Thick, bushy brows are a sign of youth. As you age, the natural ageing process thins the hair on the body whether it is the hair on your head or on your face. Even though we can’t stop time, there’s still hope. There are many restorative products that can help to bulk up the brows and repair overly-tweezed arches like brow enhancing serums and conditioning gels.

Alternatively, you can also create the illusion of fuller-looking brows with a brow powder or brow mascara to fill patchy spots. For a permanent solution, there is also microblading or brow embroidery that is similar to tattooing but uses a thin microblade pen to create a natural-looking brow that can last up to three years.

When it comes to your eyebrows, sometimes less is more. Overdrawn brows that are too thick and dark can look too harsh and heavy-handed.

As a rule of thumb, always stick to short, feathery strokes so you can build up the colour in a gradual way. It is also a good practice to take a step back from the mirror to make sure you haven’t gone overboard.

If you cut into the natural arch of your brows, you might wind up with a choppy, uneven, unbalanced look. Rather than trimming the edges, brush the hair upwards and use a small pair of scissors made just for trimming the eyebrows to trim the brow hairs that stick out.

To help you gauge how long your brow hairs should be, hold a makeup brush handle or a comb with a pointed handle up to the highest point of your nostril, then follow it up to your brow. This is where your brow should begin. To find your arch, hold the handle and point it to the side of your nose, angling it so it cuts through your pupil. Next, move the handle to the side of your nose and angle it to reach the outer corner of your eye to determine where your brow should end.

A brow that points down in the direction of your earlobes can cause the face to look saggy and make you look unhappy. To fix this problem, define the ends of your eyebrows first with short, feathery hair-like strokes that start from the base of your brow. Then, fill in the rest of the shape with an eyebrow powder (for a more natural finish) – working backwards towards the bridge of the nose.

To create a cohesive look, your brows and hair must work together. If you have jet-black hair, you wouldn’t want to have bleached blonde brows for instance.

That said, you don’t want your brows and hair to match exactly either because it will look unnatural. Consider buying a brow product that is a shade or two lighter than your hair colour. That way it looks more natural and less harsh.

A version of this article first appeared in Her World