The word of the day is unibrow.
A unibrow is the extension of the eyebrows beyond the top of your eyes that go from one end to the other in a continuous line of hair. Simply put, it’s two eyebrows combined into one single eyebrow, hence, the name “uni-brow”.
Why are we talking about unibrows? Well, it’s because this is the main reason why men prefer to shave between their eyebrows in the first place. Just try googling a unibrow and you will find a stream of unattractive pictures of men with a unibrow. Although some men can carry this natural style with ease, you will almost always find only the aged rocking this look. For young men and adults, well, it’s a different story.
Do guys shave between their eyebrows? Guys do shave between their eyebrows! It has become a necessary practice in men. Doing so keeps the face much more neat, kempt and socially acceptable for men. People who don’t groom are ridiculed at more than men who shave between their eyebrows.
Why do we have a unibrow, anyway? And why do people find it easy to make fun of people who have one? Read on below to know more about why and how you should shave between your eyebrows to attain the perfect-groomed look.
All Eyes on the Unibrow
The unibrow is an evolutionary feature that nature has bestowed to all humans. Whether its males or females, everyone has some degree of a unibrow. We as humans have even rocked the look for centuries. Of course, it’s also because we didn’t have proper grooming etiquette or the tools to look our best back then.
If we look at the history of people with unibrows, you would be surprised to know that there have been many celebrities who have sported a unibrow in the distant past as well. Some of them include queens, kings, politicians, musician and the like!
Heck, chances are that you might even know a distant relative or an old uncle who has a unibrow as well. It’s important to note that the unibrow is not caused by a defect in the human genome. It is, in fact, present in all humans to a varying degree. Humans have always been hairy, or rather, we should say, quite hairy. Hair has always been an evolutionary trait that has helped our very distant ancestors to keep warm when the concept of clothing oneself did not exist.
Nature has provided us with hair because it is a necessity and is quintessentially what makes us human but as time went by and due to other environmental factors, we started to clothe ourselves and even started to take up grooming as a regular habit. Thus, slowly and steadily, the amount of hair on our body reduced to what it is today.
The unibrow is the perfect example of our hairy past. It is a left-over feature that has carried forward via genes from generation to generation. You simply have a choice to either let it grow out or trim it but modern society has become hypersensitive when it comes to grooming and looking their best.
You have Hollywood and TV to thank for that. It seems like every other actor you see in tabloids, magazine or on the big screen is made to appear as the perfect human, in terms of their look and style. You will hardly if never, find an attractive actor with a unibrow. This is because modern society has no room for poor grooming habits. You will find that people will very easily ridicule others based on their poor grooming habits.
There are billion-dollar industries established just for male grooming. There is a huge market movement that has created the trend for men to keep at the top of their grooming game. We aren’t complaining, though. Keeping on a unibrow is a very personal choice. If you like it and can withstand the peer pressure, then keep it! But if you personally like a cleaner face and believe that you look best with groomed eyebrows then you should shave it immediately.
The Groomed Gentlemen and the Humble Unibrow
For people who don’t prefer a unibrow, there are many ways you can deal with it and keep yourself neat! The following are some of the ways that we recommend you go about shaving between your eyebrows.
- With a razor
- With an electric trimmer
- Hair removal creams
- Waxing/Threading
- Laser hair removal
The above list is in order of easiness and effectiveness. The lower you go on the list the harder and more effective it becomes to shave between your eyebrows, we’ll explain how in a bit. Let’s start with number 1.
Using a Razor
Using a razor is very easy and effective. The only drawback here is the chance of cuts. Also, the hair between your eyebrows can easily grow back in a matter of days or weeks. You will probably end up doing this often than the other methods on the list. Before you begin, make sure you have the right tools for the job. You wouldn’t want to shave with just any razor.
You will require the best razor you can find because of the location of the area. Any 3-blade razor with a lubricant strip on top can do the job. We highly recommend this Schick Hydro Sense Hydrate Razors for Men (Amazon). It features a skin guard and shock absorbent technology for a safer and smoother shave.
You will need to prepare your face before you begin as well. Wash your face with warm water two or three times and then lightly pat your face with a clean towel to remove excess water. Then apply any shaving cream or gel. A clear gel is highly recommended as you will be able to see as you move the razor. Place the razor just above the middle of your eyebrows at an angle that allows you to move up or down without trimming off the right and left eyebrows.
Lightly glide the razor down and repeat if necessary. Clean your face with warm water again and then inspect if the area has been properly shaved. A word of caution: although shaving is the best way to deal with excess hair. You need to give the hair between your eyebrows a little more time before you shave it again or you might end up irritating your skin. Avoid shaving there every day.
Using an Electric Shaver
If you have a lot of hair, then you will need to move to method number 2. An electric trimmer is probably the safest way for you to trim excess hair and then remove it using a razor blade. Do not attempt to shave with a razor first because there is a good chance that you might end up causing more harm than good.
For this step, you will require a quality electric shaver. We recommend the Braun Series 7 790cc-4 Electric Foil Shaver (Click to view current pricing on Amazon). Follow the same steps as method number 1. Prepare your face the same way and let it dry. Keep the trimmer at an angle and then slowly move it between your eyebrows making sure that you do not let the trimmer contact either of your eyebrows. After you have adequately trimmed the center, proceed to use a razor and follow the steps above.
If you opt for this method, then you will only need to use the electric shaver once. You may use the razor method for subsequent attempts as there won’t be that much hair for you to shave. Remember to allow the hair to grow back slightly before shaving the area again to avoid any discomfort or redness.
The razor and electric shaving methods are a great and easy way for you to manage the center of your eyebrows. But they lack effectiveness. The hair will grow back thicker and quicker as you don’t remove them from the roots. Also, it can easily cause irritation if you don’t do it right. Using a razor that way requires a lot of practice and you might not be able to get it right the first time you try to remove hair. If you mind the inconvenience, then we recommend that you try other methods as well.
Using Hair Removal Creams
Hair removal creams are another option you can try. These creams have been a part of a lot of peoples grooming arsenal because they are quick and effective. Just apply the cream, wait for a little, clean the area and you are done. But we should warn you from the get-go that this can be a very dangerous method. Hair removal creams are not to be taken lightly, especially when they are applied near the face. You should only attempt this method in emergencies. It would be much better for you to groom by going to a professional.
Waxing/Threading
If you have high pain tolerance, then we recommend that you opt for the waxing or threading method. Both methods use the same concept. Waxing will give you a much effective hair removal solution as the hair will take a lot of time to grow back. Whereas threading won’t give you that much time in between of shaves as compared to waxing, but it is generally a much effective method than shaving with a razor.
It goes without saying that all these methods should be tried with the utmost importance to safety. One wrong glide or movement can cause discomfort or unwanted hair removal. You should be very careful to not ruin your eyebrows in any way as they take a lot of time to grow back. If you are unsure about your ability to perform the center-shave then we recommend that you visit a professional.
Laser Hair Removal
Speaking of professionals, the last method on our list is the most effective and happens to be the most expensive option as well, costing and starting upwards of $350-$500. Laser hair removal is the hair removal solution of the modern world. This method employs the use of a high-powered laser which carefully removes hair from wherever you want. You will never feel any pain compared to the other options and it is super effective but there are multiple visits that you will have to book with your doctor in order to complete the treatment. The resulting look will last you a very, very long time. The effects can also be, in some cases, permanent.
The laser method is only performed by highly trained professionals and the laser system itself is guided via a computer so there is almost no chance of any error or human fault. Considering the cost, you should opt for this option if you want to get rid of more than just excess eyebrow hair. For example, book an appointment with your preferred doctor for back and chest hair removal and try to talk them into having your eyebrows adjusted as well.
Why Should it be Important to Shave between your Eyebrows? – A Summary
Shaving between your eyebrows and keeping up with proper grooming habits is what makes a boy a man and what separates a man from a gentleman. Even if you put society pressure aside, you should think about why you would want to shave the excess hair in between your eyebrows. If you do not like the way you look with it and if people have recommended you shave it, then it’s a good indication that its time for you to take care of it.
Not only that but having excess hair may also lead to more pimples as there are more chances of ingrown hair and can also cause you to accumulate excess sweat near your eyebrows which may lead to very embarrassing situations. Plus, you won’t get to groom your eyebrows, ever. Well, at least not without grooming the full unibrow as well. Properly divided eyebrows allow for individual eyebrow grooming where you can style and contour your eyebrows in any way you like without limitations. A unibrow will, of course, always get in the way of your styling and will also limit the way you can groom your eyebrows.
Even after all that, if you believe you look good with it despite what others say, then you should exercise your freedom or individuality and leave it be until you get bored of the style and want to try out new things. Just a word of advice, there is nothing wrong with having excess eyebrow hair but then again, there is nothing wrong with keeping an unkempt beard as well. Understand the idea we are trying to make?
Just because something is natural doesn’t mean you should let it go unchecked. The best practice would be to keep an eye out for excess hair and address it as quickly as you can. A gentleman keeps himself well-groomed and well dressed. Just imagine someone who has everything on point: the shoes, the tie, the jacket the works, but keeps his unibrow intact. We guarantee that nothing will matter in front of the unibrow. So, keep it groomed and stay neat, gentlemen.
