How To Match Your Eyebrow Color To Your Hair Color

When it comes to doing your makeup, there are quite a few areas you need to master. After learning how to color match your foundation and how to highlight, how to do brows should be next. In the winter our faces are often covered by scarves and gaiters to defend against the cold (and now protective face masks), making our eyes a big focus. Since your eyebrows can totally change your beauty look by framing your features, getting your brows just right is important for making the best impression. If you’ve recently colored your hair, you might be struggling to match your brows with your new hair hue (especially if you don’t want them to give away your natural hair color). But it doesn’t have to be a difficult process to do with eyebrow makeup—you just have to know the right techniques. So check out five factors you need to consider for coordinating your hair color with your eyebrow color so that you can get it right every time.

1. YOUR BROWS SHOULD BE DARKER

We hate to break it to you, but if you thought that your brows should perfectly match your hair, you might want to think again. In fact, your eyebrows should actually be darker than your hair color—unless your tresses are pitch black. This is what looks the most natural. So, if your hair resembles the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Créme Permanent Triple Protection Hair Color in Medium Brown, use the L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Waterproof Eyebrow Mechanical Pencil in Brunette to fill in your brows.That said, don’t go too dark though. Choose a color that’s only one shade darker than your mane to avoid a harsh contrast.

If you’ve decided to go platinum, note that bleach blonde brows won’t look natural and will hardly be visible. Stick to a cool-toned, blonde eyebrow pencil, like the L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Waterproof Eyebrow Mechanical Pencil in Light Blonde.

2. TAKE YOUR HAIR’S UNDERTONES INTO ACCOUNT

Just as your undertones play a part in what makeup will look best on your skin tone, they also have a role in how you should coordinate your hair and eyebrow color. You’ll want to choose eyebrow makeup that has undertones that match those of your hair color. This is especially the case for black hair—if your eyebrow pencil has warm undertones, it can make your brows appear orange. Simply put, if your hair color has cool undertones, your brow color should have cool undertones. For example, pair the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Créme Permanent Triple Protection Hair Color in Natural Black or a similar color with the L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Waterproof Eyebrow Mechanical Pencil in Black.

3. REDHEAD’S MAY FIND BROWN IS THEIR MATCH

If you’re a redhead, you may find that eyebrows identical to your hair color don’t look natural—and that’s normal! People with red hair may find that shades of brown are better suited for their brows. Just make sure to choose a pencil that has warm or cooper undertones to complement your mane. The L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Waterproof Eyebrow Mechanical Pencil in Light Brunette is a great eyebrow color match for someone with auburn-colored hair.

4. BLACK HAIR CAN GO FOR A SOFTER BROW

Like we said, your eyebrows should be darker than your hair color—with one exception. Those with black hair may find a deep black color to appear too harsh, depending on the look they’re going for. If that’s something you can relate to, you may prefer a softer brow. This means you can use a soft black or dark brown pencil to shape your eyebrows, instead of a stark black. Try the L’Oréal Paris Unbelievabrow Longwear Waterproof Brow Gel in Dark Brunette.

5. YOU DON’T HAVE TO ROCK GRAY BROWS

It’s understandable that if you have gray hair you might not want to sport gray eyebrows, and that’s okay. This light color likely won’t be as noticeable against your skin and will prevent you from getting that prominent brow look most of us desire. Instead, try an ashy blonde or brown pencil that’s one to two shades darker than your gray hair.

Next: 5 Reasons This Brow Pencil Should Always Be In Your Makeup Bag

There's so much pressure these days to have the perfect eyebrows. They've got to be thick but not too thick, arched but not too arched, and so on and so on… At the end of the day, it's only up to you to decide what eyebrow styles and products you like. That said, there are countless brow gels, powders, pomades, and waxes out there, all in varying colors and shades. It's hard to know where to begin sometimes. 

While no one other than you can ultimately determine what your brows should look like, we can make it easier to sort through all of those options with the help of a few professional brow experts. All you've got to do is pay close attention to a few of your physical features and be prepared for a little trial and error. Here's how to find the best eyebrow color for you.

Take stock of your hair color and skin tone

Although dark, bold eyebrows have definitely been highly coveted in recent years, New York city brow artist Azi Sacks maintains that eyebrows are never a one-size-fits-all (or one-color-fits-all) situation. New York City makeup artist Delina Medhin agrees: "Brows are so personal." That said, it's important to consider your unique hair color and skin tone before picking your brow makeup.

When picking an eyebrow color for her clients, Medhin first looks at their hair and skin color. Fellow makeup artist Tommy, also based in New York City, concurs. "I look to the root color of my talent's hair."

Courtesy of brand

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This seems like a pretty obvious tip, we know. If you have light skin and hair, for example, you might feel overwhelmed by a pitch-black brow pomade. Or if you have a deep skin tone, a light-colored powder probably won't appear at all. But it's a little more complicated than simply having brown hair and picking whatever brown eyebrow makeup is around. Thinking critically about the depth and undertone of a clients' skin and hair, Medhin explains, helps her determine how light, dark, cool, or warm their eyebrow makeup should be (more on that in a second). 

Observing the texture of your hair can also help you determine how light or dark your brow color should be, Sacks says. "This helps me gauge how intense or soft to go," she explains. For example, those with naturally dark and dense hair will likely be a better fit for equally dark and dense eyebrows. Folks with lighter or finer hair, on the other hand, might feel a “rich, dense” brow in a lighter tone look m.