Sir John's Eyebrow Makeup Tips For Men

When it comes to men’s grooming, eyebrow grooming currently tops the list of the most popular beauty-related trends that men are looking to take part in. We chatted with celebrity makeup artist and L’Oréal Paris Expert Sir John, to discuss the latest beauty trends, including his best tips for how men can use eyebrow makeup to give them the look they desire. Read on to find out how to fake fuller, more even eyebrows. 

TIP #1: NORMALIZE MAKEUP FOR MEN

While you might not want to precisely mirror makeup styles that women typically wear—think trendy, laminated brows—(if you do, more power to you!), that doesn’t mean that makeup and grooming can't be adapted in a way that makes you feel more confident in your own skin. 

“The goal with men is to be the best versions of themselves and put their best selves forward without looking like they have on any product,” says Sir John when speaking about what he often finds men desire out of makeup. “Invisible maintenance is kind of the realm where men want to be. We need to normalize that. We need to normalize guys reaching for something that makes them feel a little bit more whole.” 

TIP #2: SKIP THE TWEEZERS

The temptation to pluck a stray eyebrow hair or two is incredibly difficult to ignore, but once you start, it can be difficult to stop yourself from over-plucking. “I want all guys to know, leave the tweezers alone. Don’t take off hair,” Sir John says. “If you’re going to do it, go to a professional to get a slight [eyebrow] threading or a little bit of wax, but don’t do it yourself.” Since men typically have full eyebrows, attempting to groom them yourself and potentially removing too much hair could leave you with an unnatural look. 

TIP #3: LIGHTLY FILL IN YOUR EYEBROWS

Finding the right brow product shade and formula is essential in order to make your filled-in brows appear natural. Sir John advises that you pick a brow pencil that’s one shade deeper than your brow hair. The L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Waterproof Eyebrow Mechanical Pencil is great for beginners because it has an ultra-fine tip to help you create realistic hair strokes. 

When it comes to actually filling in the gaps, he says “never start in the beginning of the brow—it will be too heavy and noticeable. Always start where the arch is. Right above the pupil is where the [eyebrow] arch is on everyone.” By filling in gaps starting at the arch, working your way to the tail and finishing off at the beginning of your brows, you’ll likely avoid getting too heavy handed. The key to flawless men’s eyebrow makeup is “making it look like we have hair,” says Sir John. While men typically have full brows, areas of sparseness or unevenness is common. Rather than trying to recreate a new or ultra-defined shape to your brows, you simply want to fill in the gaps to fake fullness. 

TIP #4: OPT FOR EYEBROW GEL

If you’re intimidated by the idea of filling in your brows with a brow pencil, or you’re just looking for a one-and-done brow grooming step, combing through your eyebrows with a tinted eyebrow gel is a great way to go. The L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Boost & Set Brow Mascara is lightly tinted to give your brows some color, and the thin spoolie makes it easy to evenly coat your brow hairs. This type of product can be applied on top of a brow pencil or alone. If you find that your brows are a bit unruly and you’d like something with extra hold to set them in place, apply one coat of the L’Oréal Paris Unbelievabrow Longwear Brow Top Coat, Waterproof Universal Transparent which quickly sets the hairs in place without looking harsh or feeling hard. 

Photo Credit: Juan Miranda