Fix Tadpole Eyebrows With These Tips and Tricks

Let’s face it we’ve all had our share of eyebrow mishaps at one point or another. Overplucking is a pretty common problem. We all make the most mistakes when we first start plucking. That’s typically when we accidentally form the dreaded tadpole eyebrows. Some of us took longer than others to realize where we went wrong.

Tadpole eyebrows got their unfortunate name because they look like tadpoles. They are chubby in the front with a skinny little tail. Not the most flattering shape for everyone, but believe it or not they used to be in style! The 90’s were full of tadpole eyebrows or extremely skinny eyebrows.

Skinny eyebrows have been out of style for a long time now. At the moment thick, bold eyebrows brows are in. So you might stand out in a crowd with tiny tadpole eyebrows. Just like any other trend or fashion, we rotate through various eyebrow styles through the years. As a bonus, nowadays we also get to check out new eyebrow trends on Instagram like feather eyebrows, wave brows, and even braided brows. I’m pretty glad those styles stick to Instagram and don’t take to the streets very often.

Tadpole eyebrows are a result of over-plucking and being over-obsessed with your eyebrows. If you check on them daily or even weekly, there’s a good chance you have trimmed or plucked a little too much. Or way too much. Since eyebrow hair can take 3-4 months to come in full again, you might have to live with any eyebrow disasters for a while. Or you could try a few little tricks to fill them in and create a new shape.

There are a few rules you should follow when shaping eyebrows. Learning how to shape eyebrows comes down to learning how to tweeze properly. I want to give you a quick list of tips on how to get perfect eyebrows.

Don’t Overpluck

I said it once, and I’ll say it a million times. Eyebrow plucking isn’t necessary all the time. You can take long breaks between tweezing without your eyebrows going out of control. I know some people can be very particular about their brows. But if you’re going to get it done all the time, you should consider going to a professional and having them maintain the shape. That way you can avoid any urge to pluck too much.

Find Your Shape

Learning what eyebrow shape is the most flattering for your face is the place to start. It’s best to figure this out before you start shaping. There are a few different eyebrow shapes to choose from. If you would like to find the right shape for your face, I would recommend this helpful guide.

Use a Standard Mirror

Don’t use a magnifying mirror for eyebrow grooming. By looking at your eyebrows so closely, it is much easier to overpluck. You want to use natural lighting and a regular mirror. While you are plucking, make sure you look at your eyebrows the way other people would see them. So take a step back and evaluate a few times through your plucking process.

Trim Instead of Plucking

I used to make the mistake of plucking every single time I would groom my eyebrows. That is definitely not what you want to do. Instead, you should use an eyebrow tool to brush the hairs up and trim along your natural line. You can also brush them downwards to trim as well. Remember that this is a delicate process. Don’t trim the hairs too short or you will have an odd five o’clock shadow instead of eyebrows.

As I mentioned before, you need to figure out the right brow shape before you start grooming or filling in your eyebrows. Once you figure out what shape you would like to go for, you need to figure out how to groom them. You could, of course, go to a professional. But why do that when you can easily learn to groom them at home?

Find Your Natural Shape

First, you need to learn how to find the reference points for your brows. There are three reference points you need to focus on. You only need a makeup brush to find them! Place the brush on the side of your nose that corresponds with the eyebrow you will be shaping. You want one end to be touching your nostril, and you will angle the brush to three different points to determine where your eyebrow should start, arch, and end.

To determine where your eyebrow should start, angle the brush, so it lines up with the inside corner of your eye. For the arch, angle your brush across your pupil. You should sort of be able to see where your eyebrow arches naturally, unless you have already plucked them entirely beyond recognition.

Last of all, when finding where your eyebrow should end, you can use your brush to angle from your nose to the outside corner of your eye. Follow the line up to your brow, and that will be a natural endpoint. Keep in mind that this is more of a reference for those of you who will be filling in your eyebrows. If your natural eyebrow goes out further than this line, you should leave it be. Your eyebrows will thin out and get shorter with age, so you want to keep as much length as possible now.

I want to recommend a few different products, but I want to break them up into two categories. Everyone should determine what they think looks best for them. But I have a few suggestions you could start using if you are a beginner. I used to be too scared to fill in my eyebrows because they always turned out too dark. But after getting over myself and getting a color that was lighter than my eyebrows, things have been going much smoother.

Category 1: Skinny or Tadpole Eyebrows 

The first category is for those of you who have tadpole eyebrows or thin and patchy eyebrows. Don’t feel bad if you fit into this category because a lot of people have naturally sparse eyebrows.

Since you will need to fill your brows in more extensively to get the right look, you may need to use a sturdier product like a waterproof dip brow. That is because you are pretty much building new eyebrows on your face. You don’t want them to come off easily! A highly recommended product is Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow. It is waterproof and comes in a variety of different natural shades.

Category 2: Thick But Patchy Eyebrows

The second category is for those of us who have full or thick brows. Even people with thick eyebrows can have patchy spots or an uneven look. I fall into this category. My eyebrow shape isn’t even on both sides. My right eyebrow has a little dimple at the arch and is a little thin where it starts. I also look a little patchy because I have dirty blonde hair with natural highlights. So the patches I see are actually blonde hairs. If you fall into this category, you will have a less rigorous process, I only have to do a little touch up to make them look even.

For starters, you may want to avoid dipbrow products if you fall into this category. They will make your already thick eyebrows a little too intense. Instead, you can get away with eyebrow pencils or even eyeshadows. Maybelline New York Total Temptation Eyebrow Pencil comes highly recommended!

Most of us don’t want to bother with filling in our eyebrows. It would be so much easier to grow the hair in thicker and maintain the shape. But that isn’t possible for everyone. However, there are a few miracle products you could try.

Biotin

Taking this supplement will improve your hair, skin, and nails. Promoting hair strength and growth from the inside out is by far the best way to get thicker hair on your head, eyebrows, and eyelashes. All you have to do is take it once or twice a day as directed and you should start seeing results over time. As long as you are diligent, this will make a huge difference in the long run.

Castor Oil

Most people don’t know it, but castor oil has a ton of benefits. I won’t get into all the different uses for castor oil, but this is one you will be interested in. Castor oil promotes hair growth from the roots. It strengthens the hair when applied topically. All you have to do is rub some of the oil on your poor little tadpole eyebrows before bed every night. Don’t pluck for a few weeks. Before you know it, all those little baby hairs will start getting thicker and stronger. This magical product will help you achieve thicker eyebrows and eyelashes!

Tadpole eyebrows aren’t the end of the world. There are easy ways to fill them in with makeup! If you want to get rid of your tadpole eyebrow look once and for all, you will need to quit grooming entirely for a few weeks to give them time to grow. Once they do, you can use the tips I gave you to groom them into a shape you want.

There isn’t much to eyebrow grooming at all. All you need are a few tips, the right tools, and a steady hand. Remember to trim rather than continually plucking. That will give your hair a break and bring them back to their former glory. So say goodbye to tadpole eyebrows and say hello to a more natural look!