Love Bonang's brows? Celeb make-up artist reveals how to get the look

Make-up artist to the stars Muzi Zuma believes eyebrows are a powerful tool that can perfectly frame the face.

With a client list that’s included Bonang Matheba, Terry Phetho and Nomzamo Mbatha, Zuma knows a thing or two about crafting the perfect arch.

“As women, your greatest power lies in your brows. With the right brow, you can give your stance and feeling without saying a word,” says the self-taught make-up artist, who is on a crusade to end what he calls “eyebrow murder”.

"We need to get rid of the straight line, the geometric shape and other unmentionables which have sadly replaced many beautiful brows and ruined stunning faces out there.”

Shaping, says Zuma, is the most important thing. “Achieving the desired shape is the first step and threading works wonders for me. Waxing is a no-no because it can induce early wrinkles.”

When it comes to defining your brows with make-up, practice makes perfect. “It took me many attempts to master and be confident in doing my brows," says Zuma. "Don't give up - make-up wipes exist for a reason."

"Don't be too hard on yourself", he adds. "The gospel with brows, as any honest make-up artist will tell you, is that they aren't and will never be identical twins. BUT they must be sisters and so should bear a strong resemblance to each other."

As for finding an eyebrow pencil in the perfect shade, Zuma suggests you match the colour with the darkest part of your hair, or as a safer option, go for what looks most natural. "This of course depends on you. If, like myself, you are bold and daring, there's no colour that's too dark!"

HOW TO DEFINE YOUR BROWS, STEP-BY-STEP:

Zuma believes there are several types of brows one can create using make up. Here are his tips for what he calls his favourite, “the clean, graphic, striking brow”:

1. COMB

"Comb out your brows and use a clear brow set gel to keep them in place."

2. COLOUR

"Draw a line at the bottom and top of your brow and fill in between those lines, adding intensity of colour from roughly the middle to the tail."

3. HIGHLIGHT

"I am a great fan of natural highlights under the brow; using a concealer that's a tone lighter than your foundation works magic.

"Repeat the same process with the brush, but using a concealer that is your skin tone to clean and define the top of your brow (only if necessary).

"To achieve a natural look, use a spoodle brush to create a soft fade that builds and marries the point at which you started intensifying the brow colour."

4. EDIT

"Take a final look, edit where necessary and you're done!"

• This article is adapted from one originally published in SMag, a magazine available with the Sowetan newspaper. Check out the SMag online for more fabulous lifestyle, beauty and fashion reads.