Since I started blogging back in November, I have revealed all kinds of things about myself I imagine most people would prefer to keep secret. My readers have already learned that I have a thing for men who are physically/emotionally/otherwise unavailable to me, that I occasionally watch porn, and that I have a complete disregard for money and blow it all on Phish concerts. I’m not perfect but I have always tried to be as honest and true to my character as possible with this blog.
Having said all that, I’m incredibly reluctant to discuss this next topic with you. Perhaps even more so than the others, which should say something. Oh well, (deep breath)… Here goes nothing.
I have a borderline obsessive relationship with my eyebrows. I didn’t realize this until recently when I had my makeup done for a vintage 50s-style pinup photo shoot. The idea came to me one day because I was feeling good, confident, and sexy and I knew of some girlfriends who could benefit from something like this as well. The day of the shoot, the makeup artist took my face in her hands, gave me a once-over, and asked what was going on with my brows. She pointed her makeup wand to where she said they were supposed to start (in line with the eyeball) and then tapped a point just above and in the middle of my left eye (I believe she was raising her own during this brief intervention). Okay, I get it. Clearly I have issues with a tweezer.
Truth be told, I never realized it had been a problem or that I had been walking around looking like a freak show these last few months. Why hadn’t anyone told me?
My obsession with the tweezer started when I dated Jackson and he made a comment about my eyebrows one day. So I plucked a little at first to keep them neat and tidy. But in the months following our breakup, I continued tweezing more and more. It made me feel comfortable to have a smooth, hair-free browline and I began to do it nearly every day. On days when I didn’t, I obsessed over errant hairs and wondered if people noticed them.
I’ve decided to let nature take its course and restore my brows to their natural arc. So now I get to experience the most awkward hair growth phase in history. Please promise you won’t look at me funny if I happen to shield my face while we engage in conversation. And in case anyone happens to be intimately familiar with this very odd scenario, how long until I start to look like a human being again? The urge to pluck is killing me.
Have you ever done anything drastic like this before without realizing it?
The seemingly endless battle of the eyebrows occasionally causes me to occasionally contemplate my own sanity… Could it be that they really grow that fast? When they are unkempt and “out of control” I feel unfit to go out in public, but when they are neat and orderly- I feel I look refreshed and years younger. I swear when I just get them done so many people comment, telling me that I look great , ask if I got a haircut..or maybe it’s that I’m wearing the most flattering color for my complexion? But I know the real secret! Ha!
I had an obsessive relationship with my eyebrows for a while. I was getting them waxed every other week to make sure they always looked perfect. I’ve relaxed a bit and now I go every month or so…with some tweezing in between to keep them neat.
I had a situation once with an old waxer where she seriously overwaxed. I had two extremely thin and short brows. It was bad. That’s when I started going to the woman I go to now. She fixed them by removing what needed removing and letting the rest grow. It was a process…of several months. Like 8. Or 9. It took forever.
My advice…find a really good place in the city that specializes in brows and go speak to them. They will tell you exactly what to do and not to do and they will help you through the awkward growing out phase. I think the Sephora in Rock Center has a salon that does only eyebrows.
.-= Shana´s last blog ..So not my fault… =-.
i’m pretty obsessive about them, too, and am in desperate need for new tweezers. i think i’m going to try ulta next time because the ones at target and walgreens just aren’t doing it for me.
i am a guy and i get them done all the time.. .if i didnt i would start to look like abe bagota. i have very bushy eyebrows and long ass eye lashes. i was wondering if anybody needs them for locks of love or something.? please get back to me if you do.
8 or 9 months?!?! GAH!!! I dunno if I can make it that long :p I was hoping this would all be done in like, 2 or 3 weeks. Yikes.
Thanks so much! That’s great advice–I will def find a brow guy (or woman).
I’m totally the opposite with eyebrows… I’m terrified of overdoing it so I do almost nothing to mine. Just take out the odd stray.
.-= Rachel Cotterill´s last blog ..Make Your Own Travel Map =-.
I would do well to have a little urge to pluck. I let myself go until I look like a mountain man. Moderation is key!
.-= Joey @ Big Teeth & Clouds´s last blog ..Just getting started =-.
I have OK brows naturally, so I’ve never fussed with them much. At least, I think they’re OK. What if they’re not, and I have been wandering around looking like an idiot for all of these years? Wouldn’t someone tell me? (No, they wouldn’t. Once I came out of the bathroom with my skirt tucked into my tights, and it was an HOUR before anyone pointed it out…) Anyway, down here in Texas there is a style of eyebrow we call the “Chola Brow.” To achieve this effect, you pluck almost every single hair from your brows, then draw them back on like upside-down Vs (^ ^) with a color that is too red for your skin tone. This look is often enhanced by brown lip liner over iridescent pink gloss. I don’t think it will ever be popular in NYC.
.-= Kelly´s last blog ..Addendum =-.
hi sweetie. i think we all obsess about our eyebrows at some point. i have a tendency to overpluck sometimes as well – especially if you pull out a hair you weren’t supposed to…then you feel like you have to tweeze more to compensate! is there any way you could get an eyeshadow the same color as your eyebrows and fill them in somewhat as the hairs start to grow back? once there are some hairs there you probably won’t notice as much that you are using shadow?? that is what i sometimes do when i overpluck. i agree with the poster above too…maybe if you go somewhere where they “know” brows, you will have some luck. i know what you mean though…i am always checking out my brows and plucking the stray ones…it definitely can get crazy. another one of the fun parts of being a woman, lol. love you and can’t wait to see you soon. xoxo
@kelly: WHAT?!?! that’s insane! god, i hope that never catches on in NYC, LOL!!!!
I’m so obsessive about my eyebrows. I love to pluck…b/c I had HUGE eyebrows for a long time and resent people who didn’t tell me earlier that I should have waxed/plucked.
My girlfriend is the same way. I’ll be talking to her and she is just staring at me not really paying attention. I totally know what is going on in her head and tell her to Stay Away, LOL!
I’m so excited that you found me because now I’ve discovered you!
I love this post. In high school I went a little crazy with the tweezers and have been obsessing over them ever since. I would love to have thick caterpillar eyebrows again. Oh..those were the days.
So until they’re all grown out, I fill them in. I’ve also seriously thought about buy this:
http://www.talika.com/P_1010-2_eyebrow-extender-dark-brown.html
Check it out..You might be interested.
P.S. I’m your newest follower!
.-= kat´s last blog ..a little bitty award =-.
Hi, Kat! Thanks for stopping by
Wow, that is awesome–I’ve never heard of eyebrow extenders, but may have to look into this (at least until this phase of eyebrow growth is finished, LOL!).
I’ve got some pretty thick brows as I am half Italian
I like to keep them relatively in their natural state, just plucking the stray ones below the brow. It scares me to see people who have over-tweezed to the point of having to draw on their brows…
.-= carma´s last blog ..Emmys & More =-.
I think it’s so sexy to have natural eyebrows. I do pluck mine but just few here and there. I do have thick eyebrows … and I love it!
Thanks for your sweet comment.
xo
I must be the only wondering about the vintage 50s-style pinup photo shoot. Is there a calendar coming out? Can I pick it up at Borders?
I have never touched my brows so I am no help here. I guess this is one of the perks of having blonde hair no one can see the darn things so I don’t have to mess with them. But then again they can’t really see my eyelashes either!
.-= Michelle Pixie´s last undefined ..Response cached until Wed 1 @ 21:23 GMT (Refreshes in 49 Minutes) =-.
You know what this post made me think of? What Not to Wear. Yes, the TLC show. Carmendi is always telling women about how they over-pluck their eyebrows and everytime I laugh. Why? Because I have the opposite problem. I hate, hate, hate, hate plucking mine.
They’re not all overgrown or anything, but I could often use a tweeze. I’ve vowed to myself that I will start getting them waxed once I find a hairdresser that I like again.
Between you and I, we both need serious help in this department.
.-= Jessica´s last blog ..Indecisive and without a hairdresser =-.
Hi Chars!!! I thought I’d let you know that once–very early on in the day when I FIRST started tweezing–I thought it would be, um, faster to just shave them. (Call me Miss Economical.) So…I did! I grabbed a razor and shaved my eyebrows into a very weird looking arc. My face hasn’t recovered. On that note, I loved your blog and I MISS you and I’m sending lots of hugs and love and positive vibeage!
)))