Well-shaped eyebrows can make your whole face look polished -- even without makeup. Getting your brows in shape, however, can be tricky.

Tweezing and waxing are the two most popular methods of brow-hair removal. Here, the pros and cons for each to help you decide which to use:

• Precision. Because you remove one hair at a time when tweezing, there's little chance of winding up with too-thin brows or bald spots.

• Ease. You can tweeze anytime, so maintenance can be as easy as plucking one or two stray hairs every morning.

• Cost. A good pair of tweezers costs about $20. If you keep them well sharpened, they'll last your whole life! (Tweezerman will sharpen their tweezers, which sell for $18-$20, for free for life.)

• You need skill to shape your brows. If you're inexperienced at plucking, it may be difficult to create the right shape. Have your brows professionally plucked to start, then simply maintain them at home.

• Pain. Tweezing can hurt, especially if you're not quick on the pluck. To help ease pain, tweeze after a hot shower.

• Speed. Waxing is quick: Simply apply the wax, smooth on a muslin strip, and whisk away hair.

• You're hair-free for a longer time. Waxing can last from two to three weeks.

• It's costly. Most experts recommend against waxing brows at home. And salon bills can add up.

• It can be difficult to get the perfect shape, even for some pros. Once the wax is spread on, it's hard to remove from areas you don't want waxed.