6 Makeup Mistakes To Avoid When Filling In Your Brows

You’ve mastered putting on mascara and even how to contour for your face shape, but filling in your eyebrows can be an elusive skill. Saying that figuring out eyebrow makeup isn’t always the easiest thing to do is an understatement. That’s why makeup mistakes concerning the eyebrows are all too common. Of course, it’s pretty hard to determine whether you’re getting it right or not unless you know which mistakes to be on the lookout for. In honor of National Brow Day (and so better brows can be in your future), we're sharing six eyebrow mistakes to avoid.

MAKEUP MISTAKE #1: YOU CHOOSE THE WRONG COLOR

When it comes time to pick out an eyebrow product, you may believe it’s best to select one in a shade that exactly matches your eyebrow hairs. We understand how that would seemingly make sense; after all, you’re supposed to choose foundation that perfectly matches your skin tone. However, eyebrow makeup is a little different. The color you use to fill in your eyebrows should actually be a shade lighter than your hair. The lighter hue will be ideal for filling in any gaps without looking unnatural. The only exception here is for blondes with extremely light brow hairs. In this case, you’ll obviously want to add more color to your brows, so choose a brow product that’s specifically formulated for blondes, like the L’Oréal Paris Unbelieva-Brow Longwear Waterproof Brow Gel in Blonde.

MAKEUP MISTAKE #2: YOU DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF VIRTUAL TRY-ON

If technology can make life easier and even help your brows, there's no reason not to take advantage. Start using our Virtual Try-On to test different eyebrow makeup products and shades. Test-drive new essentials and old favorites, like the L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Micro Ink Pen by Brow Stylist, Up to 48HR Wear and L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer. All you need to do is upload a selfie or turn on your camera for a live try-on, and the tool will show you exactly what a product will look like with your hair color and skin tone. 

MAKEUP MISTAKE #3: YOU GO OVERBOARD

While it’s true that bold eyebrows are trending, that doesn’t negate the fact that it’s still possible to go overboard with eyebrow makeup. Filling in your brows with a product that’s way too dark, making your eyebrows one solid shade, and creating eyebrows that are too big for your facial features can all lead to an overly dramatic look. Even if you want to copy your favorite celebrity or social media influencer’s bold eyebrows, the goal should be natural-looking eyebrows. In addition to using a product that’s the right shade, be sure to fill in your eyebrows so that they are less defined at the front—this mimics how eyebrows naturally grow and helps keep your eyebrows from looking totally over the top.

MAKEUP MISTAKE #4: YOU’RE AFRAID TO COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES

We have no doubt that when you were young, you learned that it’s good to color inside the lines—but that rule isn’t always true for filling in your eyebrows. Yes, you can fill in only the area where you already have eyebrow hairs, but that isn’t your sole option—you can go a little outside of the natural shape of your eyebrows. You may be missing out on your best eyebrows by being scared to color outside the lines, so give it a shot. Try using eyebrow makeup to change the shape of your eyebrows. If you aren’t a fan, you can always clean up with a cotton swab dipped in micellar water.

MAKEUP MISTAKE #5: YOU ALWAYS SPORT THE TRENDIEST SHAPE

One minute the hottest eyebrow shape is an extreme arch and the next, it’s a super-straight eyebrow. And chances are, not every popular shape will suit you. Just as it’s unavoidable that there will be certain hair colors that don’t work with your coloring, some eyebrow shapes won’t complement your face shape and features. Even if an unflattering shape is unbelievably popular, you’ll be better off finding a shape that works for your face. Here are general guidelines to follow:

If you have a round face…try a high arch.

If you have a square face…try a soft, low arch.

If you have an oval face…try a soft angled eyebrow.

If you have a long face…try a straight eyebrow.

If you have a diamond face…try a curved eyebrow.

If you have a heart-shaped face…try a rounded eyebrow.

MAKEUP MISTAKE #6: YOU LIMIT YOURSELF TO ONE PRODUCT

There’s no reason to limit yourself to filling in your eyebrows with just one product. You’re likely to get better results by mixing and matching different formulas. Keep an eyebrow pencil, eyebrow pomade, and eyebrow mascara on hand to shape, define, and fill in your eyebrows. Try the L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Shape & Fill Mechanical Pencil, L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Frame and Set, and the L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Boost & Set Brow Mascara.

Your eyebrows aren’t the only part of your look that you may be getting wrong. Check out the 8 Blush Mistakes You Could Be Making.