Confession: I was an eyebrow overplucker, and the lessons I’ve learned have reshaped more than just my brow line.
Being a teen in the 1990s meant navigating an era when thin eyebrows reigned supreme. In my view, my untamed natural brows were slug-like and shapeless, and I could only watch in envy as my sister mastered the coveted 1990s arc with just a few strategic plucks.
Desperate to keep up with this beauty trend, I painstakingly sculpted my brows into two tadpoles: bulbous at the front and alarmingly skinny at the tail. Then, finally, I just plucked them into a thinner and thinner line.
As the years wore on and fashions shifted, this faux pas became the bane of my beauty routine. The only benefit of thin brows was the youthful brow-to-eye clearance it gave me, but even this began shrinking with time and gravity. Now older and wiser, I found myself longing for lush, bushy brows – the very thing I’d plucked away in my teens.
My job as a magazine picture director regularly took me on photoshoots and I’d grab any opportunity to quiz makeup artists for their eyebrow advice. When beauty legend Lisa Eldridge introduced me to the thickening effects of MAC brow pencil, it only confirmed that I really should have stuck with what nature had given me.
Come 2019, microblading had become wildly popular and I booked myself in, optimistic I’d finally found the solution to my problems. In reality, it was a torturous ordeal. Having pigment scratched into my eyebrows trumped the pain of both my natural childbirths, and the results were certainly not worth the agony. Not only did my brows lack fullness, the shape itself was askew.
Worse was still to come. Within just a few months, my “semi-permanent” makeup had faded to an unsightly blurry pink hue. The cooler tones within the pigment had disappeared first, l learned, which meant that only an unpleasant salmon colour remained.
Fast forward through a myriad of attempted fixes in my mid-40s, which eventually led me to the hype around growth serums. Could these be a magic cure for my thinning brows, despite them being marketed at women half my age?
In January this year, I began applying RevitaBrow Advanced Eyebrow Conditioner, a New Year’s resolution I vowed to keep. Armed with biotin (the product’s superpower hair-growth ingredient) and steely determination, I embarked on a nightly ritual.
Soon, new hairs were growing, but not where I needed them. Rather than plumping out my sparse, over-plucked arches, I had fledgling hair sprouting south of my brows. It was unattractive, but I left it alone and covered it with concealer, hoping I’d also start seeing regrowth to fill the gaps above.
After four months of letting nature take its course, I was getting nowhere fast. I needed guidance – an expert to shepherd my efforts to fruition. Enter Shavata Singh, the “Queen of Brows”, whose approach promised bespoke elegance rather than one-shape-suits-all solutions. Adele, Victoria Beckham and Kate Hudson all trusted her – now it was my turn.
While her verdict was delivered kindly, she was unflinchingly honest. My hard-earned new growth was extraneous; the hairs I actually needed to fill the gaps were obstinately absent, probably victims of my overzealous plucking. (Unfortunately, tweezing can permanently damage the follicles so hair never grows back.)
Shavata’s vision for my brows was clear: creating a youthful expanse between brow and eye was the priority, so my under-brow regrowth had to go! Once she’d worked her magic with threads, wax and tweezers, the transformation was remarkable – a “facelift in 15 minutes” as she put it!
After that, I was even prepared to put my trust in her opinion and give my old nemesis – microblading – another try. Shavata assured me that with her team’s expertise, the procedure would be far more tolerable and the results devoid of any pink cast over time.
Two weeks later, I was getting my brows marked out for shape, then coated in numbing cream by expert microblading practitioner Cody, who reassured me that pigments have improved immeasurably since my original treatment. Despite being numbed, the procedure was still painful, but thankfully Cody worked quickly to achieve the perfect natural shape for me. I loved seeing my new brows emerging, and how beautifully they framed my face.
After the initial session, a follow-up was required after six weeks to review and amend the shape and shade. While I can’t pretend I relished getting a pigment top-up, I had no doubt I’d made the right choice when I saw the final result in the mirror.
Microblading in 2024 is still painful for me, but the results are much more rewarding than they were five years ago. My brows are certainly thicker and more symmetrical, look natural and my eye-to-brow margin has increased.
I finally have brows that look like they belong on my face again – they’re my natural shape, but better and more polished. I feel so much more confident, and I’ve had numerous compliments from friends, colleagues and family.
My brows will require renewing every 9-12 months and there’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll be back. The pain is definitely worth the gain.
I haven’t just reshaped my brows, I’ve reshaped my whole understanding of beauty. Rather than being at the mercy of ever-changing trends, my resolution to embrace my unique features has unveiled the truest form of beauty: self-acceptance.
Microblading at Shavata Singh’s salons in London costs from £800.
Best anti-ageing brow makeup
GH beauty director Lynne Hyland chooses her favourite brow perfecting products
One of most intuitive brow products we've ever tried, making it ideal even for beginners. It’s applied using a cleverly shaped brush; one side with longer bristles to disperse the pigment quickly across the whole brow, and then a shorter one to shape and define. Flattering for all brow shapes, the unique mousse formula gives a soft, fluffy finish which thickens brows in a natural-looking way. We like the way it’s buildable, too: one stroke for a fairly subtle boost and a second to really pump up the colour and cheat a fresh brow tint effect.
Beauty Edit Mayfair Brow Setter
Lacking a steady hand? Don’t worry, this clear gel is foolproof. Simply brush hairs upwards for a quick groom, or through the hairs after you’ve filled in sparse areas to set your work in place. The best thing about this brow gel is that its formula nourishes as it tames – castor oil and vitamin E strengthens and conditions your brows as you wear it. Clever.
Shavata Defining Pencil
This tiny tip makes it easy to create realistic-looking hair strokes. The formula is creamy, never wears waxy or compromises your natural shape and you only need a light touch to feather on short strokes. Finding the perfect pencil can be tricky, but this one is a winner.
Glossier Boy Brow
One of Glossier’s hero products, this clever brow gel lends a soft, flexible hold for tidy, groomed hair that stays in place. The mini spoolie grabs on to the thinnest of hairs, but never smudges on to the surrounding skin. Plus, the shade range is beautifully brow-accurate, making online shopping a breeze.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo
Done right, powder can look impeccably natural on brows. This nifty duo from brow authority Anastasia Beverly Hills has two natural-looking shades to create a shape that looks like your own. Use the lighter shade at the front of your brown to keep it looking clean and light, and the darker shade at the arch and tail for a brow that looks naturally thick. There are 11 shade duos available, so there’s bound to be a combination for everyone.
A little bit of space-saving genius for your makeup bag. One end is an ultra-fine pen that allows you to draw hair-like strokes in any missing gaps, while the other end has a clear gel that holds straggly hairs in place all day. While some gels feel crunchy and uncomfortable, this one sit so comfortably on the hair, it’s easy to forget it’s there. A great option for really sparse eyebrows, where every stroke of the pen matters.
