You may not know this unless you do it regularly, but trimming your eyebrows and nose hairs can make a huge difference in your appearance.
If you think about it, you get a haircut regularly, you shave or trim your facial hair regularly… why shouldn’t the other hair on your head also get the same attention?
So in this article, I’m going to show you how to trim your eyebrows. My quick and easy method will get you in and out of the bathroom in no time.
Things You Need Before Trimming
Let’s start with the things you need to properly trim your eyebrows.
- Two overgrown eyebrows
- One index finger, attached to your hand
- Water
- One pair of eyebrow / facial hair scissors (Alternatives: a beard trimmer, or an electric razor with a trimmer attachment)
- Optional, but helpful: An eyebrow or eyelash brush
- Optional, but helpful: Eyebrow gel
- Optional, but helpful: A good set of tweezers
How to Trim Your Eyebrows, Step by Step
Step 1: Wet your eyebrow
Slightly moisten your eyebrow by placing your finger under running water, and then rubbing the eyebrow hair in the direction of the growth, so they get wet.
Step 2: Push the eyebrow hair up
Once your eyebrow is sufficiently wet (the hair is damp, but you shouldn’t be dripping wet), use the index finger of your non-dominant hand to push the eyebrow hairs up, in the opposite direction of the growth.
Better alternative: If you have an eyebrow brush, you can use that tool to do the same thing by brushing the hairs up, in the opposite direction of the growth. This will give you more control and ensure you get each hair the first time around.
Step 3: Trim with your tool of choice (twice)
Trim with your scissors any eyebrow hairs that go beyond the trim line created by your finger (or, if using the eyebrow brush, any hairs that are clearly longer than the majority).
After your first pass with the scissors, brush the hairs back to their normal position, and then back up again so they’re standing up, against the grain. This is just to make sure you didn’t miss any stray long hairs that need to be cut.
If you find any stray eyebrow hairs you missed on your first pass, trim those.
Step 4: Brush back in the right direction
Brush your eyebrow hairs back to its normal growth direction and position, either with your index finger or the brow brush.
All done!
Hop in the shower, or splash your face with some water to get rid of all the trimmed hair.
Also, make sure to clean up the sink! Wipe it down and rinse all the hair down the drain so anyone you live with doesn’t have to deal with your mess 😉
Optional Steps to Consider
Shape your brow with gel
Use an eyebrow gel to get fine-grain control over how your eyebrow is shaped. If you have unruly brow hairs, or you just want to make sure everything is neat and in its place, I highly recommend an eyebrow gel. I use the one from Stryx.
Tame those facial hairs—beard, moustache, eyebrows—with this combo gel and unique brush applicator tip. Super simple to use and keeps you looking nice and groomed.
Pluck any strays below the brow
Grab your pair of tweezers and pluck any stray hairs below the eyebrow, right above your eyelid. Avoid over-plucking and shaping the eyebrow because it can look overdone… you want to pluck just the stray hairs that aren’t part of the main eyebrow.
When To Trim Eyebrows
You can use this method at any time. It’s super quick and really easy. I personally prefer doing it before I shower, or if I need to shave / wash my face, I do it right before.
You will have stray hairs on your face as you trim, so you just want to wash or brush that off (assuming you’re not hopping in the shower right after).
FAQs About Eyebrow maintenance
Are guys supposed to trim eyebrows?
Yes. Just like the hair on your head and on your chin, your eyebrows grow, so they’ll need proper maintenance. A quick trim like what I described above is all you need to keep your eyebrows looking clean and neat.
What length should men’s eyebrows be trimmed?
If you’re using the method I mentioned above, your eyebrows should be trimmed no lower than the line parallel with the index finger (the finger you use to push the eyebrow hairs up, against the grain).
Can I use a beard trimmer on my eyebrows?
Yes, you can use a beard trimmer to trim your eyebrows. Follow the same steps I mentioned above.
After using your index finger to push the hairs up and against the grain, instead of using eyebrow scissors, use your beard trimmer to trim the hairs that have grown past the “line” created by your finger.
The ultimate tool to manage your beard, stubble, and body hair. The Beardscape makes an excellent hair trimmer and is perfect for any of your "manscaping" needs.
Technically, you can trim your eyebrows by shaving them with your beard trimmer assuming you have a long enough guard, but this is a different method we’re not covering in this article.
If you want to trim your eyebrows with a beard trimmer, go for it! But be careful because you don’t want to cut them too short. I’d suggest starting with a guard that’s longer and then working your way down to shorter and shorter guards.
The Brio Beardscape I use has multiple guards of varying lengths, so you’d be able to do it with this trimmer for sure.
It’s hard to tell exactly how long you’ll be shaving them down with a beard trimmer unless you have experience. My quick and easy eyebrow trimming method I mentioned above using your finger and facial hair scissors is much more foolproof.
Conclusion
I hope this quick guide about how to trim your eyebrows helped! Of course, there are several ways to get the job done. I just prefer this quick and easy method that I can use after I shave, or before / after I take a shower.
Have you tried this method? Or maybe you have a different one? Let me know. You can reach me on Instagram DMs at any time.
