To tweeze your eyebrows with slanted tweezers, work in good light after a warm shower, hold the skin taut, grip one hair at a time close to the root with the slanted edge flat against the skin, and pull firmly in the direction the hair grows. Remove only the strays that sit clearly outside your natural brow shape, and step back from the mirror every few hairs. Over-tweezing is far more common than under-tweezing.
Why slanted tweezers?
A slanted tip has an angled edge, so it does two things. Laid flat, the long edge gives a wide, secure grip on a hair. Turned on its point, the corner picks out a single fine or short hair. The angle also lets the tip sit against the curve of the brow bone. It is the standard shape for brows and the easiest to learn with.
What do you need?
- Slanted tweezers with tips that meet evenly
- A well-lit mirror. Daylight is best. Use a magnifying mirror only for the final check
- A spoolie or brow brush
- A brow pencil for marking
- A gentle cleanser, and something soothing for afterward
Find your shape first
| Point | How to find it | What it marks |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Hold a pencil straight up from the side of your nostril | Where the brow begins |
| Arch | Angle the pencil from the nostril through the center of the pupil, looking straight ahead | The highest point |
| End | Angle the pencil from the nostril to the outer corner of the eye | Where the tail finishes |
Mark the three points lightly with a brow pencil. If you like, fill in the shape you want to keep. Anything outside the outline is a candidate for removal. Anything inside stays.
How to tweeze, step by step
- Cleanse your brows and the skin around them, and wash your hands. Wipe the tweezer tips with rubbing alcohol.
- Soften the area. Tweeze after a warm shower, or hold a warm, damp cloth on your brows for a minute. Hairs release more easily.
- Brush the brows upward and outward with a spoolie.
- Mark your shape.
- Start underneath the brow, between the start and the arch. This is where shaping makes the most difference.
- Stretch the skin taut with your free hand.
- Grip one hair at its base, with the slanted edge flat against the skin.
- Pull in the direction of growth, in one quick, smooth motion. Pulling against the growth breaks hairs and can cause ingrown hairs.
- Work along under the tail.
- Clean up between the brows. Stop at your start marks.
- Be cautious above the brow. Remove only obvious strays well above the line. The top edge gives the brow its natural shape.
- Switch sides often. Take a few hairs from one brow, then the other, to keep them even.
- Step back and look in a normal mirror at arm's length.
- Soothe. Press a cool, damp cloth on the area, or apply a little aloe vera gel or a fragrance-free moisturizer.
A slanted-tip option
The Uexim colorful slanted-tip eyebrow tweezers have a slanted tip for precise hair removal and eyebrow shaping. They are available as single tweezers in pink, orange, blue or purple, or in 2-piece and 4-piece colorful sets, so check the variant selector for what each option includes.
How do you make it hurt less?
- Tweeze after a warm shower.
- Hold the skin taut.
- Pull quickly, one hair at a time.
- Avoid tweezing just before or during your period, when skin is often more sensitive.
- Take breaks, and press a fingertip on the spot after each pull.
Common mistakes
- Using a magnifying mirror throughout. Every tiny hair looks like a problem, and you remove too many.
- Tweezing from the top.
- Starting the brow too far apart.
- Grabbing several hairs at once.
- Chasing perfect symmetry. Brows are sisters, not twins.
- Tweezing every day. Tidy up once a week or so instead.
How do you care for the tweezers?
- Wipe the tips with rubbing alcohol before and after each use.
- Keep the tip guard on, or store them in a case.
- Do not drop them. Misaligned tips will not grip.
- Do not share them.
When should you not tweeze?
Do not tweeze skin that is broken, sunburned, irritated or infected. If you use prescription retinoids or have had a recent peel or laser treatment near the brows, ask your dermatologist first. Hairs growing from a mole should be left alone or trimmed, and a changing mole should be seen by a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
Do eyebrows grow back after tweezing?
Usually, over several weeks. Repeated tweezing over years can thin some areas, which is why restraint matters.
How often should I tweeze?
A quick tidy every week or two is enough for most people.
Should I tweeze before or after makeup?
Before, on clean skin. Wait a little for any redness to fade before applying makeup.
Why does my tweezer keep slipping?
The tips may be oily, coated in product or misaligned. Clean them with alcohol. Replace them if they no longer meet.
The bottom line
Mark the shape, tweeze from underneath, one hair at a time in the direction of growth, and step back often. Take less than you think you should.
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