7 hacks to help you achieve the most perfect eyebrows

Often neglected, eyebrows are central to framing your eyes and balancing your face. As we get older, the hair gets thinner and somewhat unruly, but thankfully we can overcome those obstacles with a few simple steps.

Before you walk out the door, be sure you've given your brows a little attention. Be it pencil, gel or powder, filling in sparse spots will go a long way toward completing your overall look.

1. Groom carefully
Through the years, brows have gone from thin to thick, and I guarantee that trend will reverse multiple times in your lifetime. Avoid overplucking your brows and focus on cleaning up strays at the inner corner and below the brow bone.

2. Determine where your brows should start
No one wants a unibrow; then again, spacing your eyebrows too far apart can look just as awkward. As a general rule, the inner corner of your eyebrow should line up with your nostril.

3. Outline with pencil first
There's a definite order to filling in brows, and wax or pencil products usually go on first. Use light strokes to create the overall shape, then fill in sparse spots lightly.

4. Use two different shades of brow powder
The brows at your inner corner can look heavy and fake if you go too dark, so use a light powder on the inner corner and a darker color from the arch to the tail.

5. Set in place with gel or clear mascara
If you spend a fair amount of time getting your brows perfect, you need to set them in place so they look good all day. Clear mascara makes an excellent substitute and cheap alternative for brow gel.

6. Create the look of a brow lift
One sure way to bring attention to your eyes is to highlight above and below the brows with a flesh-colored concealer. It will mask any scraggly edges and attract light to your features.

7. Treat your brows nightly
Keeping your brows in good condition will make them easier to groom on a daily basis. Using castor oil on them at night helps them grow longer and stronger.