Once upon a time, everyone went crazy for Angelina Jolie’s bee-stung lips, causing so many pouts to unwillingly meet the needle. Then there was another beauty fever, brought on by JLo’s derriere. That trend apparently continues, thanks to the fabulous (make that “Gone With The Wind” fabulous) Atlanta Housewives. This time, the brows take the cake.
Strong brows are a big trend this season. They’re everywhere, from the New York Fashion Week to the Shahs of Sunset. The look of the moment is best exemplified by Cara Delevingne, Natalie Portman, Keira Knightley and Lilly Ghalichi.
You can attain full, youthful brows on any budget. All it takes is determination, persistence and a few products. Here are some tricks of the trade you need to know.
First of all, take a look at the list of ingredients for the foundation, face wash, toners and any other makeup products that come in close contact with your brows on a daily basis. If they contain alcohol, consider switching to another brand. By seeping into the hair follicles, alcohol stunts re-growth and weakens your existing brow hairs. If you must continue using the same products, do your best to avoid the brow area.
Brow hair is not that different from the hair on the rest of your head. It needs to be regularly cleaned and conditioned. Don’t forget to gently massage the skin underneath, thereby stimulating circulation and encouraging new growth. You can also use a gentle scrub to exfoliate the area once a week. This will coax brand new brow hairs out of hiding, since they lie just under the surface. They are responsible for making the area under your brow look bumpy.
In selecting your scrub, choose the product with microfine, rounded beads that won’t scratch up your delicate skin. Make sure to use a very small amount of product, keep it contained to your brow area and don’t allow it to get into your eyes. A product that worked well for the author is the New Beginning Scrub by Ole Henriksen. It contains a small amount of alcohol, but is acceptable to use once a week, since it will be promptly washed off. Other ingredients include rich, conditioning Avocado Oil, soothing Chamomile, nourishing Sesame oil and antiseptic Tea tree oil. Most importantly for the brow area, the scrub also contains Sweet Almond Oil, which is well known for encouraging eyelash/eyebrow hair growth.
You can also use Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Cleansing Pads. Just cut a pad in 4 parts and use the textured side to gently rub your eyebrow area. Be careful to thoroughly wet the pad and don’t apply too much pressure. These pads do not contain any alcohol and can be inexpensively purchased at any drugstore.
The next step involves a soft spoolie brush. If you don’t have one, you could simply use the brush of your old mascara. Thoroughly wash it, then dry and store in a small glass (the size of a shot glass), as pictured. You will use this brush to apply castor oil, organic virgin coconut oil or sweet almond oil onto your eyebrows. This will condition them and encourage new growth.
You could also try a topical brow-growth solution, many of which have been said to be quite effective. Some examples include the following:
- Latisse, $84 (by prescription)
- Anastasia Advanced Brow Enhancing Serum, $45
- Brow Boost By Billion Dollar Brows, $ 20.00, which was used and reviewed by the author
- Rapidlash Eyelash and Eyebrow Renewal Serum, $49.95
- Physicians Formula Eye Booster™ 2-In-1 Day & Night Lash Boosting Serum, which was used and reviewed by the author (it’s designed for eyelashes, but also works on eyebrows) $10.95
- Men’s Rogaine Extra Strength, $29.99 (applied with a Q-tip)
Now, let’s concentrate on stimulating hair growth from within. Your diet is crucially important, as proper nutrients promote healthy hair. Make sure to consume plenty of protein, including fish, lean meat, eggs, nuts, soy and legumes.
Most of us lead hectic, busy lives and eating right can be challenging at times. That’s where vitamins and supplements come in handy. The author was most impressed with the impact of prenatal vitamins on the growth of nails and hair (including eyebrows and eyelashes). These potent vitamins may upset your stomach, so make sure to take them with your biggest meal and a full glass of water. Any brand will work, as the content of all prenatal vitamins is pretty much the same. Some prescription brands have more Folic Acid in their formula. You can add some extra Folic Acid supplement in your new vitamin regimen to make up for the difference, but that is optional. Over-the-counter prenatal vitamins are available at many pharmacies and grocery stores and cost from $16.00 to $27.00 dollars for several months’ supply.
You can also try taking another supplement that is currently all the rage in Hollywood: Viviscal, which is sold at Walgreens for $49.99. This is a secret hair growth elixir, used by many movie stars and entertainment industry insiders. It contains proprietary “marine protein extract,” which improves the condition of the hair and reportedly makes it grow faster.
Another supplement you could combine either with your prenatal vitamins or Viviscal is Biotin. Recommended daily dosage is 5,000 mcg. You could start with a smaller dosage, gradually building it up overtime. Biotin is available at many pharmacies for approximately $12.99.
Perhaps the most important ingredient you will need is patience. Re-growing overplucked brows won’t happen overnight, but with regular application and treatment, you should see the difference in a matter of weeks. Full brows make a face look younger, more expressive and certainly quite dramatic – so the effort is well worth it.
Have you tried any other methods that worked for your brows? Tell us all about it in the comment area!
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