Not only do most women want Angelina Jolie’s lips, but most of the customers who visit Ramy Gafni’s New York City spa (ramy.com) also covet her eyebrows. “It’s interesting, because she’s a good example of someone who does not have full eyebrows, but they’re very well-shaped for her face. She also fills them in with makeup,” says Gafni, a professional makeup artist with a long list of celebrity clients.

Foolproof Fullness

To Gafni, fullness, adequate shape and understated makeup are the three key factors that every woman should take into account when shaping their brows, whether in preparation for a wedding or not.

Fullness is indispensable for the classic, timeless looks that brides should attempt—unless she favors looking slightly retro in pictures a decade or two down the line. “I call it ‘fully actualized.’ It should extend from stem to stern, completely framing the eye, and be as full as possible with a nice arch,” Gafni explains.

A Killer Arch

The arch is determined by the brows’ natural shape, as well as the direction and amount of hair. In other words, there’s only so much one can do—even with expert help—but as Angelina Jolie learned, it is still possible to fake a more flattering configuration by resorting to a bit of powder.

“I’m a minimalist when it comes to makeup,” Gafni says. “Yet you have to use it for something like a wedding. In photos, filling them in subtly will make a huge difference.”

Find Your Technique

Gafni discusses adequate makeup techniques, as well as maintenance, during his 30-minute plucking sessions in his sleek studio. When it comes to the use of “plucking,” Ramy opposes “imprecise” waxing as much as he opposes “cookie-cutter” brow stencils for the same reason—there’s not much room for hair-by-hair personalization.

Another option is threading, a traditional Indian technique gaining steam in beauty circles for its low price (typically under $15) and speedy precision. Ideally, a bride-to-be should book the first of a few sessions six months before the event—since that would give her enough time to grow in the brows—and a final one a week to a few days before the wedding.

In order to achieve the full effect at home, Ramy suggests using a wax-based pen, pencil or pomade, “as opposed to a powder product that will not adhere for long and will disappear within the hour, or a mascara-type filler which doesn’t fill in between hairs and doesn’t give brows the desired intensity.” He recommends his Perfect Brow Wand ($28), a best seller at his studio, and suggests picking either a neutral taupe shade or a color that’s up to two shades lighter than your brows to prevent looking too made-up.

If all goes well and she follows Gafni’s guidance, the bride ends up with Cindy Crawford brows in the pictures, he says. “Now, those eyebrows are perfect.”