This Halloween, to help you get that fox eye lift look or simply to create a smooth base for your makeup, we are happy to share this excerpt about glueing eyebrows from The Art of Cosplay and Creative Makeup by Rainbowskinz.
Step by step guide: Glueing down eyebrows like a makeup pro
Glueing down your eyebrows is a technique that has been used in makeup for years. This technique is commonly used by drag queens to cover up their natural eyebrows to give them a blank canvas to apply extravagant eye makeup. Because my eyebrows curve down my face, I usually need to glue them down and shape them higher to imitate a person or character. If your eyebrows are particularly thick, you may need to layer on more glue.
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Step 1
Brush your brows upward using an eyebrow spoolie brush.
Step 2
Apply a thick layer of water-soluble glue over the entire brow.
Step 3
Go back in with the spoolie and brush the hairs upward again.
Step 4
Use the opposite end of the spoolie to push the eyebrow flat to the face and squeeze out any excess glue.
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Step 5
Let this layer dry. If you don’t own a hairdryer use a fan.
Step 6
Apply a second layer of water-soluble glue making sure to leave no gaps.
Step 7
While the glue is still wet, apply a generous amount of loose powder over the entire eyebrow.
Step 8
Firmly push that powder into the eyebrow and then remove any loose powder.
Step 9
Cover eyebrow in a layer of liquid foundation to blend into the skin.
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How to apply makeup over glued-down brows
Now that you’ve glued your eyebrows down, you need to paint them back on in the desired shape. Note that this is more of a natural eyebrow example as opposed to what you would see if you were watching a drag queen, for example, draw on their eyebrows.
Step 1
Place five dots on your face to mark out the desired shape of the eyebrow.
Step 2
Connect these dots using a thin layer of eyeshadow or eyebrow pencil.
Step 3
Use an eyebrow pen or a detailed paintbrush with face paint to draw on individual hairs.
Step 4
Work from the bottom up, applying a thin layer of eyeshadow to fill in any gaps.
Step 5
Use concealer to outline the eyebrow to make the eyebrow pop.
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Pluck, you look good
You’re done. One fresh eyebrow. Now you just need to match the other side.
Chris Peck, known as @rainbowskinz on social media, is a creative shape shifter with a makeup brush. Based in London, UK, but with a global audience, he creates amazingly creative and entertaining videos that showcase his creative makeup and body painting skills. As an influential face in the cosplay/creative makeup world, Chris has worked with brands such as PlayStation, Amazon Prime, Paramount+, Genshin Impact, and Saints Row to create sponsored cosplaying advertisements for new releases and also collaborated with the band Gorillaz.
Excerpted with permission from The Art of Cosplay and Creative Makeup (Rockport Publishers, an imprint of The Quarto Group, 2024) by Rainbowskinz. The Art of Cosplay and Creative Makeup can be purchased wherever fine books are sold. Visit quarto.com to learn more.