The right brown is rarely just brown
The short answer
I choose your brow color by looking at your skin's undertone, your skin depth, your natural and colored hair, your skin type, and the look you like. Then I blend and adjust the pigment so it heals to a natural brown instead of turning gray or red, and I start a touch softer since it's easy to deepen at your touch-up.
- soft taupe
- ash blonde
- warm light brown
- cool medium brown
- soft auburn
- dark espresso
A few of the shades I blend from. Yours is mixed just for you.
What I look at before choosing your color
- Your skin's undertone. Cool, warm, or neutral. This matters more than anything else, because your undertone mixes with the pigment as it heals.
- Your skin depth. Fair, medium, and deep skin all show pigment differently.
- Your natural brow and hair color. Including gray, blonde, red, and colored hair. If you color your hair, we'll pick a shade that works with both your natural color and the color you wear.
- Your skin type. Oily skin tends to soften and blur pigment, which can change how deep we go.
- How you like to look. Barely-there and natural, or a polished, made-up brow every day.
Why some brows heal gray, blue, or red
Every brow pigment has an undertone of its own. When it doesn't suit your skin, the difference shows up as the pigment fades. Cooler, darker pigments can shift toward gray or even a bluish cast on some skin. Pigments that are too warm can drift toward red or orange. Good color work is about choosing and adjusting the pigment so it fades softly toward a natural brown instead.
How I choose your shade
I blend your color and adjust its warmth or coolness for your undertone. I also start a touch softer than you might expect, for two reasons. Fresh brows look noticeably darker for the first several days, and healed color is usually much softer than day one. And it's easy to deepen color at your touch-up, but much harder to take it back.
Color for gray, blonde, and red brows
Gray brows often look best with soft taupes and gentle ash-browns that give definition without looking harsh. Blondes usually suit light taupes and soft neutral browns. Redheads tend to look most natural in warm browns and soft auburns. Your mapping appointment is where we test and decide together.
Choosing a lip blushing color
For lip blushing, I start from your natural lip tone and choose a shade that enhances it, whether that's a soft nude, a rosy pink, or a little more color. If your lips are darker or cooler toned, we'll talk through a plan, which can take more than one session to reach the color you want.
If you're remotely interested in investing in your brows to have a beautiful and low maintenance outcome, I highly recommend Natural Brows by Jenn.
I never thought I was the type to get my brows done (beyond a nice shaping and/or threading/waxing), but now that I'm freshly on the other side of having made the jump, I couldn't be more pleased! Technology has advanced such that tattoo brows now look like hair. And Jenn did a fabulous job of doing that and of color matching to my own hair. Plus...Jenn is lovely and fun to chat with. You'll make a new friend in the process.
So if you're on the fence, kick your legs over the other side and gift yourself with beautiful brows that take care of themselves.
You won't regret it. Thank you Jenn!
Common questions
Can I choose my own brow color?
Absolutely, you have the final say. I'll show you options and explain how each will likely heal on your skin, so you can choose knowing what to expect.
Will my permanent brows turn gray or pink?
Choosing and adjusting the pigment for your undertone is how I work to avoid that. All permanent makeup fades over time, and color refreshes keep your brows looking their best.
What if I change my hair color later?
Brows are usually chosen to look natural with a range of hair colors, and they soften as they fade. At a color refresh, we can shift your shade warmer, cooler, lighter, or deeper.
Why do my new brows look darker than the color we picked?
That's normal. Pigment sits close to the surface for the first several days. Healed brows are usually 30–50% softer than they look right after your appointment.