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In beauty, eyebrows are big business. They frame the face, add balance and say a lot about times we’re living in. Just ask Anastasia Soare, arguably the most influential figure when it comes to the full, groomed and defined brow we know (and desperately want) today. To say Soare is a beauty icon would be putting it lightly. She did Oprah’s brows live on television once. She’s responsible for Kim and Kendall’s perfect arches. Her product line, Anastasia Beverly Hills, is one of the most profitable brands in the business. Essentially, she’s the original brow influencer.
Soare’s backstory is one that’s interesting and non-linear. She decamped from her native Romania to sunny Los Angeles back in the early ‘90s where she worked as an aesthetician. During this time she couldn’t stop thinking about brows and how a better shape could change the overall aesthetic of her client’s faces. She also noticed they were’t afforded the same attention skin, nails and hair were. She saw a gap, and set out to fill it (literally and figuratively).
A turning point in Soare’s early career was the development of what she calls the “Golden Ratio”. According to Soare, brows should begin directly above the middle of your nostrils, end where the corner of the nostril connects with the outer corner of the eye, and the highest point of the arch should connect the middle of the tip of the nose with the middle of the iris.
This mathematical quantification of the perfect brow was based on her learnings at art school – in fact it was the same scientific principle Leonardo DaVinci used when sketching human anatomy. It was as if art, science and beauty had collided and the resulting effect was revolutionary. Soare’s work took off and her Beverly Hills clinic soon played host to the who’s who of Hollywood. Her first big client was (just casually) Cindy Crawford, followed not long after by Jennifer Lopez and eventually, the Kardashian family.
Now, Soare is the world’s most in-demand brow artist and the CEO of her eponymous label. To celebrate a recent launch (the ABH Brow Pen) I was afforded the opportunity to jump on Zoom with Soare herself. I was nervous – she is a BIG deal. I’ve also been buying her products since I could afford luxury makeup. But at her home in Los Angeles she’s warm, informed and incredibly generous with her time. She had given my brows a once-over on social the night before and came to the call armed with a stack of techniques and product recommendations that would work uniquely for me – a woman truly after my own heart. We spent 20 minutes in her at-home brow studio (I know, I’m also jealous) talking through her thoughts on proportion, layering, and illusion to give anyone and everyone (me included) the best brows of their life. Beauty bucket-list stuff right here, people.
Watch some of the interview below:
There’s multiple pearls of wisdom above, but my main takeaways were to always map out the beginning, middle and end of my brow and follow this shape. Layering products is also key for a brow that looks full and multi-dimensional (our faces aren’t flat). For me, I’ve got thickness but gaps, so layering a pomade directly onto skin (it sticks), followed by a skinny crayon to add the illusion of more hair and finally a gel to fluff and set is the perfect holy trinity. The other key is to continuously brush product through with a spoolie so that it becomes one with your face. Rules to live by!
We wrapped the call because Soare was headed to do Kendall Jenner’s brows before a shoot (as you do). Meanwhile, I’m still reeling at the most significant beauty tutorial I’ve ever taken part in.
SHOP THE LOOK:
ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS brow pen, $41. shop now
This pen is superfine and generous in pigment, so best used for brows that require significant volume. It also adheres well to both skin and hair.
ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Brush #12. shop now
The perfect angled brush and spoolie combo – pair it with the Dipbrow Pomade below.
ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Dipbrow Gel, $32. shop now
A tinted gel that deposits colour to brow hair and gives incredible (but natural-looking) hold. If you like a simple approach, this is perfect.
ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Dipbrow Pomade, $33. shop now
Dipbrow is iconic and for good reason. It’s a pomade that works to map out the perfect brow and fill in gaps, holes or spare areas. It stays put, so you can rest easy knowing your brows wont fade come 3 p.m.
ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Brow Wiz, $43. shop now
Celebrity favourite Brow Wiz is hugely popular because it’s incredibly easy to use. The precise crayon tip is perfectly designed to mimic the look of natural brows. Just add tiny strokes where needed.
