Brow shape by face shape, and where your arch should be
Artists map three points from your nostril: straight up for the start, through the outer edge of the iris for the arch, through the outer corner of the eye for the tail.
The shape that 'balances' a face is mostly about the arch height and the tail length, round faces take a little more lift, long faces a flatter arch.
Brow shape by face shape
| Face shape | Arch | Tail | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oval | Soft arch | Natural | Already balanced; keep the natural line. |
| Round | Higher, more defined | Slightly longer | Vertical lift lengthens a rounder face. |
| Square | Soft, slightly rounded | Natural | Softens the angles of the jaw. |
| Heart | Soft, low arch | Not too long | Keeps the eye off a wider forehead. |
| Diamond | Soft, rounded | Natural | Softens cheekbone width. |
| Oblong | Flat, straight | Longer horizontal | Widens; a high arch adds length. |
Guidance, not surgery: the best shape is your own brow, filled and tidied to these lines.
Map it yourself with a pencil
- 1
Start
Hold the pencil vertically against the nostril, straight up. Where it crosses the brow is the start.
- 2
Arch
Pivot from the nostril through the outer edge of your iris (looking straight ahead). Where it crosses the brow's top edge is the peak.
- 3
Tail
Pivot through the outer corner of the eye. Where it meets the brow is the end.
- 4
Fill inside
Hair-like strokes inside the outline of your own brow; extend the tail to the point if it stops short.
- 5
Don't pluck to the map
Hair a little inside the start line or past the tail is fine. Leave it, just don't fill further.
The mistakes that age or harden brows
Over-plucking the head
Thin heads make eyes look closer together and the face harder. Fill the head, don't remove it.
Arch too far in
A peak over the pupil looks surprised. Over the outer iris edge is the classic spot.
Tail too low
A tail that drops below the start drags the eye down.
Filling too dark
One shade lighter than your hair for the head, your hair colour for the tail.
Find out for sure
Get your brow map drawn on your own photo
The free analysis reads your face shape and finds the three points on your actual brows from your selfie; Pro shows the full map on your photo with the outline that follows your own brow: where to fill, never what to remove.
Questions people ask
- Should my brows match each other?
- Sisters, not twins. Map both from their own nostril; small differences are normal and mapping shows exactly which side to fill more.
- How thick should brows be?
- As thick as your natural brow, filled. Trends move; a full natural brow filled inside its own outline never dates.
- Do I need a brow lamination?
- Only if you want brushed-up texture. Mapping and filling do most of the work.
Watch: brow mapping and filling
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Related guides
How we analyse: your selfie and quiz answers are read together and reported with a confidence level; the map and proportions are measured from face landmarks in your browser. It’s an AI estimate for choosing colours and placement, not a medical, dermatological or professional colour consultation. Sample faces on this site are AI-generated, not customers.