Beauty
WENKBRAUWEN ALS GWYNETH, MEGAN EN EVA?
Tonya is going to tell how to achieve that
Tonya Crooks is an artist with eyebrows. No wonder Eva Mendes, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Megan Fox have their eyebrows done by Tonya. With a background in the Art Academy, she started a side job as a makeup artist. It makes sense, as both involve proportions, shadows, colors, and filling in. It's actually the same kind of art. And artists know how it works, so we asked her about the golden rules of the eyebrow world.
The right tools
“In my line of The BrowGal, there’s actually everything you need to create the perfect eyebrows . Of course, it’s nice if an artist can do it, but it’s great to maintain it at home and have the perfect colors. You don’t always have an eyebrow artist next to you when you go to the gym or after a round of intense sex. So it’s important to have the right tools at home. Everything originated from the thought of the Art Academy. There, Tonya learned that symmetry is important, a clean canvas is the perfect base, and all tools must be incredibly sharp. So there are concealers to hide hairs, highlighters to create shadows, extremely sharp tweezers and scissors, and pencils with sharpeners, so you always have a very sharp point. Everything has been thought through, so you don’t have to do that yourself. It’s nice to focus on the artwork.”
Gemini
“Eyebrows are not twins. They are sisters. They belong together, but they are not the same. You should treat them that way, and that’s exactly why eyebrow stencils don’t work. See them as separate entities. Of course, with your face as a frame. That brings it all together.”
“Blondes can have just a bit more fun”
Waterproof
“Nothing is more annoying than eyebrows that hang on your cheeks after working out or are completely gone after a bike ride in the rain. You just need to be able to trust them. That’s why The BrowGal has a nice gel. You can swim with it, and you can also ride in the rain with it. Or sit for hours on a terrace in the summer heat. Ideal for vacation, and at least you don’t have to worry about your eyebrows.”
The perfect color
A good color is really very important. Tonya hates orange eyebrows. And too dark brows. “Also, keep it natural. The color you need depends on your skin and your original hair color. It’s a combination. You want it to match. Eyebrows should be as natural as possible, and you can play with your hair color. Blondes can have just a bit more fun. On The BrowGal’s website, there’s a chart that shows which color is best for you. Just a matter of making some combinations, and then a number will roll out.”
The shape
“A very important point. Always look at the shape of your face. You are an arch (your shape is more of a hill), an arc (rainbow shape), or a straight type. In those three, you can distinguish yourself. Always look at the original shape of your eyebrows. That may have changed over the years, or you might just be a dramatic plucker, so you really see nothing anymore. In childhood photos, you can at least see the natural shape. Then you’re good to go. Think of it as a GPS; if it’s not set correctly, you’ll never end up at the right point.”
Most common mistake
“Making your eyebrows too dark. People think you need to darken your eyebrows to have more strength in your face. That’s true. But too dark is of course not good either. And people often pluck way too much away. So bad. With a serum, you can restore that and give your brows a second chance. We have a serum with a special technology that really boosts hair growth. And what also really goes wrong is creating a shape that doesn’t fit the face. I can’t say often enough that you really need to look for a shape that only adds extra dimension to your face. Otherwise, it’s out of proportion.”
“That’s why I have a special eyebrow growth serum without hormones for ‘over-pluckers’ that you can also use for your eyelashes”
Men and eyebrows
“All over the world, women are very focused on eyebrows. In Korea, there’s a trend that everything must be very straight, but elsewhere in the world, women mainly want thick and good brows. In America, a lot of attention is paid to eyebrows because you also have the influence of Hollywood there. Eyebrows are just small things in the whole. The rest of the world will follow. Women might be a bit more obsessed with their eyebrows than men. Guys do well to join in; women want to be curvy (also in the brows) and men prefer straight.”
What is the worst thing you can do for your eyebrows?
“Removing too much in the middle. An eyebrow hair takes an average of 52 days to grow back, so be careful. That’s why I have a special eyebrow growth serum without hormones for ‘over-pluckers’ that you can also use for your eyelashes. But make sure it doesn’t come to that. Go to one of my experts for good advice and check out my how-to videos online.”
The baddest brows award goes to…
“I would love to get my hands and tools into Jennifer Lawrence’s brows. She’s really a stunningly beautiful girl, but her eyebrows could be a lot better.”
And the best brows award goes to…
“Then I’ll choose someone I haven’t done myself. Otherwise, it’s just too easy. I’m going for Beyoncé. She really has a good shape that fits her face well, and it only gets better.”
