eyebrows and eyelashes - any ideas?
eyebrows and eyelashes - any ideas? Dear All
Ok - I know this is trivial, but sometimes looking pretty counts!
I’m not one for make-up and now that I am completely bald and am about to lose my eyebrows and lashes, can anyone offer any tips?
What is the best eye brow pencil out there? I haven’t a clue and maybe someone can make my life a bit simpler and recommend one.
Also, what do you think of false eyelashes, or even semi-permanent lashes? Any ideas?
Thanks for listening to me.
Cheers
Teresa
Hi Teresa I am the same as you - hair all but gone, shaved it off last week. Had second FEC yesterday and know it’s the eyebrows and lashes next.
I have got an eyebrow shaper kit from QVC called Shavata eyebrow shapers. There are 4 different shaped stencils that you stick on and a double ended eyebrow pencil (2 different shades of brown) that you can use to fill in. I’ve not used it yet, but would imagine once you got used to it you could use the eyebrow pencil without the stencil. Once your eyebrows grow back you can use the inner shape to stick over you eyebrows and pluck round to get the shape.
Have seen posts that say that false eyelashes are very difficult to stick on when there are no lashes to stick them behind, but I have not heard of semi-permanent lashes.
Anita 
browzings Browzings are really good for creating eyebrows. You paint on a base, which is slightly greasy, then brush on powder on top, in a flattering colour. You can get the pack in different shades, I got mine via EBAY
I did try false eyelashes, but could not get them to stay on, so gave up on those, sorry!
Good luck anyway
Photoldy
Hi Teresa
I love your username - I assume you have two darling children.
I agree with Photolady that Browzings is amazing. It’s from Benefits and is available from larger Boots, Debenhams, etc.
Rather than order online I’d go in and get one of the girls to show you how to use it. The Benefits girls are great and mine sneaked me loads of little samples of eyecreams, etc. She’ll also be able to choose the right colour for you. It comes in three shades and I’d have gone for medium or dark as I’m dark-haired but she chose fair and she was right.
For eyes I used dark-coloured shadow and liquid eyeliner. It can be tricky to apply but gets better with practice. I also liked the Jemma Kidd Define Stay-Put Eyeliner in gunmetal (a nice smoky grey colour). It goes on like a khol but lasts really well. It’s about £9 but it lasts for ages as you can sharpen it. You can get this at Boots.
I enquired about semi-permanent make-up but they weren’t keen to do it while I was going through chemo as it’s invasive and your risk of infection is increased.
As far as I know semi-permanent eyelashes are extentions which are attached to your existing lashes so they are no use if you lose your lashes completely, as I did.
I was planning to have all this done once I was done with chemo but by that time everything was coming back. I’m three and a half months out and am happy to report a full set of brows and lashes and enough hair that I now need a little trim!
Lola x
Just a little oddity…I lost my hair on FEC but my eyelashes and eyebrows stayed put until I had taxotere - so I’ll keep my fingers crossed that yours stay put too!
Sprite x
I’d go for a free professional makeover with one of the beauty counters at your nearest dept. store, where they can actually teach you what’s what. Plus, it’s a nice treat!
OR if you aren’t comfortable with that happening in public, look into the “Looking Good, Feeling Better” days. My BC nurse referred me for one. They are basically make-up lessons for women with cancer (not just BC), so you are in a safe environment with people who know what you are going through. And the best thing is, you come away with a whole box full of hundreds of pounds’ worth of goodies from some big names (mine included Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Arden, Calvin Klein…)! It was so good that I followed their instructions on my wedding day the following year and the photos aren’t bad at all!!!
Happy making-up!
Mel
you might not loose them Hi Teresa
I bought big sunglasses, eyebrow pencil and an eyeliner in preperation and didn’t loose them.
While on FEC they still grew and I was plucking them as normal, then when I went on Taxotere my brows and lashes did thin but I made them look thicker with the pencil and wore mascara every day and eyeliner to make the lashes look thicker, which is very fashionable at the moment.
I know quite alot of woman who didn’t loose theris either.
Good luck
Debbie
I’ve been on FEC, and haven’t lost either my eyebrows, or eyelashes. My eyelashes have become very sparse (not much to talk about before to be honest). I have used false eyelashes, but they do feel quite heavy on the eyelid.
Headcovers.com Hi there,
although I have not yet started to chemo I am about to so have got myself prepared with wig, scarves and so on…
Anyway, a website I have found invaluable is an american site called ‘www.headcovers.com’. They sell a massive selection of false eyebrows and eyelashes. I opted for some lovely thick false eyelashes but didn’t fancy the eyebrows so I brought their eyebrow make up instead. It is awesome and far better than anything I’ve ever seen before. The prices are very reasonable and delivery is v.v.quick,
Hope this helps,
Kelly
-x-
When I was on FEC the last things to go were my eyebrows and lashes. I lost most of the left eyebrow and most of the right eyelashes, talk about a lack of continuity!
My left eyelashes went all long and spindly. One day I put makeup on and mascara on that side. I then put on a black bowler style hat as I was going out shopping. When I looked in the mirror I burst out laughing as I suddenly realised I looked like something from “A Clockwork Orange”.
I have BrowZings and use good eyebrow pencils - Rimmel do a great one which has a little brush on the cap, very useful for tidying any stray hairs. I find the best thing about this is not having to deal with facial hair for a bit, it’s been the bane of my life since my teens on account of being a brunette.
EYELASHES I went to the pub on Sunday to get nice and kettled. I put some false eyelashes on. Took me AGES as without some eyelashes already there they wouldn’t stick on. Now I am or was very used to false eyelashes remember Twiggy Mary Quant Cath McGowan. Well no you’de have to be in your fifties. Well got 'em on but when I got drunk they ended up flattened on my eyelid. Nobody told me probably daren’t. The moral of the tale yes have false eyelashes but don’t get drunk Love Eileen
I used a simple superdrug eyeliner in brown for my eyebrows. This was good while you still have only a few left but also looked more natural than a darker colour on me. Just needed a retouch during the day. Looked much more natural than a solid line, drawn more like individual eyebrows - if that makes sens?
Liquid eyeliner was good too. I couldnt find anything more worth using over my 3 months without eyelashes - this did a great job at framing eyes.
I dont think I ever went out without makeup on and got really good at drawing my own eyebrows!
Steph x
There’s a great American Website that addresses all these issues! Go check it out: lookgoodfeelbetter.org/
LL x
Hi Teresa
Just thought I’d add a bit even though you already have loads of great advice!
My eyebrows & eyelashes both thinned but never fully fell out whilst on chemo and since I finished chemo in Jan they are nearly back to normal.
I used a light eye pencil (from my sisters make up bag!) to give a bit more body to my brows & never went out without mascara. WHat I did notice was that when removing eye makeup I could sometimes pull the remaining delicate lashes out so I went & bought a really gentle camomile eye make up remover from the body shop which removes eye make up with no need to rub.
Good luck with the rest of your treatment!
Sarah x