Eyebrow Trends Through the Years
By Sophia Zevallos
Eyebrow Trends Through the Years
By Sophia Zevallos
Fashion and beauty trends go beyond the latest cut of jeans or eyeshadow palette. Our eyebrow trends evolve and change just as quickly. Who remembers the thin pencil over tweezed eyebrows of the 90s? We’ve transitioned from plucking our brows into almost nonexistence to begging them to grow back to their original full glory.
Some trends lasted much longer than others, and some continue to make a comeback. Eyebrow trends have shaped our faces through the decades. From the ultra-thin to ultimate arch, let’s go back through time and look at some of the most popular eyebrow trends over the years.
The 1920s
Eyebrow trends truly started to get noticed in the 1920s when print and film became more available. Eyebrow trends truly started to get noticed in the 1920s when print and film became more available. One actress, Clara Bow, revolutionized the thin eyebrows trend. She inspired many young flapper girls during the 20s to adorn in a similar style. Flappers were known for pushing the status quo with their shorter dresses, bobbed hair, and love of jazz music. It’s only logic that their brows would make a bold statement, as well. During this time, eyebrows focused less on the arch, and more on the length. Using a pencil, flappers would sketch a bold, yet skinny, line that often extended to the temples.
THE 1930s
The drawn-on brows continued to be popular throughout the 30s, but the arch became more pronounced and upward rounded arched. The brows were still thin, but they were a little sharper than the previous decade, which lifted the face. The highest point of these arches tended to be directly over the pupil, which made the brow appear higher.
Although brows were beginning to be more put together, one woman cemented herself as the unruly brow queen. Frida Kahlo took the world by storm with her vibrantly colored self-portraits.
She is still revered as a feminist icon by today’s generation. Frida was also known for her joint eyebrows and mustache that she refused to groom. Her unkept facial hair showed a male aspect to her personality. The 20s and 30s both ushered in the notion that beauty does not always have to be conventional. Bravo, Frida!
The 1940s
World War II caused women to work outside the home as the men fought on the frontlines. Beauty during this time was understated. A more natural look came into style after decades of grandiose!
Brows throughout the 40s were full and natural yet still very much shaped. With men out at war, women had to take on more traditional male roles, paving the way for thicker natural brows that went well with the Rosie the Riveter mentality. Women were embracing their natural brows that aimed to soften their features.
The 1950s
Squared, bold, and neat: these are the defining traits of 1950’s eyebrows. Who better exemplifies this than the legendary Marilyn Monroe? This era saw a wave of particularly grooming brows to give a perfect American Bombshell look.
Thanks to Marilyn Monroe, arched groomed brows became the primary trend of the 1950s. Marilyn helped usher in the prominent sultry arched brow that was bold and mysterious. The shape tended to be more squared with a high pointed arch, highlighted by the growing popularity of using pencils or eyeshadow to make darker brows.
The 1960s
More than one trend made its way into this era. Hollywood introduced us to Dutch actress, Audrey Hepburn, in the early 1960s. Audrey is regarded as a timeless and classic beauty who had thick, full, natural brows, with a slight arch. Her eyebrows were even over-lined at the arch to give them a fuller width. Women began to mimic the bold and dark look throughout the 1960s.
Towards the end of the 60s, beauty trends veered into more eclectic territory. Twiggy emerged as the face of the late 60s. This pop culture icon sported rounded arches and a long brow tail to help offset the bright, vivid eye makeup and spiky exaggerated lashes. Twiggy’s brows acted as the frame to her unique eye makeup.
The 1970s
Thin, rounded brows took the stage throughout the 70s, where brows became thinner, looking to highlight the eyes. Donna Summer was not only a disco legend, but a fashion ingenue. Her brows were thin and raised so that she had the option to accentuate bright eyeshadow colors. Especially in the 70s disco scene, brows were a tool to highlight the face, not a focal point.
the 1980s
One statement to define the 80s: more is more. The 80s were full of bold fashion trends, and the eyebrows were no exception. Madonna stepped onto the stage and declared it was the era to express yourself! We can tell by her bushy and bold brows that she truly meant it. Caterpillar brows spread across the nation. Actresses, like Brooke Shields, boasted them on the big screen. In the 80s, the less manicured and bushier the brow, the better.
the 1990s
Fashion and beauty trends flipped almost completely as we transitioned from the 80s through 90s. The bodacious and loud style of the last decade was lost in the understated and muted tone of the 90s. Brows of the 90s became thin and dark.
America’s sweetheart, Drew Barrymore, had thin brows that she plucked and lined with an eyebrow pencil!
Though the trend was looked down upon in the 2010's, it is now coming back into 2023 style with TikTok filters that show the user would have looked like in the 90s!
The 2000s
Eyebrows only got thinner in the 2000s, bringing in the pencil brow. Waxing became the normal hair removal technique, and thus, the ultra-thin brow was born.
People were all too willing to tweeze and wax their brows into a thin, sharp arched single line brow on their brow bone. Pop stars, like Christina Aguilera, became well acquainted with this look in music videos and on the red carpet.
the 2010s
As social media skyrocketed to popularity in the 2010s, we began to see beauty advice every day. Throughout the 2010s, a bold, sculpted brow was often referred to as the Instagram brow made popular by influencers and celebrities alike. Cosmetic brands used eyebrows as a focal point in their products, and pens and pomades were top sellers.
“Beauty gurus," or social media enthusiasts who taught their views on DIY beauty tips, set the trends for beauty. Most of these gurus took great care with their eyebrows, using multiple different shades and products to outline the brows. Contouring and highlighting the skin around the brows was also a must for this decade.
Beauty gurus didn’t only dictate the brow style. Actress and model, Cara Delevingne, stunned the world with unapologetically thick brows! Cara brought back the 80’s confidence of thick, dark brows.
@user17347539 finally a trend i can do lol #greenscreen #caradelevingne #DenimYourWay ♬ Mama Said - Lukas Graham
current eyebrow trends of 2023
Although we have spent the first year of this decade at home, beauty trends never rest. COVID-19 forced us inside. But what better time to experiment with beauty trends than when no one will see you? (Albeit, through a glitchy Zoom meeting).
Letting your brows grow was both necessary and a beautiful canvas to work with. Soap brows fled TikTok with a way to laminate brows at home with just a spoolie brush and some skin-friendly soap!
Even as we have transitioned back to normal life, the natural brow is here to stay! The natural brow trend sticks to your natural shape and a hint of definition that is neither too skinny nor too thick. Loose hairs under your brows are no longer frowned upon: they just add to the 2023 allure!
Many people turn to brow tinting and growth products. With brow-tinting, you can go to a specialist or find an at-home kit to apply a safe semi-permanent dye to your brow to darken and refine the hairs around your brow, giving you that timeless full brow you always dreamed of, along with the added benefit of reduced daily brow maintenance. We also happen to have a full eyebrow tinting tutorial on our website.
Taking a trip through the decades is always fun! From ultra-thin brows to thick and luscious, all of these eras have one thing in common: grooming is a must! Check out our website for all your eyebrow product needs and comment below what your favorite brow era is!
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