All you need is a little prep, priming and gel. Just amend the shade depending on whether you want them to look low-key, or bold enough for Instagram

The battle between the natural brow – groomed but low-key – and the Instagram brow – defined, polished, dramatic – has been playing out on social media for a while. Personally, I love a bold Instagram brow, since my eyebrows are naturally quite thick. This is how I get the look.

Step one

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Step one: brush the hairs. Photograph: Hani Sidow/The Guardian

Begin by brushing your eyebrow hairs in the same direction. My eyebrows are difficult to tame, so just brushing the hair out with a spoolie brush allows me to see which parts have gaps that need filling. The e.l.f. Duo is a good buy – it has a spoolie on one end and an angle brush on the other (Superdrug, £4.50). Make sure to brush through your brows after every step, to really blend all the products in.

Step two

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Step two: prime your eyebrows. Photograph: Hani Sidow/The Guardian

Just as you might prime your face and your eyelids to create a nice clean base, it makes a difference to prime your brows, too. I like to use the Benefit Cosmetics Browvo Conditioning Primer (Benefit, £23.50), because it prevents any subsequent product from sliding about.

Step three

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Step three: outline the shape of your eyebrows. Photograph: Hani Sidow/The Guardian

I outline the natural shape of my eyebrows, extending a little on the end to bring the perfect arch for my face shape – but this varies depending on the natural shape of your eyebrows and face. I then use the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade (Anastasia Beverly Hills, £19) because it has a long-lasting finish. The creamy formula glides on and does not dry out. I use an angled brush, to create the thin, hair-like strokes at the front of your eyebrows.

Step four

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Step four: apply gel and brush with a spoolie brush. Photograph: Hani Sidow/The Guardian

To keep my eyebrow hairs in place, I use the NYX Professional Makeup Control Freak Eyebrow Gel (from Boots, £6). This has a really light texture, which feels like nothing once it is on and does not dry rock-hard. I then brush this out with a spoolie brush.

Step five

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Step five: apply concealer. Photograph: Hani Sidow/The Guardian

The final step to elevate your brows from natural to Instagram perfection? Concealer. This will cover any hairs you have not plucked and give a perfect shape to your brows. I use foundation to clean up the top of my brows, then apply a lighter shade of concealer underneath to highlight my brow bone and fake a tiny arch. I use the Vichy Dermablend SOS Corrector Concealer Stick (Boots, £15), for lots of coverage.

And always remember the eyebrow adage: they are not twins, they are like sisters. If your eyebrows aren’t symmetrical, don’t worry.

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