AARP Hearing Center
![Woman applying eyebrow makeup A woman applying various eyebrow makeup](https://aarp.widen.net/content/i8ntkdjykr/web/1140-eyebrow-animation.gif?animate=true&u=1javjt)
There’s a good reason many adult women have bangs. They’re ideal camouflage for the thin, short, weirdly shaped brows that are a result of natural aging, genes, hormonal changes and/or your very own pluck-happy tweezers. However, bangs or no bangs, plenty of us with challenged brows at 50-plus still covet a pair that are lush and shapely (including beauty editor me!). They’re not out of reach, thanks to a slew of options such as tinting, growth serums, microblading, lamination and, of course, brow makeup. Here are six solutions to brow-se:
![Angela Bassett and Sarah Jessica Parker Angela Bassett and Sarah Jessica Parker smiling on the red carpet](https://aarp.widen.net/content/18ikv2jvdc/jpeg/1140-angela-bassett-sarah-jessica-parker.jpg?crop=true&anchor=0,0&q=80&color=ffffffff&u=1javjt&w=1140&h=655)
1. Let brow powders and creams restore color and contrast fast.
“Powering up the brows with makeup quickly revives a sense of facial structure and expression,” says makeup artist and RMS Beauty founder Rose-Marie Swift. “Forget a heavily drawn-on fake brow and work with what you have to build density and restore color with a realistic look. Color contrast is essential. I suggest going back close to your original brow color when you were younger — even if your hair is gray or blonde. Brow powders are an easy way to fill gaps and reinforce the shape quickly. Every brow is different, but in general, you want to extend the brow horizontally with the arch about three-quarters of the way across before it curves to frame the eye. Powders are great for correcting and building up comma-shaped ‘tadpole’ brows — the ones with a bulge at the beginning and a curved skinny tail. I like to remove a few excess hairs from the bottom of the bulge to help straighten the brow and create a more modern stretched-out base for brow makeup.”
![Brow powders and creams RMS Beauty Back2Brow Powder; Morphe Brow Cream; Milani Stay Put Waterproof Brow Color](https://aarp.widen.net/content/d6sv0wcg73/jpeg/RMS-Milani-Morphe.jpg?crop=true&anchor=0,0&q=80&color=ffffffff&u=1javjt&w=1140&h=655)
I’m going to add that powders and cream-gel formulas allow you to shape the entire brow quickly, including bald or very sparse spots, without having to sketch in individual hairs, though you will need a firm-bristled brow brush to apply. Look for compacts and pots such as the RMS Beauty Back2Brow Powder ($29, rmsbeauty.com), the Milani Stay Put Waterproof Brow Color ($11, target.com) and the Morphe Brow Cream ($8, ulta.com).
![member card Image Alt Attribute](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/experience-fragments/uxdia-folder-structure/en/features/membership/inline-membership-promo/default/master5/_jcr_content/root/responsivegrid/container_copy/container/articleimage.coreimg.75.1140.png/content/dam/uxdia/membership-card-d-and-t.png)
LIMITED TIME OFFER: Labor Day Sale!
Join AARP for just $9 per year with a 5-year membership and get a FREE Gift!
![Andie MacDowell and Vivica A. Fox Andie MacDowell and Vivica A. Fox on the red carpet](https://aarp.widen.net/content/nykycf42tg/jpeg/1140-andie-macdowell-vivica-a-fox.jpg?crop=true&anchor=0,0&q=80&color=ffffffff&u=1javjt&w=1140&h=655)
2. Use a brow pen to fill in hairs that look authentic.
Brow pencils still exist, of course, but their updates — pointy-tipped pens that work like ultra-skinny markers — are really suited to mature brows that are skimpy and over-tweezed. They make creating hair-like strokes easier, even on bare skin, and they don’t budge, smear or require sharpening. The “slip” of pens on the skin makes them ideal for filling gaps at either end of the brow (where sparseness is typical) and require no artistic ability or fancy makeup skills. Notice as you sketch that brow hairs grow straight up at the beginning and gradually angle as they extend toward the arch and outer eye. Good choices include the Maybelline New York Build-A-Brow 2-in-1 Brow Pen and Sealing Gel ($15, cvs.com), NYX Lift & Snatch Brow Tint Pen Waterproof Eyebrow Pen in Brunette ($13, ulta.com) and CoverGirl Easy Breezy Brow All-Day Brow Ink Pen ($13, walgreens.com).
More From AARP
Brooke Shields on Life at 58: ‘There Are So Many Moving Pieces’
The model-actress stars in a rom-com, ‘Mother of the Bride,’ streaming on Netflix in May
Members Only: Lynda Carter Focuses on New Women’s History Museum
Pioneering female superhero talks acting, singing and her role in the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum
Rainy Day Outerwear Essentials
Don’t let spring showers dampen your fashion fun
Recommended for You