Dear Answer Angel Ellen: My husband and I live on the East Coast and we were on a driving tour of the Midwest. Strolling after lunch in a small Illinois town, I noticed a beauty salon that advertised in its window “ombré eyebrows.”

I had never heard the term. What are they and are they a thing?

--Lyla V.

Dear Lyla: Although I’ve answered questions about all kinds of eyebrow products, styles and issues, this was a new one for me.

Here’s what I learned: Ombré eyebrows, also called powder brows or ombré powder brows, are semi-permanent tattoos. They involve placing small dots of varying subtle shades of your existing eyebrows under the skin with the goal of making the brows look fuller yet still natural.

This is a treatment similar to the more popular microblading. Those also are semi-permanent tattooing, where pigment is deposited not in teeny dots but in hair-like strokes beneath your skin to mimic the look of individual hairs. The goal of both is to create fuller, more defined eyebrows. I dived into this topic and, honestly, the definition of ombré vs. microblading is murky. The permanence, or semi-permanence also is iffy in both cases. Cost? Easily $1,000 or more.

On Reddit, one ombré customer posted: “I’m freaking out!!!!” -- because the brows looked way too dark. That’s a risk in either treatment, although, in both cases, experts say they’ll fade and look more natural once they heal in three to six weeks.

Would I try either treatment? No way. I’d be terrified that I’d be stuck with a permanent (or at least months-long) problem staring me in the mirror every day. My advice is to ask for client references. Interview more than one practitioner. And proceed with caution.

There’s a huge number of temporary makeup products at every price point. I’d play it safe and try those first.

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I’m seeing fall fashion has moved on to winter coats and a style I like: heavy-ish woolen coats, button or a wrap-style with a tied belt made of the same fabric as the coat.

But the new thing that I like about these coats is a large scarf of the same fabric as the coat wrapped around the shoulders and tossed in a cool way over the shoulder. This looks to me like an updated variation on the basic coat classic.

But I’m wondering if this style will be hard to wear in real life. I live in a climate that has cold, sometimes snowy, winters.

--Kate Z.

Dear Kate: Here are some things to think about as you go coat shopping to check out this style:Is the wrap/big scarf attached or not? Will you be fighting to keep it wrapped in that stylish way if it isn’t attached? And if is attached, are you roasting in it on a cool but not cold winter day?A wrap style coat without buttons or a zipper? Doesn’t sound ideal in a windy snowstorm.Are you the type who chooses clothes and shoes that might be impractical but you’ll endure that because they look fantastic?And this is a big one: If you carry a purse, a backpack or tote you won’t be able to easily sling it over your shoulder. The wrap/scarf takes up that territory. Are you willing to suffer the consequences with a smaller purse with a handle or one that fits under your arm?Angelic Readers

Many of you wanted to tell your heirloom engagement ring stories, responding to the question from Kiya who wanted to give a treasured family diamond ring to her son who was going to propose to his girlfriend but the bride-to-be wanted to choose her own diamond.

JKK writes: “When my dad got my mother a new wedding ring on their 25th anniversary, she gave me her original diamond ring, which sat in my drawer for years. After her passing, my darling husband commissioned a jeweler to make me a bracelet using the diamond setting. I cherish this lasting gift from both her and my husband of 50 years.”

From Jeanne W.: “My parents passed away recently and I had all kinds of heirlooms from them. I gave my brothers my dad‘s tie tacks and cuff links to keep, even if they never wear them. I had my grand nieces (I don’t have children of my own) pick out some of my mother’s jewelry. I am close with my mother’s best friend and I have given her some things that were my mother’s, which she dearly cherishes. Kiya could have a piece of jewelry made from her mother’s ring and keep it for herself. And perhaps there are some other keepsakes she can give to her children that would be meaningful to them, such as a family recipe, a framed photo, etc.”

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