Kayla Young
Eyebrows are one of the first things people see when they look at your face. But taking care of brows at home is a difficult and daunting task.
The good news is: it doesn’t have to be!
Let’s take a look at what to do with long eyebrow hair.
While plucking and threading are the tasks most commonly associated with eyebrow care, trimming is just as important – if not more.
Trimming, like anything else to do with brow care, can easily turn into a disaster. But with the right steps and the proper tools, it can be a big step toward maintaining your brows at home.
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What To Do With Long Eyebrow Hair
The best part about eyebrow hairs is that they’ll fall out eventually.
But the wait can be annoying!
Long hairs bend or curl, get into your eyes, and ruin your brow shape entirely. And they just don’t look right at all.
However you want to wear your brows is entirely up to you. It’s important to remember that there is a difference between bushy brows and unkempt brows.Â
Bushy brows
Bushy brows are thick eyebrows, usually featuring longer hairs that are shaped and kept within the browline.
They’re absolutely stunning brows, brows you should be proud of if you’ve got them.
People pay lots of money for thick, natural-looking brows.
Unkempt brows
Unkempt brows, on the other hand, are unruly. They inch up your forehead, beyond your browline, and threaten a unibrow.
These are the hairs you want to trim.
While eyebrows can be nerve-wracking to play with, trimming is a fairly easy process.
There’s no need for fancy equipment and it won’t take you more than 5 minutes to accomplish.
Without further ado, here’s what to do with long eyebrow hair.
Trimming Versus Plucking
When it comes to long eyebrow hair, it’s easy to want to pluck it. But plucking reduces the chances of regrowth.
It’s far too easy to over-pluck your brows. And if you’re just looking to deal with long eyebrow hair, then you have no need for tweezers.
If you are going to pluck your brows, only pluck the hairs that are clearly outside your browline.Â
For reference, consider the following as your goal:
- The start of your brow should line up with your nostril
- Your eyebrow arch should be located directly above the outside of your iris
- Your tail should end at a 45-degree angle from the edge of your nostril.
Anything hairs outside these lines are fair game.
If you are going to pluck your brows, only pluck the hairs that are clearly outside your browline.Â
Tools You’ll Need To Trim Your Brows
Before we get to the how-to, here’s a short list of everything you’ll need to trim your brows.
A Comb Or Spoolie
A spoolie brush is a tiny brush that looks very similar to a mascara wand but there’s no product on it.
It’ll be used to brush your hair in the proper direction, so you don’t make any mistakes.
You can purchase them on their own or buy a dual brow pencil that has a spoolie on one end.
A fine-toothed comb can also be used if a spoolie isn’t readily available. But with such a large tool it can be difficult to properly prep your brows for trimming.
Eyebrow Scissors
Never, under any circumstances, should you use a regular pair of scissors to trim your brows. Not only are you guaranteed to make a mistake, but it’s incredibly dangerous.
Also, avoid cuticle scissors if you can.
While they’re small and dainty as needed, these scissors are curved and will cut your hairs at different lengths.
What you want to use are eyebrow scissors .
Eyebrow scissors are small, straight scissors that are perfect for this delicate job. They’re cheap and easily found at most drug stores or uncle Amazon.
How To Trim Your Eyebrows
Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to deal with long eyebrow hair.
Start by examining your face.
Eyebrow care of any kind can be tricky and can result in brows you have to cover up for weeks on end.
For trimming, there’s less to worry about because we’re just focusing on taking a little off the top. Find your arch and ends, they’re all you need to worry about.
Hold your eyebrow brush horizontally and brush your hairs upward so that the longer hairs stick up outside your browline.
From here, you’re going to get up close and personal with your mirror.
Using small scissors meant for your brows (or even beards), carefully trim the hair that extends beyond your brow.
Start at your arch and move along the brow to the bridge of your nose.
Take it slow and only trim the bits of hair that stick out. Over trimming can cause your brows to look sparse.
Once done, brush your hair back into place and step back from the mirror. Evaluate your work and trim where necessary.
It’s that easy!
Trimming With An Electric Brow Trimmer
For someone with a lot of volume or thicker brows, a brow trimmer might be a better choice. This takes some extra care, but is an efficient way to get the job done.
If you’ve got a beard trimmer lying around, please squash the urge to use it on your brows – it won’t end well.
All brow trimmers come with a selection of different-sized guards. The guards control how close the razor gets to your hair, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally shaving off an entire eyebrow.
Make sure you’re choosing the right guard before getting started.
Start with the largest size, even if you don’t think it will reach the hairs. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
While it may feel like the incorrect way to do it, take your brow trimmer and shave with the grain. Going against the grain can result in long brow hairs getting tangled and pulled right out of your skin.
If you want a shorter trim, go down one guard size. Just remember to be careful. Once the hair is gone, it’s gone for weeks on end.
Once you’re done trimming, brush your hairs back into place. You can spot trim with your pint-sized scissors where needed.
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