Should I Be Plucking My Eyebrows?

“My other half keeps trying to attack my eyebrows with tweezers – is she trying to hint that I should be doing something with them?” Joe via email.

I think that’s more than a hint, Joe.

Firstly, I think you need to assess how violent the attack is (is she frothing at the mouth?) and whether she is in fact going for your eyebrows with that sharp piece of metal. Assuming your relationship is all well and good and you’re in no danger, next assess your eyebrows. Are they bushy and overgrown, or worse, are they just one brow? If you’ve never done anything with them, chances are your answer is yes. While a lot of men are now comfortable with dragging a razor across their nutsack, a fair few still squirm at the idea of performing some brow maintenance. If eyes are the window to the soul, don’t neglect the curtains. The most fuss-free way to tame bushy brows is at home. Start by using a pair of tweezers to remove any stray hairs bordering your eyebrows and in the middle (there should be around a thumb’s width between the two). The best time to do this is after a steamy shower when your pores are open and the hair follicles softened. Pay close attention to this bit: tweezering should only be used to tidy the surrounding areas. Don’t over-shape or try to create an arch or risk having brows look like two sperm cells locked in a staring competition. And don’t use a razor, ever. To bring the natural shape of your brows into line, take a comb and brush the hair up, then use scissors to trim any that stand longer than the rest. You should only look to cut around a millimetre off; if you’re unsure you’ve done enough, just brush them down and check. Again, less is more or you’ll end up with gaps. If you find that your eyebrows still look erratic despite your optical manscaping, use the tiniest amount of hair product (cream is best as its thinner than clay and less shiny than pomade) to weigh down and smooth out the hair. There you go, brows that look like a billion dollars – and no risk of losing an eye. — Luke Todd, deputy editor