How to Fake Better Brows

There’s a good reason many adult women have bangs. They’re ideal camouflage for the thin, short, weirdly shaped brows that are a result of natural aging, genes, hormonal changes and/or your very own pluck-happy tweezers. However, bangs or no bangs, plenty of us with challenged brows at 50-plus still covet a pair that are lush and shapely (including beauty editor me!). They’re not out of reach, thanks to a slew of options such as tinting, growth serums, microblading, lamination and, of course, brow makeup. Here are six solutions to brow-se:

(Left to right) Angela Bassett and Sarah Jessica Parker

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images; Photo by Bruce Glikas/Getty Images)

1. Let brow powders and creams restore color and contrast fast.

“Powering up the brows with makeup quickly revives a sense of facial structure and expression,” says makeup artist and RMS Beauty founder Rose-Marie Swift. “Forget a heavily drawn-on fake brow and work with what you have to build density and restore color with a realistic look. Color contrast is essential. I suggest going back close to your original brow color when you were younger — even if your hair is gray or blonde. Brow powders are an easy way to fill gaps and reinforce the shape quickly. Every brow is different, but in general, you want to extend the brow horizontally with the arch about three-quarters of the way across before it curves to frame the eye. Powders are great for correcting and building up comma-shaped ‘tadpole’ brows — the ones with a bulge at the beginning and a curved skinny tail. I like to remove a few excess hairs from the bottom of the bulge to help straighten the brow and create a more modern stretched-out base for brow makeup.”

(Clockwise from top left) RMS Beauty Back2Brow Powder; Morphe Brow Cream; Milani Stay Put Waterproof Brow Color

Courtesy: RMS Beauty; Morphe; Milani

I’m going to add that powders and cream-gel formulas allow you to shape the entire brow quickly, including bald or very sparse spots, without having to sketch in individual hairs, though you will need a firm-bristled brow brush to apply. Look for compacts and pots such as the RMS Beauty Back2Brow Powder ($29, rmsbeauty.com), the Milani Stay Put Waterproof Brow Color ($11, target.com) and the Morphe Brow Cream ($8, ulta.com).

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(Left to right) Andie MacDowell and Vivica A. Fox

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage; Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

2. Use a brow pen to fill in hairs that look authentic.

Brow pencils still exist, of course, but their updates — pointy-tipped pens that work like ultra-skinny markers — are really suited to mature brows that are skimpy and over-tweezed. They make creating hair-like strokes easier, even on bare skin, and they don’t budge, smear or require sharpening. The “slip” of pens on the skin makes them ideal for filling gaps at either end of the brow (where sparseness is typical) and require no artistic ability or fancy makeup skills. Notice as you sketch that brow hairs grow straight up at the beginning and gradually angle as they extend toward the arch and outer eye. Good choices include the Maybelline New York Build-A-Brow 2-in-1 Brow Pen and Sealing Gel ($15, cvs.com), NYX Lift & Snatch Brow Tint Pen Waterproof Eyebrow Pen in Brunette ($13, ulta.com) and CoverGirl Easy Breezy Brow All-Day Brow Ink Pen ($13, walgreens.com).