7 Mistakes When Doing Your Brows

By the editorial team · Updated May 2026 · 7 min read

Poorly done brows age you, harden your features, and break the entire facial aesthetic. Most mistakes are technical — easy to fix once you know what to look for.

Mistake 1: Color Too Dark

Mistake #1. The basic rule: the product should be one or two shades lighter than your natural hair. Brows darker than your hair look harsh, fake, and add 5 years. If you have black hair, use dark brown. If you have light brown hair, use medium brown.

Mistake 2: Solid Blocks Instead of Hairs

Filling the brow as if you're painting a wall creates the dreaded "Sharpie effect". Real brows are hundreds of individual hairs — makeup should mimic individual hairs with short strokes in the direction of natural growth.

Swap your thick pencil for a fine one like the Anastasia Brow Wiz and you'll notice the difference immediately.

Mistake 3: Arch in the Wrong Place

The arch goes 2/3 from the inner start, not in the center. Trick: draw an imaginary line from the nostril through the center of the iris — that's where the arch goes. Arches in the center make the face look round; arches too far out close off the gaze.

Mistake 4: Inner Edges Too Close

When the inner edges are too close together, your face looks angry and the nose wider. The distance between brows should equal the width of one eye. Mark the spot with a white pencil before filling — it avoids the visual error of the mirror.

Mistake 5: Drooping Tail

The tail of the brow should never end lower than the start. If it droops, you age and create a sad expression. To fix it: the tail should align imaginarily with the outer corner of the eye and the nostril, staying at the same height as the start.

Mistake 6: Not Setting the Hair

Doing brows without setting them = all the work disappears at the first touch. A clear or pigmented gel keeps the hairs in place and seals the product. The NYX Brow Glue is the most resistant; the Benefit Gimme Brow+ adds volume while it sets.

Mistake 7: Identical Brows

Brows are sisters, not twins. Forcing exact symmetry distorts the face because the two halves of your face are never identical. Work with the natural asymmetry — minimal differences (1-2 mm) are invisible to the human eye and far more natural than copy-pasted brows.

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