When it comes to eyebrow shaping, opinions clash on what the best route is to eye-catching arches.  

According to Kathleen Halaas, cosmetologist and owner of Peaches Total Image Salon in Chesterfield Township, most people over-pluck and shape their brows in unflattering lines.

“The biggest problem I see in the salon today is that people over-shape their eyebrows,” she said.

Halaas said that the goal instead is to shape your eyebrows in line with their natural arch. Waxing or tweezing underneath the brow should not hack away at the natural arch rather clear stray hairs that fall beneath it.

Waxing or tweezing too much at the inner and outer edges of the eyebrow is another common mistake. To avoid shortening the eyebrow, Halaas recommends following the “pencil rule.”

Hold a pencil vertically along one side of the nose to find where the eyebrow should begin.  You can identify where to begin shaping by removing any part of the brow that falls on the side of the pencil closest to your eye. To find the outer edge of the brow, place the pencil along one side of the nose and extend it diagonally to the outer edge of the eye. Any part for the brow extending beyond the pencil should be plucked. To find the natural peak of the arch, extend the pencil from one side of your nose horizontally to the middle of the eye. 

Visiting the salon once every six weeks for an eyebrow wax will keep arches in top form for up to six weeks. Most brow waxing services cost about $14. In-between visits Halaas recommends maintaining your look by tweezing new growth of stray hairs. She says it is important to allow your eyebrows to grow out prior to a salon shaping treatment so that hair is long enough for wax to remove.

“If you want to maintain your brow shape at home, first visit a salon to get a professional shaping,” Halaas said. “It often takes several treatments to undo over tweezing.”

There are various types of wax on the market, but Halaas prefers to use soft, creamy types known to be gentile on skin and more effective at removing facial hair.

“Honey hard wax is less gentile on skin, so you want the cream version that requires strips,” she said.

The best tweezers are models that feature a slanted edge for removing short hairs and reaching under the curve of the brow. To avoid over-tweezing, Halaas also recommends using a magnified mirror and finding bright lighting.

Eyebrow pencils can be used to shadow or fill in sparse areas along the brow. Halaas said that brows tend to thin with age so filling them in with color can create a beautiful arch and actually make you look younger. She also opts for brow gel sold at local beauty supply stores to keep stray hairs in place. Gel should always be applied over brow pencils.

Coloring eyebrows to match your hair color is another common mistake with eyebrow maintenance, according to Halaas. She said that it is vital to keep brows one to two shades darker than hair color and never to bleach them. It is also vital to only use tint formulated for eyebrows.

“For many of my clients with grey hair, we tint eyebrows which defines their shape,” Halaas said. “A nice perfect arch can make someone look 10 years younger, it changes the whole shape of their face.”

Men also visit Halaas’ salon for brow maintenance. She said that about 10 percent of her waxing clients are men looking to clean up the area between their brows.

Halaas has been tending to eyebrows for the past 17 years after advancing her certification in the beauty industry. She opened her business about 21 years ago and decided to name it after her childhood nickname.

“When I was born I had peach-colored cheeks and my grandma used to say I was ‘so peachy.’ My family calls me peachy.”

Peaches Salon offers walk in waxing daily and is located at 31607 23 Mile Road in Chesterfield Township. For more information, call (586) 598-0040 or visit www.peachestotalimage.com.