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We get it. When eyebrows grow downward it can be a pain, especially since not everyone knows what you’re talking about when you bring up this particular beauty conundrum. Don’t worry, though. Rest assured we understand the qualms of downward eyebrows and especially when Asian eyebrows grow downward. In this post, we’ll explore why your eyebrows might grow down, or even up in some cases, as well as what to do about it.
Why Do My Eyebrows Grow Down?
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What Should I Do?
First off, relax. Though bushy eyebrows that grow down can seem annoying, the truth is that there are ways you can go about fixing this common problem.
You can start by checking out this great read “An Eyebrow Specialist Shares Her Tricks For Getting Better Brows” for general eyebrow maintenance advice.
The, you could also consider trying the following steps:
- First assess your eyebrow. Notice your natural brow shape.
- Do NOT pluck hair that has a root in the eyebrow, but pluck (or shave) around. Also, do not cut eyebrow hairs so that you don’t create patchy spots.
- Choose a slim eyebrow pencil. Draw where you want your brow line to be above and below. Be sure to draw the direction hair is growing.
- Next, spoolie your hair over. Take a brow brush and go darker on the outer tail with brow powder. Keep the inside as natural as possible. If you don’t need to use powder there, don’t use it, as your unpowdered eyebrow hair will provide natural looking fade. By adding powder on the tail, however, you are simply creating a better faded look.
- Using a clean eyebrow brush, choose a concealer that is closest to your skin tone and use it to “chisel” your eyebrows. This is the step that causes your brows to look shapely and defined, rather than bushy and messy, when your eyebrows grow downward.
- To chisel, go under your brow line with the concealer and over your brow line with your concealer. If you find that your brow hairs that point downward get in the way while doing this, gently push them upward and continue to draw a line with your concealer under and over your desired brow line that you created earlier. If you get too much concealer into your actual brow, patch it up with eyebrow pencil or eye brow brush.
- Lastly, and most importantly, once you’ve completed your eyebrows you can use a strong eyebrow hair gel to keep your eyebrows that grow downward in place. Be gentle to avoid removing your eyebrow pencil and powder. Do this with a spoolie. Remember, brow gels do not typically hold as well as hair gel, and for this reason, a strong hold hair gel (yes, a hair gel!) is the recommended method for keeping your eyebrow hairs in place.
*Pro-Tip: Too much gel will be too wet and too little gel won’t hold well. Experiment with the amount you need. Just a dab or two should do it.
Is It Normal For Eyebrows to Grow Downward?
Eyebrows that grow down are incredibly common and generally aren’t anything to worry about. Many people of Asian decent experience this phenomenon, though it can happen to anyone of any race, sex or culture.
If you are noticing other issues however, like eyebrow hair loss, there could be a natural explanation for it or it may be a sign of an underlying issue. If you are truly concerned about the general health of your brows, consider speaking to your local medical professional expert advice.
Should Eyebrows Grow Upward or Downward?
While many people might prefer for their eyebrows to grow upwards, that doesn’t mean that your eyebrows “should” be doing it.
Just like any other part of your body, hair and the direction of its growth will vary greatly from person to person. The trick is knowing the look you want and how to achieve that look while also working with what you have so that you don’t end up looking fake or unnatural in the process.
What Causes Eyebrows to Grow Upwards?
With all of this talk about eyebrow hair growing downwards, we understand that still some might have eyebrow hair that grows upwards!
While the cause of eyebrow hair growing upwards is unknown, if it truly bothers you, try using hair gel as mentioned before or brow cream to hold those unruly hair in place.
Try a slight variation of the technique mentioned above for eyebrows that grow upwards. But put more focus on chiseling the tops of your brows rather than the bottom for a neater look.
Can You Change the Direction Your Eyebrow Hair Grows?
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How Do You Get Your Eyebrows to Grow in the Right Direction?
As previously mentioned, there is no “right” direction. But if you want your eyebrows to appear a certain way, top experts recommend brushing your eyebrow hairs the way that they grow and forsake clipping them if you don’t know what you are doing.
Apparently, brushing your eyebrow hairs in the wrong direction, such as upward when they actually grow downward, and then attempting to trim them is a horrible mistake. When doing this you’ll encourage patchy hair growth and will miss out on full and lovely brows.
Another common pitfall when trying to change the direction your eyebrows grow is trimming, shaving or plucking too much of the hair beneath the lower brow line. When you do this, you actually encourage hair to grow downward even more, or at the very least, you’ll make it more noticeable. Instead, focus on your top brow line for a clean, neat and natural look.
Can I Train My Eyebrow Hair?
By brushing your eyebrow hair in the direction that it grows and using a pomade, gel or brow fix to hold them in place, you may be able to train your brow hairs to fall into a particular growth pattern, but this is not always achievable.
Do You Brush Eyebrows Up or Down?
Remember, always brush your eyebrow hairs in the direction they grow.
If they grow up, brush them up before trimming. If they grow down, brush them down before trimming.
When trying to groom them, brush them in the direction you want them to go. Use the steps mentioned earlier in the article to achieve the look you want. Also, use a strong hold hair gel to keep them in place.
Tips to Help Your Eyebrows Grow in the Right Direction
- Use castor oil if you are looking for additional hair growth
- Brush and trim in the direction of your brows to avoid patches. If eyebrows grow up, brush up and trim. If they grow down, brush down and trim.
- Don’t trim your eyebrows at home. Doing so can ruin your eyebrows and change the look of your face. So if you really want an eyebrow trim, you may need to see a professional.
- Use a “brow fix” to weigh hair down if you don’t have any strong hold hair gel.
- When using brow or hair gel, brush brow hairs with a spoolie. Then hold them down for a few seconds to ensure the hairs stay in place.
- Over-tweezing hair can make eyebrow hair grow down. Instead, try only tweezing what is needed, and this is especially true when tackling your bottom brow line. If possible, leave the bottom eyebrow line alone.
- Pull your skin taut while tweezing to make it less painful and so that you can see sparse hairs better.
- If you want to use a brow product instead of a gel to keep eyebrows in place try a brow mousse instead.
- Don’t wax your brows unless you know what you are doing. This is another area that may require professional technique rather than to be explored at home.
- Remember, try as much as you can to stick to your natural eyebrow shape. It may be tempting to completely and dramatically change the look of your eyebrows. The truth is that with a little shaping and grooming, your natural shape will likely suit your face much better than an unnatural shape ever would.
Want even more brow tips? Check out these great reads on eyebrow care!
Downward Brows Don’t Have to Be a Dud!
If you have downward brows or brows that don’t grow in the direction you wish them to, remember that you aren’t alone. There are plenty of tips and tricks that you can utilize to achieve the look you desire.
Remember to be sure to always do your best to maintain your natural brow shape. Use hair gel for the optimal home trick. Get the help and advice of an eyebrow professional for trickier jobs such as waxing or trimming.
Want more details about how to achieve the perfect makeup look? Check out our blog posts:
