A Makeup Artist's Foolproof Hack To Find Your Natural Brow Arch, Every Time

Brow grooming is more science than art: Yes, you can shape and style the hairs to your liking (be it trimming, tweezing, or tinting), but most experts advise against straying too far from your natural eyebrow shape, as you run the risk of, gasp, plucking them pencil-thin. 

But when it comes to enhancing your natural brow, how, exactly, should you map the hairs? While you can of course manipulate your brows any way you please, the pros do have a general formula to keep in mind: Follow your natural arch. Here's a foolproof hack to find yours—prepare to finesse your fluffiest brows yet. 

First, we should note: Not everyone has an actual "arch" to their eyebrows. It depends on your specific brow shape—some do have a defined peak, sure, but others may have a more rounded curve up top or a straighter shape with no visible angles. However, no matter your specific outline, brows do carry a certain amount of lift—as slight as it may be. 

As brow expert Joey Healy once told us about soap brows, the brow hairs themselves tend to shoot upward at the base, a 45-degree angle at the peak, and downward toward the tail. So even if you have a naturally straight or flat brow, check out that change in direction of hair growth—right before the wisps slant downward is where your brow meets its "peak."  

OK, but is there an easier way to identify this point without peering up close at the tiny follicles? Sure is: Take this hack from makeup artist Riku Campo, author of I Am Beauty: Grab an eyebrow brush or pencil, and position it on the side of your nose. “Point it diagonally from your nostril to the outside edge of your iris," he writes. "This is where your brows should arch." 

It's a classic trick that really works: Essentially, you're mapping the brows according to your features (your eyes and nose), which ultimately looks different on everyone. Plus, it helps keep your brows symmetrical, whether you're filling them in or taking a tweezer to those hairs—there's nothing more aggravating than spending ample time in the mirror, only to pull away with brows that are not twins, not sisters, but distant, distant cousins. 

Let's rewind: Point an eyeliner or eyebrow brush diagonally from your nostril, and wherever the brush hits your brow bone is where your brow has the most natural lift. Again, the amount of lift differs for everyone, and those with straight brows might not have a visible peak at all, but that's generally the point before the hairs start to make their way downward. Follow this outline as you groom your brows, and you'll enhance the natural shape.