And it's surprisingly common. We sat down with the ‘Eyebrow Queen’ and founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills, Anastasia Soare, to find out the questions she gets asked most
It’s a dream scenario - the chance to sit down with Anastasia Soare, the self-made billionaire businesswoman who founded Anastasia Beverly Hills and counts A-listers such as Amal Clooney, the Kardashians, Oprah and Jennifer Lopez as loyal clients.
Widely credited for being one of leaders of the ‘brow boom,’ the makeup mogul has helped shape the industry one product at a time with her patented ‘Golden Ratio Method,’ a face-framing technique inspired by the ancient Greeks and Leonardo Da Vinci (see her video below), forming the foundation of her approach.
Recently in London to conduct a customer masterclass at Selfridges (to celebrate the brand’s launch into the store), we thought it rather apt to ask her about some of the questions she gets asked most. From common brow mistakes to how to get the most out of her products, here’s what she revealed.
“What is the biggest mistake people make with their brows?”
Anastasia says: “Over-tweezing them, thinking that the thinner they are, the more they’ll open up the eyes.”
What to do: “This is a common misconception. To open up the eyes, use my Golden Ratio technique to create the illusion of longer eyebrows. Creating a thicker, longer eyebrow will create a much better arch and open your eyes way more than a thin eyebrow.”
Star products: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo , £24, and Brush #7B , £18.
“How do I contour?”
Anastasia says: “Begin by studying your face and asking yourself ‘Why do I want to contour’ instead.”
What to do: “When you first start contouring, you need to take the time to really look at your features. Looking at a picture of yourself provides a more accurate depiction than looking in a mirror in my experience. Use Instagram as a source for studying how to use products correctly because otherwise, you could end up with a result that’s the total opposite to what you want to achieve. It’s important to set an intention - as a general rule, light colours will enhance and dark ones will minimise and when used together, they can create a 3D effect.”
Star product: Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit , £42.
“Can I address droopy lips with makeup?”
Anastasia says: “Try contouring with a highlighting pencil.”
What to do: “We have a Pro Pencil highlighter which, when used to outline and contour the lips, gives the illusion of a fuller and lifted lip. First, use a darker cream contour or powder to create a shadow underneath the lip line (you can also create an ombre lip with a lip pencil too) and then apply the highlighter in the middle of lips and the corners of the mouth to lift the edges. It isn’t creamy so it doesn’t move. You can also use it to lift the eyes too.”
Star product: Anastasia Beverly Hills Pro Pencil Highlighter and Concealer Pencil , £18.
“How do I get the most out of my eyeshadow palette?”
Anastasia says: “Don’t be afraid to experiment.”
What to do: “I think women feel intimidated when it comes to makeup and so I always say this to them - ‘It’s just makeup.’ If you don’t like it, you can remove it and start again. Pick a day when you don’t have anything to do and experiment with some looks.
“Instagram and YouTube are great sources, you can watch all kinds of makeup application and be inspired. I’d recommend following someone who likes the same things as you do and looks a little like you too because if you follow someone who has a different eye or face shape, it’s hard to learn from them. Now Instagram has everything you could want. We do a lot of Instagram Stories and they’re really popular because they teach you not only how to apply the products, but how to use them most efficiently.”
Star products: Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina and Soft Glam Eye Shadow Palettes , £43.