3 Things a Celebrity Eyebrow Artist Would Never, Ever Do To Their Brows

From the extra-thin brows that characterized the early aughts to the overly shaded dark brows of the 2010s to the viral soap brows that recently took over social media, our brows have been through a lot over the years. But lucky for us (and them), natural, fluffy eyebrows are the biggest trend at the moment.

In addition to putting down the tweezers, there are a few other things celebrity eyebrow artist Joey Healy recommends for keeping your brows in their most beautifully bushy glory. Below, he shares three things he personally avoids to keep his eyebrows in tip-top shape—and explains why you should consider skipping out on them, too.

1. Wax

While this may seem like a hot take (pun very much intended), Healy says wax is one of the most common culprits for asymmetrical eyebrows, irritation, and premature aging.

“Waxing is not precise,” he explains. For those who use retinol-based products, he says wax can “hypersensitize the skin and easily cause skin damage.” And even if you don’t use these extra-strong exfoliants, “wax can also age you because it can break down the collagen and elasticity in your skin,” he explains.

Because of these three factors, Healy says you should opt for “trimming and tweezing” to shape your brows and clean up any unwanted hairs.

2. Magnifying mirrors

If you’re looking to trim and tweeze your eyebrows at home, it’s crucial that you use the correct mirror to see precisely what you’re working with. Healy recommends putting down the magnifying mirror and using natural light and a little bit of distance instead.

“I feel like you can get lost in the details and end up overworking the brow,” he explains. “It is so much better to use a regular mirror and good, natural light.”

By using the mirror you use regularly, Healy says you can see your brow at all angles and avoid overly thinned-out eyebrows.

3. Stay away from chemicals

While we love the look of laminated eyebrows, Healy says he would personally steer clear of the chemicals required to create the look.

“I do not like putting harsh chemicals on my precious brow hair because I want them to be as thick and full as possible,” he explains. By laminating your eyebrows, you’re not only damaging the hair strands with chemicals, but Healy says the result typically isn’t what you’d expect. “The result removes the dimension from the brow, making them less fluffy,” he says. “Often, lamination can make them very flat and shiny, which does not look natural or how a brow would naturally lay down.”

You can fake the look by using clear brow gel or soap on a spoolie. “Sweep up your brows with two coats of clear brow gel,” says Healy. “When the brow is still a little bit wet, I’ll take my tweezers and pinch the little hairs into clusters, which gives you that spiky, laminated look.”

For more of Healy’s tips about doing your brows at home, check out the video below. 

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