one was about this Spring's big beauty trends, so I definitely have to share it:

1. Bright Lids: Channel the '60s flower child brights with a Sephora Brand Colorful Duo Eyeshadow Palette ($16). 

2. Stained Lips: A subtle cherry stain is really chic for spring. Stila's Cherry Crush Lip & Cheek Stain ($24) gives great long-lasting color.

3. Rosy Cheeks: We're not talking hard core blush or anything but just a little pink can really make you look alive. If you're nervous about applying color to your cheeks, try a little SuedeBlush by Cargo ($24) which is a mixture of three blush colors to make it look more natural.

4. Thick Brows: I'm glad the full brows trend is sticking around. I'm tired of seeing so many girls walking around with super skinny, over-plucked brow lines. Don't let them go completely wild, though; keep them maintained with the Anastasia Tweezers Anonymous Set ($55). 

5. Straight Strands: I guess the pancake-flat look is back again (personally I think curls are more fun for spring but hey, who am I to question the trends). If you don't have a flat iron already, the T3 Mini ($119) is a great compact tool for sleek and frizz-free locks.  

More Like This:

1. Kim Kardashian Tells You What To Wear On Your Feet This Spring
2. Mark Flip For It Spring Color Kit: Because You Can’t Go Wrong With Makeup That Does Tricks
3. Pretty, Not Pale, Spring Skin

You may do a killer job lining, defining, highlighting, and otherwise setting off your gorgeous eyes, but if your brows are scraggly or out of shape, all that artistry on your lids is for naught. We found three double-whammy products that will get your brows in shape and deliver an added bonus.

Sexiest: Just reading off the names featured in Dianne Brill's Eye Lingerie line is enough to make us blush a little. Her sensual, powdery pencils ($24)—with names like Black Silk Lace—are long, lean, and easy to operate. Perfect your come-hither arches with the opposite end of the pencil: a mascara-like brush for grooming and polishing.

Most Practical: Makeup artist Susan Posnick  must have taken a peep inside our overstuffed makeup bags. She obviously knows the beauty of economy, as she's paired basic black mascara with clear, refining brow gel in one ingenious little tube. Swipe your lashes with lengthening, separating, and volumizing mascara, then give your brows a sweep of the taming topcoat-like gel for a complete eye look.

Best Buy: Two-fer and BOGO sales are the best, so when we find a deal like Wet n' Wild's Ultimate Brow Color & Set Pencils  (just $3) we have to jump. Fill in those unsightly patchy parts of your brows with the pencil end, then whip those arches into perfect shape with the tinted fixer end for setting and shaping. 

More Like This:

1. A Find: Yoga Pants that Give a Little Lift
2. Moving On To Her Brows: How Michelle Obama Ditched The Arch