Patrick Ta is the A-listers' secret weapon. His beautifully sheeny skin and handsomely, groomed brows have made him one of Hollywood’s most coveted makeup artists. Just ask, Emily Ratajkowski, Shay Mitchell, Ariana Grande, Adriana Lima, the Hadid sisters and the entire Kardashian clan – all of whom have his number on speed-dial.
As far as his pro kit goes, Ta knows what works to get the absolute best out of his clients' features, which is why he’s collaborated with cruelty-free and vegan makeup brand, ICONIC London on a brand new brow innovation to up the ante in the brow arena. We tapped him up for his best tips for perfect brows and asked him to spill the tea on his latest project.
What is the most common mistake you see people making with their brows?
The most common mistake is that the product/gel they're using is too dark.
What are your top tips for making brows look more natural?
Less product is best! Only using product where needed will just enhance the brow versus over powering them. I tend to use an angled brush, using the brush with small strokes starting from the bottom of the brow and flicking upwards towards the arch. Then going from the arch of the brow to the bottom with the same technique will create an even more realistic hair look to the brow. I only apply where necessary so it can look as natural as possible.
How can we make sure we get our eyebrow shape right for our face?
Your brows should start at the inner corner of your eye, the arch should be directly above the pupil of your eye, and the tail should be adjacent to the outer crease of the eye. But, I find that if you have hooded eyes or a deep crease, when the brow is more straight it will give you more eye space.
How do we make sure we’re choosing the right colour for us?
I always go a shade lighter than the actual brow hair color, I find that products 9 times out of 10 are darker than the shade name once applied! I would always try the product before purchasing to make sure it matches.
How many brow products would you recommend using? I.e. pencil and mascara?
I think that just depends on the brow/shape/hair ratio. But, normally I use a pencil, powder, and finishing gel. Again, that may differ with each client, if someone has great brows already I may use a powder/pomade to create hair strokes and finish it with a gel/silk.
What’s better – pencils, powders, pomades, mascaras? Or do they work better for different things?
I truly think they all work better for different things. [Pencil’s tend to be best for filling and refining, powders are good for bulking out gappier brows, pomades are great for adding texture and definition and mascaras are perfect for keeping bushier brows in place, or giving sparse brows a brushed-up, fuller effect]. No-one’s brows are the same and every brow should be shaped/filled in for what’s best for that client/person.
What brow trend are you really behind right now?
I’m really into a fluffy brow, I love to see definition with hair strokes.
What innovation in the brow arena are you most excited by?
The ICONIC London Brow Silk, (£20) [which Ta worked on with ICONIC] is so major! This product works so well, it has conditioning agents and has no transfer/mess/residue. It’s also clear, so it works perfectly for any brow colour.[Taking the old Hollywood tip of setting fluffed-up brows with clear soap, this new launch pairs a silky balm with a soft bristle brush to condition and set brows in place]. Brow soaps and gels tend to move product, casting a grey shadow above the brow from product transfer or creating an unnatural sheen. With Brow Silk there’s none of that. You can set it and totally forget it. Once you have your desired brow shape, go in with the Brow Silk to set existing hairs as well as the product that’s been applied. My favourite way to use the Brow Silk is to wet the product with a spray of your choice (like Prep-Set-Glow), lightly coat the Bespoke Brow Groomer and brush through the brows. Brush up and out to create the perfect shape, then take the back of the brush and push the product into the brows to set the Brow Silk.
Who are your brow heroes (who has particularly gorgeous brow in your opinion)?
Honestly, so many people!!! If I had to name some – Kim Kardashian West, Taylor Hill, Candice Swanepoel, Hailee Steinfeld, Adriana Lima but literally so so many more!
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