Your Style Council – The Eyes Have It

I was chatting the other evening with lovely Sara by email, who was lamenting how she needed to get her brows done. “Dude… they’re so gross,” she said, which I sincerely doubted. But it did get me thinking…

Recently, I talked about my own eyebrows, and lack thereof, but for lots of ladies, if their problem isn’t overplucking, it’s, um… underplucking.

Now listen: no one is telling you to get all Greta Garbo about things. (Nor should you – really, that’s a bad idea.) Enjoy your virgin eyebrows if you love them, even if yours fall into the Frida Khalo consideration. But I’ll say this – cleaning up your brows is the easiest way to give yourself a facelift, and it’s quick and (relatively) painless. By getting rid of a few stray hairs and giving some shape along the brow bone, you will look more awake! and refreshed! I swear this is true. It’ll make you look all amazeballs. Yes, really.

If you’re not sure where to start, ask a friend who frequents the sorts of places that provide this service, and ask if there’s someone she might recommend. I’d go with someone who threads, as I understand this this to be a bit less painful than waxing or plucking, and I imagine it’s more precise.

As a first-timer, if you’re worried she’s gonna Garbo-ize the hell out of your face, take your aesthetician by the hand, look into her eyes, and remind her that you’re new to this, and that you just want the minimum. She will understand. But say it to her again… slowly… and squeeze her hand a little bit when you do – she’ll know you’re serious. Don’t worry, you won’t be her first client white-knuckling the experience… but it will all be okay. The difference will we slight, but noticeable.

And chances are, if you’re a novice with the brow-plucking, your makeup kit might only consist of some cherry Chap-stick and a hairbrush. It’s totally okay not to wear make-up, of course – there are no laws about it. But again, are ways to “refresh” without pancaking yourself into looking like some old French whore.

For that, I suggest mascara. In fact, the one green-and-pink bottle of the stuff. (Get brown mascara, if you’re new.) You’ve seen them do it on tv… wiggle from the lash line out to the tips so your lashes just look longer and darker. You won’t be conspicuous. No one will say, Hey! What’s with all the makeup? Going who-ering or something? They’ll only think you look beautiful, but they won’t know why.

I made my friend Margaret buy some recently. (Okay, made is a strong word – I merely suggested it to her about fifteen times over the course of three or four days until she relented and bought some – and it was for a special shindig.) Margaret doesn’t wear makeup usually. And she doesn’t need to, with her clear skin, blue eyes and freckles, but she’s been busy refining her look lately. She even got a glossy, sassy, handsome haircut over the summer which is so boss, I can’t even tell you.

As a mum of two small kids, still pushing a stroller, and with a limited social life in the way of goings-out and parties and such, she just wants to feel more pulled together. Since having her makeup done at a cosmetics counter around the time of her wedding a few years ago, she got scared away from the whole idea of “macquillage” after getting a look at her finished face. The dimwitted, heavy-handed cosmetician made her out to look like… an old French whore. (Lord, I hate when people do that kind of thing.)

She’s a natural beauty, and she needn’t look made up for any reason. A wee bit of mascara is enough to just soften her face and intensify her eyes. It’s a subtle-yet-amazing transformation. I wish I had a picture, but she’s probably one of the shiest creatures I’ve ever met…

For those who aren’t sure where to start with makeup, mascara and a bit of cherry Chap-stick lipgloss? I reckon you’re good to go. Trust me. Everyone’s looking at Margaret these days and saying, “Margaret? What the… how did… what… wow, you look great!” All the time. I swear to god.

Never mind the powders and the brushes if it ain’t your thing – you don’t need them. But groom what’s above your nose, people… I tell you, the eyes have it. They’re the window to the soul and such. They’ll whisper, Maybe she’s born with it? Yeah, right. Maybe it’s Maybelline. But it’s aaaaall good.