eyebrows

While I find brow gels and pencils to be OK in a pinch, they tend to be a tad heavy and unnatural looking. That's why I really cannot go without a lighter-textured brow powder. Recently, when my beloved Anastasia Brow Powder Duo took an accidental tumble, resulting in about a billion little taupe-colored powdery pieces all over the floor, I really didn't want to fork over the $22 to get a replacement.

Instead, I headed to Target and came upon Maybelline's Ultra Brow
Brush-On Color ($5), available in dark or light brown (I chose the latter). Go with the darker hue if you have deep brunette or black hair, or also if you're a light-to-medium-toned brunette who wants to go for a darker brow à la Michelle Williams kind of thing.

While it's probably just best to find another use for the little brush that the Ultra Brow comes with (tile cleaner?) and let a better quality brow brush with a spool-y end be its stand-in, I found this product to be an impressive substitute. The texture's not too chalky or so powdery that remnants flake down your face, and I loved the long-lasting fuller, natural-looking brows I got with this powder. It's got neither a harsh or obvious finish, too, so even the most subtle among us should be pleased. Perhaps a few more shades added to the line would be nice, though.

Toddlers & Tiaras, what hath ye wrought, seriously? In this week's episode, a mother took her tiny daughter to the salon to get her eyebrows waxed. Why this even occurred to anyone as a feasible thing is unclear, but it's especially bad because, as the mother herself explains, "She had a bad [waxing] experience . . . the wax was way too hot and it ripped off her skin, so she's been kind of terrified ever since." We're pretty terrified, too. Here's the footage:

Ever been stumped by how those dual-sided eyebrow/eyelash brushes are meant to be used? Well, bat those lashes in confusion no more. Check out my guide below to discover what these multifunctional makeup tools can do for you, along with a few product suggestions.

• The flexible brush side: This bristled brush shapes and grooms eyebrow hair into place, creating a volumized, bushy effect. It's also useful for blending in previously applied brow color or prepping for gels.
• The solid comb side: This comb separates lashes and removes mascara clumps after application. It can also be used on the brows to give them a meticulously polished look.

More Ulta...

Much like it's said that the eyes are the windows to one's soul, eyebrows are the frames to one's face. And when it comes to grooming these face-framers, you might know how to pick the right shade based on your hair color, but now what's next? Check out a few indispensable tips on brow tweezing and grooming when you read more.

Supermodel Linda Evangelista once said, "No one is born with perfect eyebrows." But thanks to a profusion of eyebrow-enhancing products, achieving brow perfection is actually quite easy. The hard part often lies within choosing the correct shade, but I'm here to help.

Generally speaking, if you're blonde go one to two shades darker than your hair color; brunettes should go one to two shades lighter; and if you're a redhead, picking the right intensity and tone is key.

If you're blessed with raven-toned locks, however, a coordinating deep black eyebrow product can not only look too severe, but can add a starkness to the complexion as well. Instead, dark-haired beauties, smoke up. Think shades of charcoal, soft black, gray, almost black, and even mahogany, deep taupe, or dark brown. Better yet? Customize your shade with a multihued palette, like Brow Powder Duo in Ebony ($22).

Have you ever had your hair dyed a new color, only to realize that your brows were in severe need of a color overhaul? I've been there many times myself. Over the past few days I've been providing tips on what eyebrow shades work well for both brunettes and blondes, so now, let's take a look at redheads. Perhaps you've just colored your hair a lovely shade of auburn or you've been a natural strawberry blonde all your life. Whatever the case, when it comes to choosing the right shade of brow pencil, if you have gingery locks, you have lots of options.

• For those with lighter red strands — Look for eyebrow products in honey, camel, ginger, or golden-red tones.
• For those with medium red hair — Try out a reddish-taupe, reddish-brown, or a burnt sienna shade.
• For those with darker red hues — Use auburn, deep reddish-brown, or dark brown colors.
• In a pinch? — Go with a universally flattering taupe, or custom blend your own shade using a palette containing multiple hues, like Lorac Take a Brow in Auburn ($22).

When it comes to makeup, nothing finishes off your look quite like some well-groomed brows. We already know that blondes should go a shade or two darker when shaping and filling in their brows, but what about brunettes? Generally speaking, brown-haired women look best using a product in a shade or two lighter than their hair color. This way, the brows won't look too heavy or unnatural, and the skin won't appear washed out by a too-intense pigment.

Depending on the lightness or darkness of your locks, look for brown shades in hues that complement the undertones in your hair, such as walnut, deep honey, sable, golden brown, chocolate, cocoa, mahogany, chestnut, ash brown, or bronzed brown. When in doubt, go for a taupe shade, which is considered the most universally flattering color. And for the subtlest-looking finish, apply your chosen brow product using short, feathery, hairlike strokes.