Meet… The Brow Twins

By Mary Chao
Photo by Matt Witmeyer

“Brows are meant to be sisters, not twins,” says brow sculptor and makeup artist Deborah Netti. It’s an interesting theory – especially coming from a brow sculptor who happens to be the semi-identical twin sister of the Brow Diva, a.k.a. Deanna Netti Cahill.

Netti Cahill has spent six years – the past four at her business at 3025 Monroe Ave. in Pittsford/Brighton – building what is now a national reputation for her brow work and her line of brow-enhancing cosmetic products.

Her sister’s theory is that a person’s eyebrows are meant to complement each other instead of being perfectly symmetrical. Now, Deborah is embarking on a business venture of her own, Browbiz, slated to open in August at 2450 W. Ridge Road in Greece, across from The Mall at Greece Ridge.

Is this the beginning of a brow war? No, the twins insist.

“Competition is good,” Deanna says, “I have a very successful business. Why wouldn’t I wish success – especially for my sister? I am thrilled.”

In fact, Deanna has referred customers to Deborah – people who live near Greece who may find Deborah’s location more convenient.

The two grew up in Fairport.

“She was like an extension of me,” Deanna says.

“There’s no closer bond than the twin bond,” Deborah adds.

For more than a decade, they worked together at their own company – Jumelle Makeup in Brighton. (Jumelle is French for twin.) But an article about eyebrow artist Anastasia of Beverly Hills changed Deanna’s life. She wanted to work solely on eyebrows and elevate it to an art, which meant breaking away from Deborah.

“It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make,” Deanna says.

Deborah continued working as a makeup artist and also developed the art of brow sculpting. Years later, Deborah wanted to rejoin Deanna at Brow Diva. But there wasn’t an opening. Deborah was devastated. But she now says it was the best thing for both to have their own business.

So who’s the better brow sculptor? No, not even that question can start a fight.

“We have our different styles,” Deborah says.

“We learn from each other,” Deanna says.

Mary Chao is a features and business reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle.