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Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Sexy eyebrows (yes, eyebrows)

Oh my goodness, how gorgeous are these dramatic eyebrows? When I saw these stunning photos of Oscar de la Renta's recent runway show, my jaw dropped. Makeup artists often insist that eyebrows are the most important part of your look, since they frame your face and can make your eyes look bigger and make your face look younger. Wouldn't you love to recreate these sexy bold brows for a night out?

Happily, my make-up artist friend Suzy Gerstein shared the two steps to getting the look: "The secret to a gorgeous full brow is to layer products. First, sketch in any sparse areas with hairlike flicks of a brow pencil. Use the skinniest, pointiest pencil you can find, so your drawn-in 'hairs' will look natural. My favorite is the Kevyn Aucoin Precision Brow Pencil. Then layer a powder color over the pencil. Two colors that work well for brows: MAC eye shadow in Brun (for brunettes) and Concrete (for blondes)."

What do you think, my lovelies? Would you dare? xoxo

(Photos by Jamie Beck. A similar red lipstick is Rouge Dior in Red Muse)

100 comments:

  1. I'm obsessed with eyebrows. I've had a lifelong battle against mine. Thanks for sharing these tricks!

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  2. Wow, I have never really thought about making distinct eyebrows like this! You always have the greatest how-to's! I love the hair ones you have posted about as well. Maybe I will give it a go...its a risk!

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  3. my sister once got her eyebrows shaped when she was on vacation, and she looked RIDICULOUSLY beautiful. you couldn't really place what was different, but just she looked effortlessly gorgeous :)

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  4. I am obsessed with these photos. I am glad you wrote about this today, my eyebrows are in the "growing back" process after experiencing a catastrophe at the salon where I used to get them shaped.


    www.magdalenaseyes.blogspot.com

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  5. The first model's eyebrows look really strange to me. Does anyone else think so? It's like they are a little too close together and look unnaturally dark? The second model looks great-- it's a slimmer brow...

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  6. I have full, long brows that's why I get them reshaped every three months or they will look scary

    http://girlynote.blogspot.com/

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  7. I like the second model's eyebrows the best!

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  8. Those photos are gorgeous. I'm with you, Joanna, never gave them a second thought, until last week when I went to Bloomingdale's and had my makeup done - the makeup artist made my brows look amazing and I bought all of the necessary tools to do it myself. Just like your sister, you can't really tell what it is that's different but it's the brows! I can't believe I ever ignored them. Thanks for the tips!

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  9. I'm a firm believer in the power of eyebrows. Ever since I dyed my hair red/brown, penciling in my eyebrows to match has been a must. Now I don't know how I never paid attention to my eyebrows when I was blonde. (What was I thinking?)

    -Camberley

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  10. I LOVE. I also love Urban*Decay's brow boxes. They are magical and have little popout trays of wax to keep hairs in line.
    I stopped plucking my eyebrows about a year ago. The natural shape is much prettier. I see old photos where I have "normal" thinner brows and I'm just like "eewwww!!!"

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  11. yes, mary, i see what you mean -- although i think he was going for drama! :)

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  12. love these comments -- they make me want to go book an eyebrow shaping appointment (seriously).

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  13. elizabeth1:21 PM

    I love a great shaped brow, not a heavy looking one like the first model.

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  14. I love a heavier brow, but the first model is a tad too Groucho for me. I adore the Kate Middleton brow!

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  15. Totally not a fan of the large bushy brow....not a fan of the too skinny one either!

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  16. If I could tell my 15 year old self anything it would be that full eyebrows are best so NOT TO PLUCK! Once you do it is so hard for them to grow in nice and thick. I love when women have gorgeous eyebrows like Camilla Belle or Kate Middleton! XO

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  17. I have heavy brows too & I never tire of hearing how dramatic they are...I use Lingering, also by MAC, during the day. I think it keeps me from being over-the-top.

    there's a cute illustration by a guy on deviantArt on eyebrows. I used it in a post but I won't put that here. I think I found it on Pinterest. I'll do an @ if so. I think you'll giggle if you've not seen it.

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  18. Oh I just remembered...if no one has said it...if you need to keep things a bit "set" - use Max Factor (or other inexpensive) clear mascara. There's no need to buy expensive brow gel. I've done this for 20 years & it really helps...

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  19. Ahhh I'm a wimp! Maybe I'll experiment alone with plenty of makeup remover.

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  20. do! they look fabulous!

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  21. Man. I was about to comment that I hate my thick brows, but you guys are making me feel better about them :)

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  22. Thumbs up! I wear my eyebrows really dark and thick and I don't think I will ever go back to the skinny, thin brow days of high school.

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  23. Here's the cute illustration of brow types...

    http://gerard-zephyr.deviantart.com/art/Eyebrows-108997022

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  24. kittyscratches1:41 PM

    Love them! I agree that brows are the most important asset. A strong eyebrow makes the whole face pop!

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  25. In the past yr. I started using a Sonia Kashuk eyebrow pencil from Target and notice a difference! It's so subtle yet so effective at enhancing my brows! I added the step to my daily routine, even if I don't have time for mascara which I used to think was the most important thing.

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  26. hmmm, these are entirely too much for me. yes, eyebrows are nice but i do think everything in moderation still applies (unless you are a model walking down the runway of course!)

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  27. Anonymous1:45 PM

    Ever since I was a little girl and my mother was teaching me how to do my makeup (she is a girl from Finishing School pedigree!) she taught me the importance of the eyebrow brush to finish your look and I must say it is one of my best beauty tricks!

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  28. I have heavy brows and I've always had them threaded... recently I've let them grow wild and have accentuated them with BeneFit's BrowZing (wax followed by powder). I am a convert to big brows! They really subtly lighten up my face. Love them!

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  29. Im gonna go with "dont" its a little garish...

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  30. Anonymous1:46 PM

    I too am obsessed with eyebrows. Having said that, I hope it is ok to state me opinion? I don't like the first photo. They take over her face and it's all you see. Showed the pic to a few girls here at work without saying a word and they all came to the same conclusion on their own.

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  31. I think unless you're a model, these dramatic eyebrows would just look ridiculous. And I'm definitely not a model so I could never pull this off!

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  32. Anonymous1:49 PM

    Up, up, up! Since I've shaped my eyebrows and colored them darker my life has changed!!!!

    Daria

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  33. uhmmm... i'm not a fan. unless you're on a run way.

    allister bee blog

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  34. ha, so funny to hear these comments -- i'm thinking these are too dramatic for most! :) i still love them, haha!

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  35. Noooooo! Only if you've got a face like a model.

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  36. The first model's eyebrows look like stage makeup and walking down a runway is much like being on stage.

    I have been Frieda Kahlo for Halloween and the Tour de Fat bike parade and that's how thick I made my eyebrows of course they were also almost a unibrow!

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  37. Smashbox makes an amazing product called Brow Tech. It's a shaded powder you brush on with their special brow brush and you can seal the look with the included wax. It creates a subtle dramatic brow, and once you do it, you'll never be able to go outside without it! I promise. I'm hooked!

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  38. i'm gonna have to thumbs down for this trend. i like a full brow but the ones above (esp. the first one) are harsh!

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  39. Anonymous2:00 PM

    In the first photo my immediate reaction was "she looks like Austin Powers"....not for me. However, I like the second photo. I believe eyebrows are just as important as lips. Now that I'm in my 40's, my brows have changed dramatically and I definitely need a color to fill in (they are thinning out). I use MAC shadow with a brush for brows and then set with a tiny bit of hair spray. I spray my eyebrow brush and lightly sweep the hairs into place.

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  40. I have pretty thick eyebrows, but back in my high school years I used to pluck them into the thinnest little lines! I'm glad to see more natural, more full eyebrows come back into style! It's so much more attractive!!
    xo Emily
    bellishment.blogspot.com

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  41. Hmmm...not loving the first model but the second model looks absolutely lovely! Her brows are the right kinda drama for me. Bold brows can be really beautiful, but it really depends on the person! <3

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  42. I agree with most of the others; I like the second model's brows MUCH better than the first. I've never done anything with my eyebrows. I really like how I look naturally, or with just a LITTLE makeup (mascara, blush, bright lipstick). Actually, I've always really liked my natural eyebrows. :)

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  43. I love big, dramatic eyebrows and definitely love this look (I myself have big brows and am sometimes a little self-conscious about it so it's nice to see it on the runway), but I prefer a natural looking big brow rather than one that literally looks stenciled on and too perfect.
    Overall though, yes I love this! Great post!
    xo,
    Girl in the Poodle Shoes
    ^Follow the link to come visit my style blog…!

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  44. Molly T.2:11 PM

    I have eyebrows that are a fair bit darker than my dark reddy-blonde hair, I find a lot of brow products end up looking really red and weird on my eyebrows.

    I use MAC's coquette eyeshadow on my brows and the cool shade is perfect and dark. A few of my friends have since picked it up, and the colour seems to look good on almost everyone with darker than very blonde hair and almost any skin tone. Magic.

    I'm not a big make-up person but nice, structured brows are so fantastic.

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  45. I have naturally dark black hair and my eyebrows are very sparse in terms of hair, so I've always had to fill them in. I use bobbi Brown's Espresso eyeshadow very lightly and fill them in with an angled brush. Works like a charm.

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  46. these are great tips! i never know quite what to do with mine and therefore end up doing nothing! the photos are so inspiring i will have to try it! thanks jo! xx

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  47. Like the second smaller pair more than the first - but I'm not brave enough to wear on a date!

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  48. This is insane. Ravishing!

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  49. I love them too, Joanna! That first pic is an artform, not an every day look. Even though most don't agree, these pics from the show are great to prove your point, Joanna (that brows are very expressive). Both models look beautiful.

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  50. I LOVE a strong brow, always had. Mine are pretty thick by nature, but I keep them tidy with threading, which I'm obsessed with. And then I fill them in a bit with MAC concrete almost every day.

    http://nomadic-d.blogspot.com/

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  51. I wish I had the patience to fiddle with makeup

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  52. I just found new appreciation for strong eyebrows. Throughout high school and college years, I excessively plugged my eyebrows to make them really thin. Although I will probably never look that great in strong eyebrows as the picture shown, I am going to try to make it look more natural!

    http://wonjeeoh.blogspot.com

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  53. I have always been a fan of my eyebrows, but last week I decided they were getting out of control. I went to get them trimmed up and the woman basically waxed them all off! I feel so naked! These tips are much needed at a desperate time...

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  54. i've recently started to dye my brows at home using a little brush and some hair dye. I use a level 6 on my hair, so for my brows, i go one or two shades darker. i LOVE the way it looks, and it's so easy and cheap. then in the mornings, i use a little clear mascara to shape them, and brush upwards to create even more fullness.

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  55. I love a full, groomed brow. After my favorite gal "barbers" mine up, I don't have to wear much makeup to look finished.

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  56. Oh, thank you for this. It still amazes me how many girls are surprised to hear that eyebrows are my number one beauty MUST! It makes your whole face look so "finished".

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  57. I'm kind of obsessed with beautiful brows. I always covet those beautiful, full brows that enhance the eyes. Unfortunately, mine are not as fabu and need the help of an eyebrow pencil. =)

    Need it? Want it? Crave it? Satisfy Your Cravings For Celebrity Style and Fashion

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  58. Thank goodness big eyebrows are back! Funny but I've had mine all my life and it would be great not to pluck and shape for a bit. Plus, just maybe my husband will layoff teasing me about them if they are now cool.

    Cheers for the post!

    Michelle

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  59. Oh at last.!!!I have had big eyebrows all my life. I can say is one of the most important features of my face... and them alwayas have been admired by almost everybody.

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  60. I've always wanted thick brows and while mine aren't thin they are very fair so you don't see them. I never go anywhere without my "brows on";)

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  61. Margaux Hemingway and Brooke Sheilds were both DECADES ahead of their time!!

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  62. my sister has big, gorgeous eyebrows and i've always been jealous cause mine are light and thin. i can't wait to try this tip!

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  63. Yes they look gorgeous, I had mine done yesterday and I love them! have a nice day. Amy x

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  64. Anonymous3:38 PM

    These eye brows are amazing! i love that they are dramatic in and of themselves, but draw attention to the eyes. I can't wait to try this myself.

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  65. i used to pluck and shape my eyebrows, but when i started college i noticed that my "unruly" eyebrows made my eyes look bigger. now i don't do anything to them, and it's exactly the effect i'm going for!

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  66. is it just me or is there a suggestion of thunderbird to the first look?

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  67. So pretty! Very interesting, though - how something as simple as an eyebrow can change your look so much!
    Thank you....

    windeater.blogspot.com

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  68. The second set are sexy. The first set are not sexy at all. There is something uneasy about them.

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  69. I love these eyebrows! I naturally have thick and dark eyebrows so it's awesome to see them on a runway!!!

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  70. I might sound so out-of-fashion but I really liked those bleached eyebrows in blonde, like this http://mariankihogo.com/beauty/blonde-brow/

    With the forehead I have, my head would be divided into two very specific parts with those dark dramatic eyebrows :)

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  71. Nice! This is so funny - and yet so helpful!
    -Carly
    www.createliveblog.com

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  72. I've been obsessed with the heavy brow lately too! I've noticed recently that a lot of models and celebrities are doing the "not-overly groomed" look, and it has inspired me to grow back my brows a little bit. I guess over the years mine have inadvertently gotten a little thinner than I like. My left brow is growing back pretty evenly, my right one, not so much.

    afashiondeliberation.blogspot.com

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  73. so amazing! those full brows are captivating

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  74. always always always. As someone who avoids most makeup, I learned recently the wonders a well-curated brow can do for the face. Mine are a little long, so I often use a brush as well to keep them in place.

    good call on posting this!

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  75. Holy cow, that first photo took some serious time to absorb. I love the shape of the brows in the pic and think they look lovely when I look at the picture from across my living room (which is probably how they look from the audience of a runway show). Up close, they seem so out of place and out of proportion on such a delicate face! I think it is the theatrical amount of makeup. Mine are similarly shaped, but not as thickly made-up. The second picture is lovely, and I wouldn't change a thing about it! What was with trend to pluck eyebrows bare?! I remember some girls in high school that looked so odd with such thin over-plucked eyebrows.

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  76. I think the first brows are too much. The second set are lovely. i am attempting to stop plucking and let my brows take a natural shape again before having them professionally shaped. I agree with you - they can make a huge difference!

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  77. I love a strong brow. My eyebrows are naturally perfectly shaped, but they're so blond you don't see the. I get them tinted every three weeks, to help give my eyes definition and not have to worry about makeup.

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  78. I wish I could! They were over-waxed at the salon, now I have bald spots. :(

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  79. Love it! I've been trying to grow out my eyebrows to be a little thicker and fuller, its not working so this advice is great!

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  80. I love that thick brows are sexy... When I was little, my sisters would make fun of me and say I had "bushman" eyebrows.
    Now i'm in love with them. =)

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  81. As a wearer of dark eyebrows (which conveniently contrast my blonde hair), I really appreciate this post! Bravo!

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  82. I love the pictures!! I think I like the second one best. I've always had thick eyebrows I just have a hard time shaping them. I will definitely need to try this!

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  83. the second picture is better ;)
    but i love both their lipstick color! such a bright and sexy color!

    sydsense.blogspot.com

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  84. Yay for thick eyebrows, I have them and it is about time the trend came my way - no more plucking, happy. :)
    Elizabeth from http://thedotdotblog.blogspot.com/

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  85. So lovely! I'm going to have to pop into MAC this week and take a look at Brun. Having sparse eyebrows is a total bummer! I'm always striving to create dramatic brows that look natural. Sigh.

    Also, I've haven't been on blogger for awhile and it's so wonderful seeing updates on darling Toby!

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  86. i LOVE thick eyebrows (probably because mine are so naturally thin). I think it looks so exotic and beautiful.

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  87. I love Suzy! And Jo!

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  88. beautiful! i love that thick eyebrows can be so in vogue. i have thick, dark ones myself and would never change them!

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  89. these first eyebrows are like a Frida, I like the second one

    xo
    www.fashioncelebration.blogspot.com

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  90. The easiest thing to do is to brush mascara (they come in many shades of brown!) onto your eyebrows. It's one step and thickens/lengthens the hairs. It also makes the smaller lighter hairs, that you cant normally see, stand out.. and gets rid of the need for drawing individual hairs.

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  91. Definitely not brave enough!

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  92. I LOVE these brows. Wow. love love <3

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  93. Hah! These looks like my eyebrows. Glad to know what has plagued me since junior high is finally fashionable. I'm actually known for my eyebrows...I've been getting them shaped long before it was popular to do so. But it's not like I'm cutting edge or ahead of the times. Again, and I can't stress this enough, they're shaped because otherwise I would look like Bert from Sesame Street. :/

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  94. Nice! Really cool stuff and very inspiring. Thanks for sharing!

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  95. I love this post, although I'm wondering what shade I would go with as a girl with mildly red hair...? Any pointers? I've heard blonde pencils work, but I wasn't sure.

    Thanks!

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  96. I've always loved thick eyebrows so much! Definitely underrated. My eyebrows are actually my favorite feature!

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  97. To my mind every person ought to browse on it.

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  98. Good blog: You should start many more. I love all the info provided. I will stay tuned:) bridal makeup artist Sydney

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  99. Nothing like a pair of sexy eyebrows. in pretty young face don't you thing!

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