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The next best thing to getting your eyebrows professionally shaped for your wedding? Getting pro plucker Joey Healy to help you do them yourself! We grilled the celeb shaper on how brides can find the perfect eyebrow shapes for their face.
Brides: What does every bride need in her eyebrow arsenal?
Joey Healy: The first thing is daylight—that's really important. Then you'll need a duo brow brush that has an angled portion on one side and a comb on the other. Look for sharp stainless steel slanted tweezers, because they give really steady control and precision.
As for color, I generally believe the two best things are waterproof pencils and powders. If you have a nice basic eyebrow shape and want to infuse it with body, powder can make your eyebrows appear denser. Pencil is for correcting perimeters, like if you have a scar, gap, or want to lengthen the tail.
See more: Basic Wedding Day Beauty Products No Bride Should Go Without
Brides: We've heard that eyebrows should be "sisters, not twins"—meaning they don't need to be exact mirror images of each other. True or false?
JH: It's kind of a "frue" because most people who say that to you aren't particularly skilled at shaping—it's an excuse. The truth is that symmetry is beautiful and unequivocally flattering. Naturally things aren't perfectly symmetrical, but the goal is to create the illusion of symmetry. Sometimes brows don't even look like sisters—they look more like third-removed cousins! Maybe it's more like they should be fraternal twins.
Brides: How do you figure out the best eyebrow shape for your face?
JH: It seems elementary, but your eyebrows should be on your brow bone. People don't think about that! Shaping is personal. You have to play against the angles of your face. If you have a super angular face, you want a softer, rounder brow. If you have a rounder face, you want a straighter brow. That rule is true with everything, even eyeglasses; you have to strike a balance.
See more: Three Easy Steps to Gorgeous DIY Wedding-Day Eye Makeup
Brides: Let's talk color. How many shades darker or lighter should your brows be than your hair?
JH: Your brows shouldn't stand out crazily; they should be harmonious with the rest of your complexion. Assess the undertone of your hair and find a corresponding color. Are you warm, cool or neutral? If you're strawberry blonde, you need something with a little warmth in it. Go honey. Neutral tones need something in between. If you have blue undertones, like with Indian or Asian hair, you need cool tones. Then it's just about how much product you apply.
Brides: What about brow tinting? Do you recommend it?
JH: I tint my own brows—it's a good way to intensify them—but I cancel half of the tinting appointments I get because it isn't for everyone. It's good for people who have gray hair and light eyebrows. Tinting only colors the hair, not the skin underneath, so it puts every last hair front and center.