What Color Eyebrow Pencil Should You Use? (Or: I Have Black Hair But Have to Use Taupe, What Gives?)

A few months ago, I had my eyebrows done on the fly at an after-work beauty event—and they looked the best they'd ever looked. When I asked the aesthetician-slash-makeup-artist what she used to color in my brows, she showed me a taupe pencil. A taupe pencil! But I'm Asian, I have black hair! My eyebrows are black!

Fast forward to this weekend—I popped by my local MAC store to get a refill on my Studio Fix and wanted to check out their eyebrow pencils.

(I liked the Paul & Joe eyebrow pencil the original aesthetician recommended, but I wanted something a smidgen darker—and less gray.)

The makeup artist at MAC recommended the self-sharpening twist-up pencil in Lingering—a "soft taupe brown." Again! Taupe! PS I'm wearing "Lingering" in the photo, above, what do you think? Is the color okay?

Anyway, I wanted to get some expert advice on how to pick an eyebrow color—if not by hair color. I mean, left to my own devices, I would have picked black or dark brown—and man, you don't want to see me in black or dark brown penciled-in eyebrows.

"I always say to choose a color that is a shade or so lighter than the hair of the brow," says Ricky Wilson, the Dior Beauty Celebrity Makeup Artist. "To keep brows looking natural and groomed, I recommend going with a taupe that makes it easy to control the amount of brow you want.

"I love the Dior Brow Styler for this reason—because there is one universal shade that is flattering on everyone from blondes to redheads, light complexions to deeper skin tones," Ricky told me. "I use it on everyone!"

So there you have it! When in doubt, go taupe (there are lighter and darker shades of taupe—Beth told me she uses a dark blonde eyebrow pencil)—and when in real doubt, look for a universally flattering pencil color, like the one Ricky recommended.

What eyebrow color do you use on your brows? Do you use a pencil or powder? Tell us your favorite product recommendations in the comments! I'm dying to know!

PLUS...

· What's the absolute worst possible place to get a pimple?

· A fun eye makeup trend from fashion week that's totally wearable!

· A quirky new take on the cat-eye

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qLjApqauql6YvK570q2mq7FfrLWiwIycpqWnomKyurHBq6awZaCau6S1y2aqoael