The beauty entrepreneur reflects on her new book, ‘Raising Brows’
These days, risking it all to leave one’s communist homeland and head to the U.S. as a female immigrant with a dream is more daunting than it was when Anastasia Soare touched down in Los Angeles in 1989, ready to shake up the beauty industry. Today, the Romania native is better known as the Beverly Hills “Eyebrow Queen,” who helms an international makeup line and has reshaped a slew of the world’s most recognizable faces. On Oct. 21, her memoir, Raising Brows: My Story of Building a Billion-Dollar Beauty Empire, will be released from Penguin Random House’s Portfolio. It’s a book she says shows how “the effort and love that we put into our pursuits and relationships truly define our success.”
Credit: “Courtesy Anastasia SoareQ: What was the aha moment that came to you with the golden ratio method?
A: When I first arrived in the U.S., I noticed that women paid so much attention to their hair, makeup and nails — but the brows were almost an afterthought. While studying art and architecture, I had learned about the golden ratio, this timeless formula of balance and symmetry. One day, it clicked for me: Why not apply this principle to the human face? Eyebrows frame the eyes; they anchor your entire expression. Once I started sketching brows using the golden ratio as a guide, the difference was undeniable. Clients would look in the mirror and suddenly see themselves in a whole new light. That was my aha moment.
Credit: “Courtesy Anastasia SoareQ: What inspired you to write this memoir?
A: For decades, people have known me as the “Brow Queen,” but behind that brand is the journey of a young Romanian immigrant who came to America with a dream and $200 in her pocket. I wanted to tell that story honestly — the struggles, the risks, the nights I didn’t know how I’d pay rent.
Q: What’s your strongest memory of arriving in the U.S.?
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A: I will never forget stepping off the plane in Los Angeles in 1989. I didn’t speak English, I didn’t know anyone and I had no idea how to navigate this new world. But I also remember the feeling of freedom — that here, if I worked hard enough, maybe I could build something.
Q: What’s your idea of a perfect day spent in Los Angeles?
A: A perfect day includes time with my daughter, Claudia, lunch with friends at a little Beverly Hills spot — and of course some creative time at Anastasia Beverly Hills HQ.
Q: Do you have a brow-raising moment with a horrible client? We don’t need names.
A: [Laughs] Of course! Early in my career, I had a client who came in after shaving her brows completely off. She handed me a photograph of a model and said, “Make me look like this by tonight.” I had to explain gently that brows don’t grow back instantly. Instead, I shaped what little there was, filled in the rest and gave her a lesson in patience.
Credit: “Courtesy Anastasia SoareQ: You are such a fierce female pioneer, and I’m sure you have many stories about dealing with misogyny. Was there a moment that sticks out in your mind of overcoming an obstacle?
A: When I first pitched my brow products to big retailers, I was told, “Nobody will ever buy a product just for eyebrows.” Many times, I was dismissed. Instead of letting that discourage me, I doubled down. I sold products out of my salon. That moment taught me if you believe in your vision, don’t let anyone else define its value.
Q: Do you have a spiritual practice that helps guide your success?
A: I grew up in Romania, where faith was part of daily life. Even today, I pray, I meditate and I practice gratitude.
