Brow Beauty
Australian brow artist Jazz Pampling gives us the low-down on brow know-how
What is your definition of true beauty?
True beauty comes from within. Cliché though it may sound, who we are on the inside shows on the outside. Look after your insides, eat well, exercise, be positive and you will shine from the inside out.
What are you favourite beauty and brow products?
My favourite beauty product would firstly be a brow pencil, hands-down every time. I love the MAC pencils, which are fantastic. They are easy to use because the tips are small so they taper out really well; soft enough to apply but don’t move too much throughout the day. The colour range suits most people too.
After that, I would say a good brown eyeliner and black mascara. Currently I am using Living Nature products. I find their eyeliners last all day and the product is eco-friendly, which makes me very happy. I find brown eyeliner a much softer finish on features, yet it still gives you definition. I also love using my lipstick as a blush. It blends in so well with the skin and most lipsticks have a hint of highlight through them.
Why did you decide to specialise in the field of brows?
I decided to learn more about brows after sitting in on a Rae Morris master class. She spoke about brows so much and I definitely noticed that few make-up artists and beauticians really understood brows, me included. So I went on a mission to know everything I could. I thought I would hate shaping brows, but the opposite has turned out to be true.
What’s the secret to getting great looking brows?
For roost women, the secret to great brows is to stop grooming them. Leave them alone arid let them grow out. The 90s were not good to women. So many brows are over-waxed and badly shaped, therefore nine out of ten women need to let them grow out and start again. If you are determined to shape them yourself, I recommend pencilling in the shape that you want first. You are less likely to take off too much hair that way.
What is the current trend in terms of brow grooming and how have the trends and technology changed since you first started your career?
The current trends in brows differ from culture to culture. Currently western fashion trends are big, beautiful brows and this has been the case for some years: think model Samanatha Harris or Brooke Shields in Blue Lagoon. But you will definitely see a trend in some cultures for very groomed brows, like the Kardashians. Regardless of background, I love that so many people are now more aware of their brows.
Trends have not changed since I have been doing brows but trends change all the time. They have changed several times since the 1920s. I will never understand how we went from the beautiful shapes in Audrey Hepburn’s time, to the over-waxed, super-thin brows of the 90s.
There are so many ways now to remove hair. I believe you should find what works for you. Waxing, tweezing and threading are all doing the same thing. Please don’t laser your brows though, that’s a scary thought!
What’s the biggest mistake women make when it comes to brow beauty?
The most common mistake is definitely over-grooming. We are all guilty of overanalysing our features forever in a mirror. Those few cheeky hairs will be visible when you’re an inch from the mirror. If we all take a step back we will see what others see, which is not much. So please ladies, put the tweezers down and step away from the mirror!
What’s your pet make-up peeve?
Too much anything – too much blush, tan, foundation or crazy hair extensions. I love when people are creative and you see part of their personality with make-up.
What’s your own personal make-up philosophy?
Keep it simple. I love ‘natural’ everything in life; from the food that I eat to the make-up that I use and the brows that I shape. Let your foundation even out your skin tone, but don’t lose your freckles. Your brows should help frame your features, not be the feature, and use colours around your eyes that help your eye colour pop. I don’t want to see make-up, I want loses you.
Who is your beauty icon?
It would be Audrey Hepburn for her elegance and Miranda Kerr for her approach to healthy living.
Whose brows would you most like to go to work on?
I would love to reshape Kaley Cuoco’s brows from The Big Bang Theory. They are getting thinner and the arch is sometimes curved and sometimes straight. I would also like to shape the brows of Rihanna and Kristen Stewart.
