We delight in the beauty of a butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. Those are the words of the late great American author, poet, and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou. 

Many women take pride in their personal appearance, but ways in which to get the desired look differ depending on what one can afford and the style they want.

Looking good is not just about wearing cute clothes and fancy shoes. For a completely polished look, women need to stop ignoring some things they may consider trivial, like eyebrows for example. 

"Not everyone is a fan of trimming the eyebrows, but personally, I cannot go to the salon and not have them trimmed,” says 22-year-old Lorna Akazuba. "It is nice to have them well shaped,” she adds.

Divine Umuhoza, a student, says trimming the eyebrows is a good thing because it makes a woman look good. According to her, it’s not a pretty sight when a woman walks around with bushy eyebrows. 

Umwiza Iranzi Nadette, a businesswoman, says women have their eyebrows shaped because they look cleaner and tidier. 

Hope, a beautician at Ubumwe Salon in Kabeza, says that before shaping one’s eyebrows, they consider the client’s face and natural shape of her eyebrows. She also says that clients have their preferences; some want most of the brow trimmed while others prefer to remain with visible brows. 

"I have been in this business for a long time. If you ask me, I think it’s best to leave something on rather than have them completely trimmed. However, if a client asks for it, it doesn’t matter what we think, we do it the way she wants it done,” she says.

Janvier (not real name) is a beautician at Ineza Salon in Remera. He says trimming the eyebrows is something almost anyone can do. But he recommends that women get it done at the salon by experts. 

"An expert will do it beautifully. I get very many clients a day. It takes very little time and isn’t expensive. In salons, it is normally between Rwf500 to Rwf1000,” he says. 

Shaping the eyebrows is done in many ways like using razors, stencils, tweezers and others but according to Jose who works at a salon in Kicukiro, most people use razors which works fine but the eyebrows grow back again soon after. 

He says that the best (and most effective) method is by tweezing because it leaves a very smooth surface and it takes the brows a while to grow back. 

Aline Mutesi, a model, says that for models, shaping the eyebrows is required as they have to look good for fashion shows. However, not all of them do it as some have naturally well shaped eyebrows.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw