Photo Credit: foreveramber.typepad.com
By Guest Writer Chaat Masala
Eyebrows, a universal desi problem. When did such a simple ornamental feature become so difficult. Now the battle here really is between nature and nurture. Because, as desis, we know that nature has endowed us with a veritable thicket of glorious browdom. And I say brow, because oftentimes the problem isnt thick eyebrows, it is thick eyebrow. This applies, of course to men and women. So naturally, there is a place for making yourself appear as though your ancestors stopped dragging their knuckles on the ground a couple millenia (or generations) ago. However, there is a fine line between tweezing the stray brows and well, leaving a fine line.
Reema Photo Credit: www.hipakistan.com
What you will notice is that some desi girls have a tendency to leave pencil-thin eyebrows on their faces. Personally, I always thought that was the purview of the evil sauteli ma (stepmother) characters with painted on eyebrows in Pakistan dramas, and well, Lollywood actresses (Reema comes to mind). As much as they may be the paragon of class, these pencil thin eyebrows, or painted on, have no place in the real world. Frankly, I don’t even know how the actresses do it; when the rain starts falling, as they dance around the tree in their white sari, somehow their eyebrows manage to stay painted on.
There is, of course, the other extreme-Kajol. We all know that two eyebrows are better than one.
Actually, a good progression of desi women and eyebrows may be Karisma (Karishma, whatever she is calling herself today) Kapoor. Now, when she started in films, she had her naturally bushy eyebrows, and looked kind of like a slutty chipmunk, or a man–really, either comparison works. Then, she went to the other extreme and actually started to look like a transvestite with painted on eyebrows. Now, she has progressed to a somewhat more neutral, feminine (relatively) eyebrow shape.
Photo Credit: celebrity-gossip- fathima.blogspot.com
Photo Credit: karismakapoor.net
Photo Credit: www.aol.in
Enough of the stars, you all know what I’m talking about. Now here is the most important part. Girls, even us guys know that you are naturally “blessed” with a few more hairs than you might need or want. Be careful as you tweeze. Taking one stray hair from here, then from the other side, then back to the first side, is a process that can lead you to look like Mrs. Potatohead. Moderation is the key. That, or hire a professional. Please.
[...] Lipstick Masala added an interesting post today on Male Perspective: What We Really Think of Your EyebrowsHere’s a small readingPhoto Credit: http://www.dailybeauty.co.ccBy Guest Writer Chat MasalaEyebrows, a universal desi problem. When did such a simple ornamental feature become so difficult. Now the battle here really is between nature and nurture. Because, as desis, we know that nature has endowed us with a veritable thicket of glorious browdom. And I say brow, because oftentimes the problem isnt thick eyebrows, it is thick eyebrow. This applies, of course to men and women. So naturally, there is a place for making yourself [...]
I want to hear about the MALE eyebrows – i.e. the unibrow!
I had a unibrow, until my mom took me to get them threaded when I was 12. Very painful yet very necessary experience.
Also love the alias, Chaat Masala!
Signed,
Dimples Masala
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this is such a witty post- why wont the person tell us his/her real name! well-written. and yes, we need a post on the unibrow. what does chat masala think of men who pluck their eyebrows? in italy all men do it- regardless of sexual orientation- but desi men are still wary of the plucking. i asked my husband to pluck his eyebrows (they are nice, but not perfect, like a woman’s) and he was aghast! why?! did i say smthg wrong? is that the equivalent of asking a woman to errrrrr…. lose weight?
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you know it feels so nice to know that men are paying attention to our struggle to fight the female unibrow.
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Interesting post. However, I do hope that you women notice that the entire subcontinent of South Asia is in love with Kajol regardless of a unibrow. While we men do appreciate the tricks makeup can pull,there are some things a tub of make up won’t help.
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yeah true but kajol is an actress with onscreen charm- – - how many men would go for a normal girl with a unibrow. natural beauty would you date a girl with one? you might say yes but in reality it would possibly prevent you from being attracted to her when you first met her. how about you chat masala? or any other boys?
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mr chaat masala, how much is too much? how little is too little? how much should we change to cater to yours or someone else’s idea of beauty, or what ‘looks’ right or ‘natural’. eyebrow shapes have followed the dicates of fashion like many other things. only a few years ago we were told that pencil thin is in and then now well endowed is in. but kajol looks good with or without her unibrow, karishma with her thin eyebrows, kareena with her totally natural, barely touched ones. frankly speaking lets see more men change their overgrown bushy eyebrows and unibrows, get rid of their dangling nose hairs and ugh, need we talk about their back hairs, the extra hairs on their shoulders, their ears, their necks, navels, etc, etc., while we’re at it lets have you rip hairs from the base of your head to plug that unsightly bald spot, manicure your nails, some laser hair removal for that gnarly patch of hair…..i mean how far are males willing to go to look appealing to the female gender. or are we expected to accept the male gender with all that they are naturally ‘blessed’ with?
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actually. i wish kajol would pluck her unibrow. she’s still pretty, but the unibrow? NSM (not so much). i agree, can men start grooming? why do heterosexual men think that they cannot pluck or wax? hair on shoulders? i had to make sure that was not the case before choosing my lifepartner! m-hm. i am serious.and can all men have regular mani-pedis? lots of men in pakistan regularly go to nail salons- which i think is great.
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@ disgusted
even though I agree with you that men need to groom too i dont see anything wrong in female grooming or societal requests for female grooming. i’m a girl and i find women with obscenely thin eyebrows cringe worthy.
and with all due respect – - if you are so tired with the way society dictates how you should look why are you on a site for beauty tips? aren’t you adhering to “someone else’s idea of beauty” ?
just a thought – - do you have the same principle on shaving your legs? or is your beef only with eye brows? cause technically it is the same thing. where do you draw the line at conforming to society?
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For those wondering on the status of chaat masala’s unibrow, it doesn’t exist.
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Great post very funny. Eyebrows are a huge problem…one wrong move (or pluck, thread,wax) and you can’t show your face in public for at least a week. It’s important to let your eyebrow person know not to try and make your eyebrows look like her other caucasian clients.
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MAAAAARS!..this is amazing…im hooked!…oh and i want to know more about applying eye shadow..and a 101 smoky eyes..pls….
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Thank youuuu! I will definitely do one soon, smoky is high in demand!
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what are the names of the two models in photo very top?
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i want to change eyebrow
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