How to shape your eyebrows, according to your face shape

Not everyone can pull off razor-thin or bushy brows, and yes your facial structure matters in the choice
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Representative Image. Photographed by Vivek Vadoliya

“How to shape your eyebrows?” In 2024, there's no right answer. The trends range from the sleek, thin brows reminiscent of the early 2000s to the bold, bushy brows popularised by the likes of Cara Delevingne and Zoë Kravitz. Some are even taking it further with bleached brows, making them nearly invisible. Eyebrows do more than just follow trends—they frame the face, accentuate the eyes, and can transform your look from subtle to statement. Curious about the best eyebrow shape for your face? We’ve got the top tips and tricks for perfecting your brow game right below.

How to find the right brow shape for your face

Here are a few tricks that can help you get it right:

Measure proportions

Achieving the perfect eyebrow shape is easier than you might think. All you need is a lip liner, kajal, or makeup brush to guide you.

Step 1: Position the tool so that one end touches the wing of your nose and the other touches the inner corner of your eye. Where the tool intersects with your eyebrow, mark the spot—this is where your brow should start.

Step 2: Next, align the tool with the wing of your nose and the outer corner of your eye. Mark the point where it meets your brow; this marks the tail end of your eyebrow.

Step 3: Finally, place the tool on the wing of your nose and angle it to pass through your pupil. The point where it touches your brow indicates the highest arch.

Once you've mapped out these points, you can refine your brows to suit your face shape, shaping them precisely through careful plucking.

Match eyebrow shape to face shape
  • Round face: For a round face shape, wider eyebrows with an angled arch are recommended, making the face appear narrower.
  • Square face: For a square face shape, a flat eyebrow shape without an arch is recommended, which creates an optical shortening effect on the face.
  • Oval face: For an oval face shape, straight, defined eyebrows with a slightly curved arch are recommended, they draw more focus to the eyes.
  • Heart-shaped face: For a heart-shaped face, rounded eyebrows are recommended to create a soft, harmonious overall look.
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Selena Gomez has a rather round face shape and wears her eyebrows in a wide shape with a slight arch.

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
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Reese Witherspoon has a more heart-shaped face and wears her eyebrows in a rounded shape.

Monica Schipper/Getty Images
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Kristen Stewart has a more oval face shape and wears her eyebrows in a straight, defined shape.

Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
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Keira Knightley has a more angular face shape and wears her eyebrows in a flat shape with a subtle arch.

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Using a stencil

With the help of an eyebrow stencil, you can quickly find out which shape suits you best and try it out. Apply the stencil and draw around the edges with an eyebrow pencil. You can then pluck the hairs into the appropriate shape.

How to shape eyebrows with tools

There are different tools for shaping your eyebrows—while classic tweezers are always associated with tweezing and swelling, an eyebrow shaver works just as precisely and without any side effects. Once the eyebrows have been shaped, you can use a brush to comb them in the desired direction and shape.

1 Eyebrow shaver

Although an eyebrow shaver removes the hairs without pain or swelling, it must be used with extreme precision. It is better to remove too few hairs first than too many and slowly feel your way towards the new eyebrow shape.

2 Tweezers: pointed, angular or slanted

Not all tweezers are the same, there are different types. Pointed tweezers are particularly good for grabbing the hair at the root and pulling it out, while straight and angled tweezers allow you to remove several eyebrow hairs at once, preferably from the upper part of the eyebrow. Tweezers with an angled edge combine both variants in one and are best suited for the lower eyebrow area.

Tip: It is best to tweeze your eyebrows after showering, as the warm water and hot air open the pores and make it less painful. It also hurts less with a thread than with tweezers. You can also cool the brows with a cooling pad beforehand. When you start, you can make sure to pull the skin apart slightly. This also ensures that it doesn't pull as much.

3 Eyebrow brush

An eyebrow brush is only used after shaping and is used to tame and shape the brow hairs.

How to fill in your brows

  • Eyebrow tint: Eyebrow tint is a permanent solution that adds colour to your brow hair so less product is needed when you do your makeup. Coloured eyebrows frame the eyes and create a stronger expression.
  • Eyebrow gel or eyebrow mascara: Eyebrow gel or eyebrow mascara not only give the hairs shape and colour, but also fullness. This is ensured by the "fibres" they contain, which wrap around the hairs and conceal bald patches in no time at all. Choose a shade that matches your hair colour and skin colour.
  • Eyebrow pencil: An eyebrow pencil is suitable for contouring and framing the eyebrows. It is used for outlining if you are working with a stencil and for filling in gaps. Tip: Blend well afterwards.
  • Eyebrow powder: Eyebrow powder is best used in combination with a stencil. Place it on top and apply the powder (one to two shades darker than your hair colour) to the hairs until all gaps are filled in and the brows are evenly made up.
  • Powder brows or microblading: These are two permanent treatments used to fill in and shape the eyebrows. For powder brows, dots of colour are placed under the skin using a needle, while microblading uses a knife to draw small lines like hairs.

How to care for your brows

  • Use a brow serum: To care for the hairs on your eyebrows and encourage new growth, it is advisable to use an eyebrow serum—preferably before going to bed.
  • Castor oil: The oil has an antioxidant and nourishing effect on the hair. In addition, the eyebrows not only grow back longer but also become smooth and shiny. Simply apply it regularly to the eyebrows and leave it on.

Below are some eyebrow products you can add to your cart:

Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Brow-Volumizing Fiber Gel Mini

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M.A.C Eye Brows Big Boost Fibre Gel

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Anastasia Beverly Hills - Brow Studio Kit

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Rare Beauty -Brow Harmony Shape & Fill Duo

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Benefit Cosmetics POWmade - Brow Pomade

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Bobbi Brown - Perfectly Defined Long-Wear Brow Pencil

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This story first appeared on vogue.de

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