By Mary N. DiZazzo

The Shape of Eyebrows - Design or Disaster?

Ciao bella,

Your hair is your crowning glory, but your eyebrows are the crowning jewels of your face.

Many women just don’t get it! The importance of a well-shaped brow with your face structure, coloring, and lifestyle in mind. Here is a column with some interest on the subject of eyebrows.

When it comes to eyebrows one size does not fit most. From as far back as Twiggy (for those of us with memories that long) to the Brooke Shields merely groomed brows we know that the trends come and go. It’s been said that the eyebrows are the signature of the face. We also know that no two signatures are the same. Why then would anyone choose to follow a trend or want so and so’s brows? Probably because we want to follow what the movie stars are doing and we want to appear in style. That’s all well and good except for the fact that no one I know is in the movies.

When considering an eyebrow shape it’s always best to remain close to our God given design and refine what's there. Not only is it usually the best for the shape of the face, as well as the facial features, but you can be sure your brows will never be in or out of style. They will remain your personal signature.

The mistake most commonly seen is a brow where the body (the part of the brow closest to the nose) is too large, the arch has been over exaggerated and the end is almost nonexistent. This happens as a result of an unskilled operator or is sometimes self inflicted. Regardless, whoever, however it happened the individual clearly got “lost” in the service. What people don’t realize is one wrong hair removed can leave a hole. Then they begin to “chase” the mistake. This is where design turns to disaster.

Most clients are in the process of growing out their eyebrows. This is almost as much fun as letting your hair or your roots grow out! Not a party but well worth the effort and a lot less time. Unfortunately not all of the hair grows back. When a hair is removed from the hair follicle over and over sometimes the hair follicle dies. Then the eyebrow pencil becomes our friend, yet another reason not to over wax/pluck.

Waxing is the most commonly used method for shaping the brows. A great choice but buyer beware. Not only should an operator be skilled in the “art” of eyebrow design but they better be a master in waxing. One wrong move and your eyebrow is ruined or is gone! Wax is not forgiving. It should only be used to remove the bulk of hair and not to create a brow shape. After the bulk is removed the operator needs to go back and pluck in order to design.

To conclude I would like to say if you’re putting your head in a shampoo bowl or letting the girl who does your nails do your brows than rest assure someone can copy your signature!

These opinions are based from a Registered Esthetician, Paula Pirrello, whose 30-years’ experience has kept a 24-year private practice, European Skincare, in Reading, Mass.

Buona giornata, and God bless the United States of America!

--Mary N. DiZazzo-Trumbull

Read prior weeks' "All That Zazz" columns at www.mary4nails.com. Mary is a third-generation cosmetologist and a Massachusetts distributor of Kosmea brand rose hip oil products. She may be contacted at (978) 470-8183 or mary@mary4nails.com