How to Shape Eyebrows for Beginners (Step-by-Step With Pictures)

Want natural, flattering eyebrows without going to a salon?
This beginner-friendly guide will show you exactly how to shape eyebrows at home — even if you’ve never plucked them before.

As someone who has only gotten my brows professionally done a handful of times (yes… EVER), I’ve learned how to get thick, youthful, natural-looking eyebrows at home — and avoid the dreaded over-plucked thin brows.

If you're new to eyebrow shaping, don’t worry. You can do this!

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Why Eyebrow Shape Matters

Your eyebrows affect:

• How lifted and youthful your face looks

• How defined your eyes appear

• Your facial symmetry

• Your overall makeup look

Thick, softly shaped eyebrows = younger, fresher, more modern
Over-plucked thin eyebrows = older, harsher, dated

💡 Rule #1: Thick and natural > thin and sharp

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Tools You’ll Need to Shape Your Eyebrows at Home

You don’t need a lot — just the basics.

I recommend Revlon tweezers (cheap & effective) and Laura Mercier Eyebrow Pencil in Fair Blonde for natural filling.

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How to Shape Eyebrows for Beginners (6 Easy Steps)

To prevent eyebrow wax disasters, I usually opt to trim, shape, and pluck my eyebrows at home. It’s easy to trim your eyebrows at home.

Learn how to trim your eyebrows at home with these step-by-step instructions.

✅ Step 1: Brush Brows Up

Use a spoolie (or eyebrow pencil brush) and brush brows up and slightly outward.

This reveals your natural brow shape and long hairs that need trimming.

✅ Step 2: Trim Long Hairs With Scissors

Trim only the hairs that stick above your brow line.

Tips:

• Trim little by little

• Don’t chop straight across

• Follow the natural curve of your brow

Natural, fluffy brows come from trimming — not over-plucking.

Any scissors will do (I use a big pair!), or you can buy the official small beauty scissors.

✅ Step 3: Find Where Brows Should Start

No unibrows — but also don’t over-pluck the center!

Hold a pencil from the outer edge of your nostril straight up — that’s where your brows should begin.

📍 Optional: Many women look more youthful with brows slightly closer together. Your call!

Honestly, my eyebrows go in MORE than this, as I don't like eyebrows that are too far apart.

✅ Step 4: Find Your Natural Brow Arch

Beginner tip — don’t over-focus on the arch yet.

But if you'd like to shape it:

Hold the pencil from the nostril to the center of your pupil — that’s your arch point.

Only pluck a few hairs underneath, never on top.

Pluck a FEW hairs to begin with. And by a few - I mean pluck five or six hairs for a start. And only pluck UNDER the eyebrow. Don't touch the tops!

✅ Step 5: Clean Up the Tail (End of Brow)

Pluck only 3–5 hairs under the tail to clean up the shape.

Do NOT shorten the tail — long brows make your face look lifted!

Far too many women trim and pluck their eyebrows at the ends and then they look older!

✅ Step 6: Stop & Check

Pluck slowly, then stop.
You can always do more later — but you can’t put brows back once they’re gone.

✨ Rule of thumb: Pluck 5 hairs, take a break, then assess.

Common Eyebrow Shaping Mistakes to Avoid

Supplies Needed to Trim and Shape Eyebrows for Beginners at Home

You really don’t need much to trim your eyebrows at home. You just need scissors and a good pair of tweezers. I personally use tweezers by Revlon. I've tried the cheaper tweezers for under $3 and they are junk.

I also love using a good eyebrow pencil to accentuate my eyebrows.

The brush on the Laura Mercier eyebrow pencil is great for brushing the eyebrow hairs up as well. I personally use this instead of an eyebrow brush.

Should You Use an Eyebrow Pencil?

YES — if you want your face to look polished and defined.

Use a brow pencil if:

✔ You have blonde eyebrows
✔ Your brows are sparse
✔ You want sharper face definition

Pro tip: Fill the inner corners only for a natural soft-glam look.

My go-to shade: Laura Mercier Eyebrow Pencil in Fair Blonde

I swear by the Laura Mercier eyebrow pencil in fair blonde. Other eyebrow pencils look way too dark and unnatural.

Is Waxing Eyebrows or Threading Eyebrows Better?

I'll admit it, I've only gotten my eyebrows shaped about 4-6 times in my entire life. YES, my ENTIRE life. I've done waxing 2-3 times and threading 2-3 times.

I personally like threading WAY more. It's faster. It's cheaper. It looks WAY more natural. And it's less painful!

Plus, most of the threading places are owned by Indian women (at least where I live), and they actually know how to NOT overpluck and how to shape eyebrows.

Waxing works too, but the wax just left my eyebrows looking "too shaped" in my opinion. Plus, waxing tends to be more expensive and may cause your skin to be slightly red for 2-3 hours.

Waxing vs. Threading vs. Tweezing

If I go pro? I choose threading every time.

Uneven Eyebrows? Here’s What to Do

1. Let the thinner brow grow out

2. Use pencil to fill the sparse spots

3. Remember: eyebrows are sisters, not twins

If your eyebrows are uneven, the first thing to do is to NOT pluck them. Let the thinner eyebrow grow out!

The second tip is to not worry too much. As my friend Chantel would say, "your eyebrows are sisters, not twins."

In the photo below, my eyebrows were slightly uneven. (Whoops!) No one is perfect. Since this photo was taken, I've let them grow out.

The third tip is to fill in the thinner eyebrow using a good eyebrow pencil.

Thick vs. Thin Eyebrows: Which Look Better?

Modern beauty favors full, well-groomed brows — think:

• Jessica Alba

• Steph Claire Smith

Thin brows (think early-2000s) can look older and harsh.

Thick = youthful.
Thin = aging.

I personally am a fan of thicker eyebrows, as you can see in photos on the Very Easy Makeup Instagram page.

If you look at pictures of young women (think teenage girls from Girls' Life or Seventeen Magazine), you will notice that they have THICK eyebrows. Their eyebrows are well-kept, but they are thick.

Thicker eyebrows make you look more youthful.

In contrast, many older women have thin eyebrows.

Angelina Jolie has thin eyebrows, but I'm a fan of thicker eyebrows like those by Jessica Alba. I'm currently obsessed with the look of Steph Claire Smith and her eyebrows.

Eyebrow Shaping Do's & Don’ts

As previously mentioned, don't overpluck your eyebrows! And don't EVERY touch the top of your eyebrows. Let them be.

Here are a few more do's and don'ts.

✅ Do:

• Keep tweezers in your purse for one stray hair

• Trim sparingly

• Follow your natural brow shape

• Use pencil for subtle filling

❌ Don’t:

• Over-pluck

• Pluck from the top

• Start brows too far apart

• Shorten the tail

Do Carry Tweezers with You in Your Purse

Sounds silly - right? I know. But I keep tweezers with me in my purse. That way, I can pluck a hair or two if I'm out and notice one above my nose. There's just something about shopping malls and the lighting in the dressing room that shows EVERYTHING.

Don't Have Your Eyebrows Start Too Far Out

Don't make your eyebrows too far apart. I love Reese Witherspoon, but I think her eyebrows start too far apart. I think she'd look better if she had them go in more toward the center of her nose.

In contrast, notice how far inward Jessica Alba's eyebrows go.

FAQs: Shaping Eyebrows at Home

How often should I pluck my eyebrows?
Every 1–2 weeks, just a few hairs at a time.

Should beginners wax eyebrows?
No — tweezing gives more control and prevents over-removal.

How do I fill eyebrows naturally?
Use light strokes only at sparse areas — especially the inner corners.

One of My Eyebrows ALWAYS Has a Better Arch. Is There Anything I Can Do?

If one of your eyebrows has a better arch than the other (always!), it could be that that's just how your eyebrows are!

Your eyebrows are sisters, not twins, and it's expected that one will naturally have a higher arch than the other.

If this really bothers you, you can get Xeomin or Botox to "raise" the eyebrow that is slightly lower.

Final Thoughts: Eyebrow Shaping for Beginners

Eyebrows can truly change your face — and with a light touch, you can shape them beautifully at home.

Remember:
✨ Start slow
✨ Pluck from the bottom only
✨ Fuller brows = younger look