I’m a stickler for good brows. I obsess about finding a way to make sure that my eyebrows are maintained, (and my mustache and beard are kept at bay), when I finally reside in a nursing home.

Once you see bad eyebrows, that bell can’t be un-rung and they become the only thing you notice.

We moisturize, manicure our nails, dye our hair and, (at least think about) exercise and eat right. Like everything else, our brows can start to show our age. They become thin, coarse, unruly and/or turn gray.

To top it all off, those of us who are over 40 and followed the trend in the late 80’s and early 90’s, plucking and waxing left so many of us fighting over-plucked and over-shaped brows.

Today, strong brows are one of the biggest trends—a challenge to most of us 50-somethings.

Help for the Over-Tweezed Among Us

A full, arched eyebrow gives your face an overall “lift”. Good brows set a good foundation for your whole face.

Almost every woman over 50 should fill in her brows as part of her daily beauty routine. All it takes is an eyebrow brush, a pencil, tweezers and brow gel.

Condition Brows

Some swear by pricey eyebrow conditioners or castor oil. I just add a dab of my hair conditioner to my brows and rinse while in the shower.

Comb out brows

I use one similar to this brush. I first comb against the growth and then smooth back in the proper direction.

Tweeze

Tweeze only stray hairs. To avoid going overboard, I have considered getting an eyebrow stencil, drawing it on and tweezing all hairs outside of the line.

Fill in sparse spots

Select a soft pencil a shade lighter than your brows. If brows are fair, choose a pencil that’s a shade darker than brows. I prefer Mary Kay Brow Definer Pencil.

Use short, feathered strokes. Your aim here is not to create a definite line, but to mimic the appearance of hair. Drawn-in brows are a big no-no because they age you and are somewhat tacky. Don’t pencil in the entire brow either, as this will result in an unnatural look.

Brush Brows

Use the spoolie end of your brush to brush through both eyebrows. This will blend in the pencil with your hair so everything looks uniform and natural.

Set Brows

I suppose a spritz of hairspray on your finger would set your brows, but I prefer Mary Kay Brow Gel.

Other things to consider
• Start with a good base and get your brows professionally shaped.
• Never, ever over-pluck.
• You’re not weird if your eyebrows aren’t the same on both sides…they’re siblings not twins.
• Trim the longer hairs occasionally. Brush your brows up and use a pair of nail scissors. Don’t overdo it. Trim just the tips.
• Stop using a magnifying mirror. See your eyebrows as part of your entire face to find the best shape and know when to stop tweezing.
• Eyebrows are not always as sparse as they look. They may have just become gray or white. My hairdresser dyes my eyebrows during regular appointments.
• My cousin’s wife, Candida, has been dealing with Alopecia for most of her life. Prior to losing all of her hair, she used the (now extinct) Maybelline Cake Brow Powder. (Maybelline recommends Brow Drama). She has now gone completely hairless and has had her eyebrows tattooed and they look stunning! So, if your eyebrows seem to be hopelessly thin, consider tattoos.

Thanks to my coworker, Madeline Mikita, I didn’t have to hunt very long for, what I thought, were beautiful eyebrows:

Here’s a website that addresses other problems you may experience:

So here’s to a long, happy life with gorgeous eyebrows…