Eyebrow shaping has been around for centuries, and in the modern day quest for perfect eyebrows, too many of us have experienced some (often hilariously) bad brow-days.

From Stock.xchng user heidijean

If you are like me, then looking back at old pictures can be an eye opening experience. High school portraits and family photos bring back flooding memories of brow disasters. Like that summer when you decided to try the (almost always unacceptable) shave-off-and-draw-in method; Or the next summer when you made up for it by developing a phobia of all hair removal devices, and allowed your eyebrows to not only unite as one, but also let the other ends reacquaint themselves with your hair line.
With so many ways to go wrong with this delicate facial feature, it is no surprise that women worldwide have given up on trusting others with tweezers, wax, and dye near their face.

The best eyebrows are the ones that look naturally groomed, shape the face without overwhelming the eye area, and look so good, they go unnoticed to the untrained eye. Celebrity eyebrows that fall into the awesome category are those of Hayden Panettiere and Megan Fox, and ones that may need a little lesson in color theory, and perhaps tweezer intervention, are available for your viewing pleasure at this bad brow blog.

If you are searching for a product that will fill in the little spaces between your hairs without making you look like Princess Jasmine, either see an expert, or search for a brow filler that is the same tone and a few shades lighter than your natural brows. We all share the fear of looking like that heavy-handed makeup artist sporting Dracula brows, but with the right tips and tools, filling in your eyebrows doesn’t have to be so scary.

• For dark brown hair, a medium grey-brown shade is usually better than charcoal black (which is how you achieve the Elvira effect) or a chestnut brown (which can look way too red on most complexions).
• If you are blessed with scarlet locks, chances are your eyebrows are a less intense version of your hair’s red hue, so opt for a slightly golden brown, instead of a crimson shade fit for the circus.
• For blonde hair, there are 2 obstacles you must overcome

1. If you are VERY blonde and have white eyebrows, take them down a few notches by dying your eyebrows a light ash-blonde.
2. Blondes tend to have very sparse hair all over their body, so when it comes to eyebrow shaping, never over-tweeze, just work with what you have and only remove the completely unruly hairs that have no contact with the bulk of your brows.

• For truly black hair, a dark grey pencil/powder is a great option, and for darker complexions, the charcoal black looks natural.

If you are currently trying to re-grow your brows from an overzealous plucking session, the only advice I have is to wait; and for heaven’s sake STAY AWAY FROM MAGNIFIED MIRRORS. They make every hair appear as if it is miles away from the one next to it, and you could end up with a microscopic row of wisps when you are finished tweezing.

All in all, the best thing to do is to see a professional every other week, but if you must divulge yourself in at-home maintenance, try an eyebrow stencil to achieve the perfect shape every time.

Flickr user Jacklyn DL

As you might be able to tell from some of my other blog posts, I’m not exactly the biggest of beauty junkies. Don’t get me wrong, I do like makeup and feeling feminine but I simply detest spending time, energy and money on pampering. My makeup bag is pretty bare, not because I don’t need that much makeup, but because I have found my no-fail products that work double and sometimes triple duty- cutting down on clutter, cost and time. The MVP of my makeup bag? Eye shadow! There are so many different uses for eye shadow that with a few different shades and pigments, you could practically toss half of your beauty product arsenal! Read on to learn about them.

1. Eyeliner- Eye shadow is a great substitute for actual eyeliner, plus there is a far greater selection of shades! Simply wet an angled or pointed brush, dip into your eye shadow and voila—custom eyeliner!
2. Eyebrow pencil- Very similar to the previous tip, applying eyeliner, eye shadow may also be used as a great eyebrow pencil.
3. Blush- Red and pink eye shadows are not the most popular shades, but if you happen to have a color that suites your skin tone (perhaps it came in an eye shadow palette with various colors) it can be a great blush.
4. Lip gloss- Making lip gloss with eye shadow can be really fun and produce great results! Start with Vaseline on the back of your hand and start mixing in different shades of eye shadow until you create the perfect color
5. Nail Polish- This use of eye shadow was news to me and I have yet to try it. However, one of my cosmetically gifted coworkers told me about this little trick and swears that it works wonderfully! Simply mix your favorite color of loose eye shadow with clear nail polish to create your desired shade. Try a vampy burgundy or purple, one of this winter’s hottest trends!

Smokey Eye Makeup Image by Flickr user dreamglow pumpkincat210

of advice from the makeup pro? Smoky eyes are never a good look for school, or just about any day time function for that matter! Point taken. Her other easy to follow eyeshadow techniques have served me well over the past ten years. However, since it has been a decade (depressing) I grudgingly admitted that it was time to add a few new tricks to my repertoire. Eagerly, Lesley, my outspoken and cosmetically inclined cubicle-mate, offered some Amy-proof eye makeup tips.

Eye shadow techniques for smoky eye makeup

1. Prep your peepers. Apply a base or primer on the eyelids and brow bone, which will prevent the eye shadow from streaking. If you are in a bind and don’t have a primer, concealer will work too.
2. Apply a base coat to your lid and brow bone using a light and shimmery color. The trick to creating the perfect smoky eye makeup is to use contrasting colors, so using a light base will help accentuate the darker shadows.
3. Apply black, charcoal or brown eyeliner starting at the inner corner of your lash line and work outward. Don’t be afraid to go a little thicker on the eyeliner! Once you finish, smudge and blend the liner using a q-tip.
4. Apply dark eyeshadow onto the lid by beginning at the lash line and extending into the crease of the eye.Remember, the darker the shadow, the greater the contrast and the more dramatic the look.
5. Blend! The key to creating the perfect dramatic eye makeup effect is to seamlessly blend the colors together, using an allover eye shadow brush and blend upward and outward until there is no distinct line.
6. The final touch for the perfect dramatic smoky-eye look is serious mascara. Swipe on several coats until your lashes are as long and lush as you like.
7. Admire! You created gorgeous smoky eye makeup in less than 5 minutes!

Flickr.com user Geishaboy500

To transform your usual glowing skin to appear ghostly, it’s not just really pale foundation that does the trick, a really heavy smokey eye and dark lip will create that extra contrast for a ghoulish gaunt look.

Flickr.com user BinJabreel

You don’t need a professional makeup artist to go from fresh faced to feline, the cat eye is easy to achieve with some liquid liner and a steady hand. Just extend the liner out past the corners of your eyes and go over it with a smokey shadow to smudge away any imperfections.

Flickr.com user arianne...

Almost no fantasy make up look is complete without a set of false lashes. The trick is to put them on correctly right up against your natural lash line. This way they will look more realistic and will stay secure all night

Flickr.com user Jacob Motrasio

If you desire a more natural makeup look this Halloween,just glam up your daily makeup by adding some liquid liner and bright lipstick.

Flickr.com user Fotographix

The super smokey eye is a makeup trend that goes with almost any costume. These girls go for even more drama with pale faces and false lashes.

Being that I exfoliate on a daily basis, I am always looking for new beauty products to help me in my effort and apparently Hawaiian women turn to Sugar when wanting to shed dead skin cells. Raw Sugar is their exfoliant of choice. It’s not only natural but it also has antiseptic properties and is a mild Hydroxy Acid that has been used in skin rejuvenation for centuries. Sugar is also much gentler on the skin than salt since it dissolves quicker. A Sugar body scrub you might want to consider using is the ME! Bath Shower Sherbet. It looks good enough to eat – but please resist the temptation! Our sisters in Brazil rub coarse sand on their bodies to help with cellulite reduction while those in Japan opt for dry brushing. Dry brushing not only exfoliates the skin but also helps with temporary cellulite reduction. (I’ll write more about dry brushing in an upcoming post).

White tea sprinkled with orange tea flowers. White tea has become a popular ingredient in beauty products. Photo by Chashitsu LaSere.

One ingredient that has really become popular (and for good reason) in beauty products is White Tea. White Tea is one of the strongest antioxidants in the world and a long-time anti-aging skin care secret for Chinese women – now I see why Chinese women seem to have the most beautiful skin! White Tea also reduces puffiness & increases firmness around the eyes. It is being added to many beauty products such as eye shadows, moisturizers, lip treatments, and many others. The Global Goddess iDivine Eye Shadow is infused with powerful antioxidants from White Tea so you not only get a satiny eye shadow but you also get anti-aging benefits. Another beauty line that is a fan of white tea is Pur-lisse. Jennifer Yen, the creator of Pur-lisse, combines French skincare technology with her grandmother’s Asian beauty recipes. The formulas used in her products feature white tea and blue lotus in order to reverse skin damage caused by every day exposure.

Here’s one for those of you that suffer from brittle nails. In the Dominican Republic women use Garlic to strengthen finger nails. They chop it up and add it to clear nail polish. They let it sit for a week in the bottle and then apply it to their nails as a top coat.

In Thailand Tamarind is used in many beauty routines. In addition to lightening and brightening, it purifies, exfoliates, and cleanses the skin for a radiant look. In many Asian countries, light skin is considered beautiful. The Juara Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner is a must-try for those searching for a quick beauty fix (pun intended) for dull, tired skin.

Last but not least, the ladies in India use almond oil for just about everything! It softens and gets rid of dry skin. It is also used as massage oil for after a shower or bath.

These beauty secrets from around the world are definitely interesting and helpful. I love that in spite of our cultural differences, women in general are all in search of the same thing – beauty!

Do you have a beauty secret you like to share? If so, I’d love to hear it.