Maths and makeup may not seem like the most obvious of combinations, but proportion is a main player when it comes to many aspects of beauty, as anyone who’s ever strived to master two completely symmetrical eyeliner wings will be well aware.
However, while many of us find ourselves longing for Mila Kunis’ feathery fullness or Eva Mendes’ razor-sharp arches, the shapes we desire often aren’t the same ones equipped to flatter our own features.
So, the question stands: how do we find our brow shape soul mate? Enter the ‘Golden Ratio’, the method specifically designed to prescribe each face its perfect brow.
marie claire caught up with the technique’s founder, celebrity brow artist (and the woman behind Hollywood’s favourite brow brand Anastasia Beverly Hills), Anastasia Soare, to find out more.
How exactly does the ‘Golden Ratio’ work?
“Beauty is about balance and proportion – not perfection,” explains Soare. “This is the cornerstone of Anastasia Beverly Hills, and it essentially means that harmony is found through this balance and proportion. By choosing a brow shape that corresponds to your features, it creates a sense of harmony. If you plaster on just any style, that harmony may be disrupted.”
“If you’re unsure about your ideal brow shape, this is the place to start,” she shares. “The three measurements of the ABH Golden Ratio Technique deliver the brow shape that best compliments your unique bone structure. 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.”
How did you discover it and decide to apply it to brows?
“While I was working as an aesthetician, I notice a glaring gap in the market – no one was paying attention to their eyebrows,” she says. “I had this stroke of inspiration that maybe the same Golden Ratio I learned about in art school could be applied to shaping brows, bringing balance and proportion to my clients’ faces. The concept took off, and I went on to open my flagship salon devoted to brows.”
Anastasia Beverly Hills Stencils, $37 at mecca.com.au
How can we incorporate the technique into our own routines?
“You’ll want to mark the three points of the Golden Ratio with a pencil and fill in your brows from there. Your routine and the products you gravitate towards will vary from person to person, whether you like feathered or defined [or] have five minutes or fifteen,” she tells marie claire.
“Each brow product is going to give a different effect. Pomade can create melt-proof brows and disguise areas of sparseness. Pencils are fantastic for both shading and fine, hair-like stroke details. Tinted gel is light and wonderful for those on-the-go, and clear gel sets your brows in place for the day. Ultimately, try a few and see what works for you and your brows. And if you have the time, developing a several step brow routine reigns supreme.”
