Once I mastered shaping and drawing in my eyebrows to perfection, I realized my eyebrow game was unstoppable. Of course, that was until I realized my brush was slowly becoming frayed, bringing my #onfleek streak to a screeching halt. I needed to find a way to fix my eyebrow brush so it could be as good as the day I bought it. The obvious way to do this would be to purchase a new brush but, as is the case with many eyebrow kits, the brushes and the filling come together — and my mineral powder was a long way from being finished. It was time to give my eyebrow brush some TLC to save me some cash and my eyebrows.
I waited years for my eyebrows to grow back naturally, but it never happened. After repeatedly shaving on my brows for years, these brows are as good as they are ever going to get. The reality is that they will never be darker, fuller, or any more even then they are now. It became clear in my twenties that I would have to accept the consequences of my high school eyebrows. If only adult-me could have warned 12-year-old me that one day, I was no longer going to want the same eyebrows as Twiggy from Marilyn Manson. Stop shaving your eyebrows off or you'll have to paint them in, forever. OK if I'm being totally honest, there was an adult version of me warning me of my future eyebrow fate, but I was pretty convinced my mother knew NOTHING at that age.
I had no problem rocking my natural, subpar eyebrows throughout my twenties. Sure, I coveted Björk's bushy brows for years, but it wasn't until Cara Delevingne's perfect arches started to seep into my dreams at night that I finally got myself the eyebrow kit that would give my brows the confidence and compliments they deserved.
Keeping my eyebrow brush thin and sharp is key to making sure my brows are in tip top shape. The first step is storing your eyebrow brush properly: Try not to throw your brush in a makeup bag wear it can be exposed to major fraying and other products. Of course, even if you are careful with your eyebrow brush, inevitably you may need to restore its natural shape. Here are three quick and easy steps to make your eyebrow brush good as new!
Step 1: Clean Your Brush
To clean my makeup brush, I mixed one part filtered water with three parts of witch hazel and let my brush soak for about 15 minutes. Vodka or tea tree oil also work great, so pick whichever most suits your fancy. Avoid using soap and water because you'll need to scrub the soap out and that can make your brush even more frayed.
Step 2: Dry Your Brush
Use a dry paper towel or clean washcloth to dry your brush and remove extra build-up. If you've still got lots of shade coming out, dunk your brush back in your cleaning solution one more time.
Step 3: Even Your Brush With a Razor
This is where things get serious. Ideally, you'll go at your brush with a clean razor to avoid contaminating it. Shave your brush upward in the same direction of the strands. If your fraying is more on the sides, you can carefully cut the sides down with your razor to give a sharp, fine look.
Tada! Now doesn't that look better?
Image: Kristin Collins Jackson
