How to Get Dark Eyebrows at Home

A mirror and good lighting are essential when enhancing your eyebrows.

Your eyebrows frame your eyes and help draw attention to your face. If you have light-colored eyebrows, or if you've recently dyed your hair and your eyebrows don't match your hair, you may want to darken them. You can use makeup to temporarily darken your eyebrows, or you can apply an eyebrow tint for a semi-permanent result. To get the best result, use the correct products and application methods.

Things You'll Need

• Mascara wand or toothbrush
• Eyebrow powder
• Makeup brush
• Cotton swab
• Eyebrow pencil
• Hairspray or eyebrow gel
• Eyebrow tinting kit
• Petroleum jelly

Instructions

Using Makeup to Darken Eyebrows

1. Brush your eyebrows up and outward with a clean mascara wand or a toothbrush.

2. Apply an eyebrow powder that's at least one shade darker than your eyebrow hairs. Use a small makeup brush to apply the powder with light, short strokes in the direction of the hair growth.

3. Swipe a cotton swab over your eyebrows to remove any excess powder.

4. Fill in any gaps with an eyebrow pencil in a similar shade as the powder. Make short, light strokes with the pencil, following the direction of the hair growth.

5. Apply hairspray to the mascara wand and brush it through your brows to keep them in place. Use eyebrow gel as an alternative.

Using Eyebrow Dye to Darken Eyebrows

1. Purchase an eyebrow tinting kit from your local beauty supply store. Look for a tint that's at least one shade darker than your eyebrow hairs.

2. Mix the eyebrow tint according to the packaging instructions. This usually includes mixing a color developer with the color.

3. Coat the area around your eyebrows with a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly helps prevent staining the skin around your eyebrows and it makes it easier to wipe away spills.

4. Brush the dye over your eyebrow hairs with the applicator that comes with the eyebrow tinting kit. Leave the dye on your eyebrows for the duration recommended on the packaging instructions.

5. Wash your eyebrows with warm water to get rid of the dye. Keep rinsing your eyebrows until the water runs clear. Wipe away the petroleum jelly and pat your face dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Have your eyebrows shaped before enhancing them.

• Use eyebrow stencils to easily create two even eyebrows. Place the stencil over your eyebrow and fill it in with eyebrow powder.

• Always perform a patch test 48 hours before tinting your eyebrows. Apply a small amount to the inside of your upper arm. Leave it on your arm for 48 hours. If no irritation occurs, proceed with the dye job.

• Have at least two bottles of sterile eye-irrigating solution handy when tinting your eyebrows. If the dye gets in your eyes, use the solution to irrigate them.

• Avoid using hair dye to color your lashes. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, this can potentially damage your eyes and may cause blindness.

References

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Hair Dye and Hair Relaxers