Some men over-tweeze their eyebrows, and it's just too perfect.

Hear the words of David Beckham, a man who stood in the gaze of nations and knew the weight of appearance: “Some men over-tweeze their eyebrows, and it’s just too perfect. Men are meant to have kind of a bushy brow. Too much aftershave is also off-putting; it’s one of my pet hates.” Though these words seem at first to be about fashion and grooming, they hold a deeper wisdom about balance, authenticity, and the nature of what it means to present oneself with dignity rather than excess.

The heart of the saying lies in the idea that perfection can be a flaw. The over-tweezed brow, sharp and artificial, loses the ruggedness that speaks of character. In the attempt to refine too much, something essential is erased. So too with aftershave—when used in moderation, it is pleasant, a sign of care and attention. But when applied in excess, it overwhelms, becoming not an ornament but an intrusion. Beckham reminds us that in all things, whether in style, in manner, or in life, balance is the path of true elegance.

The ancients knew this lesson well. The Greeks spoke of sophrosyne, the virtue of moderation. They believed that beauty was not in extravagance but in harmony, not in extremes but in balance. A warrior adorned too richly lost the dignity of his strength; a citizen perfumed too heavily became a figure of ridicule. The middle way—the path between neglect and obsession—was the mark of wisdom. Beckham, though speaking of brows and scents, echoes this ancient call to harmony.

Consider too the story of Louis XIV, the Sun King of France, whose court was famed for its excess. Nobles drenched themselves in perfumes to cover the stench of unwashed bodies, powdered their faces until they looked ghostly, and obsessed over appearance until it became grotesque. In time, this pursuit of perfection turned to vanity, and vanity to mockery. History remembers the grandeur, yes, but also the folly. Beckham’s warning against “too perfect” brows and “too much” aftershave belongs to the same truth: when the pursuit of beauty becomes obsession, it corrupts itself.

Yet the saying is not only about outer appearance, but about authenticity. The bushy brow symbolizes the natural strength of a man, the raw quality that speaks of honesty and simplicity. To strip it away in search of some polished perfection is to lose part of one’s essence. The same is true in all aspects of life: when we polish too much, when we mask too heavily, we risk hiding the very truth that makes us human. True presence is not in appearing flawless, but in appearing real.

There is also a lesson here about restraint. Too much aftershave is more than a scent—it is a statement of excess, of care without consideration for others. It suffocates rather than invites. Life itself is like this: when we overdo, we cross from refinement into arrogance, from care into self-indulgence. Moderation, once again, proves to be the quiet crown of dignity.

Thus the teaching is clear: do not strive for false perfection, but for harmony. Tend to yourself with care, but do not strip away your essence. Adorn yourself with fragrance, but do not choke the air with it. Be balanced, be authentic, and know that true greatness does not need the heavy mask of artifice. The bushy brow and the gentle touch of fragrance are not signs of neglect, but of wisdom—of a man who knows himself and is confident enough to remain true.

So let your action be this: in all things—your appearance, your work, your relationships—seek balance. Care, but do not obsess. Refine, but do not erase. Present yourself honestly, not as a mask, but as a harmony of nature and intention. For in this way, you will carry yourself not only with beauty, but with authenticity, and the world will honor not the artifice you create, but the truth you embody.