My eyebrows and I been through a journey together. Though I'm naturally blessed—or rather, was naturally blessed at the time of my birth—with superbly bushy brows (thanks, Dad!), I surrendered to the tweezing craze all through high school and college. For years, not only was I convinced my super-skinny arches looked better than my natural fuller shape, (spoiler—they most certainly did not), but I also struggled with anxiety that led to me plucking and shaping my already stingy brows into further oblivion. Eek. Other faux pas? 10 coats of mascara and even more coats of bronzer...viewer discretion advised on the cringe-y photos further down!
My Brows Currently
To be honest, it wasn't until I landed my dream gig as a beauty editor in Los Angeles almost two years ago that I became fully committed to rehabilitating the size and shape of my brows. All of a sudden, I had access to some of the best brow artists, dermatologists, nutritionists, and hairstylists in the industry, and with their combined tips and product recommendations, my brows have totally transformed. They've definitely done a 180 since my admittedly scary days of college and high school, and they've even doubled in shape within the mere few years I've been showing them more TLC here in L.A.
My Brows Circa 2008
My Brows Circa 2015
That said, since our brows naturally grow thinner as we age, and since I inflicted an annoying amount of damage to my hair follicles due to my years (and years) of tweezing and waxing, the road back wasn't as fast or necessarily seamless as I hoped it would be. It's taken some expert guidance, lifestyle changes, and lots and lots of patience, but ultimately, my brows and I have come a long way.
So if you've ever wondered how to grow thicker eyebrows, I'm using my own personal experience to help guide you, and am sharing six of the best tips and practices I've learned from the best experts in the industry regarding brow and hair growth. Keep scrolling!
1. Tweezing > Waxing
Since making the switch from waxing to tweezing, my eyebrow growth has increased significantly and came as a direct recommendation from the most sought-after brow artists in the industry like Stevi Christine and Kristie Streicher. "I prefer the gentle and precise results that only tweezing can give," Streicher shares. "I like to work with the natural shape of one's eyebrow, and if someone has been overshaped in the past or is tweezing too much on their own, my technique helps to grow out the natural shape of the brow. I only tweeze the few hairs needed to shape and create a more symmetrical look. Too often, clients do not realize how much hair is being taken from their brow with waxing or other forms of depilation, and that can adversely affect the shape of the brow as well as traumatize the follicle."
2. Using Brow Products to My Advantage
So my favorite go-to eyebrow products haven't led to a bushier finish on their own, per se, but by filling in my brows to the shape and fullness I ultimately desire, I'm less tempted to stress-tweeze (something that used to completely hinder my brow goals). I'm not sure why I pretty much ignored eyebrow products in college, but now that I've found some amazing formulas I really love, like Christine's pencil and Charlotte Tilbury's epic brow gel, I can get my brows looking like the end goal before they've actually gotten there. It's the perfect way to stay on track while I keep up all my other brow-enhancing tricks and tips.
3. Prioritizing Quality Supplements
Both my hair and my eyebrows have grown exponentially since I dutifully began popping high-quality hair, nail, and skin supplements on a daily basis. (Consistency is key here, folks!) Obviously, it's important to consult with your doctor before starting any new supplements (regardless of how mainstream they may seem), but as someone who has tried quite a few different formulas over the years, these gummies from Hum have made the most significant and noticeable difference. They taste amazing, are lower in sugar than most, and have a strategic mix of biotin along with other important nutrients like zinc, fo-ti, and para-aminobenzoic acid. I also have been loving Nutrofol's hair-enhancing line of supplements, and take its Digestive Enzyme, Sugar Balance, and DHT Inhibitor.
4. Treating My Brows to Weekly TLC Treatments
Oils have been a trending commodity within the beauty industry for a while now, and even though my breakout-prone skin can't handle skincare products like cleansing oils or coconut-infused moisturizers and serums, my brows have really loved once-weekly treatments in which I apply a less comedogenic (aka pore-clogging) oil like castor or macadamia onto my brows. I let the oil marinate on my brows for a few hours on a Sunday, and I notice the skin and hair around my brows feel far more moisturized and less flaky. After doing this for a few months, I noticed an overall improvement in the thickness and health of my brows, and I also appreciate how shiny and glossy the practice keeps them looking. (Which only enhances their new, far more feathery look!) My previous brow-blessed former co-worker Victoria Hoff swears by Fable & Mane's holiroots pre-wash hair treatment oil below for hair growth, and I've been loving Briogeo's new castor oil shown above!
5. Apply Brow Serum Twice a Day, Every Day
I'm not sure why it took me so long to hop aboard the brow serum train, but it did. That said, after I had the chance to get my eyebrows shaped by celebrity brow artist Joey Healy, I was singing a different tune. Healy has one of the best O.G. brow growth serums on the market, and he recommended I swipe the formula on every morning and night to bulk my brows up, and to encourage growth in areas that had remained stubbornly sparse despite all my other efforts.
Though it's an investment, Healy's brow elixir features a strategic melding of pentapeptides, hyaluronic acid, and hydrolyzed wheat protein to hydrate, soothe, and boost circulation to the brow area. Then, an extra hit of vitamins like A, B5, C, and E help condition and strengthen existing brow hairs, while botanical ingredients (white tea, licorice, eyebright, and rose) provide an extra boost of health. Since starting Healy's recommended routine, I've experienced way more brow growth; before, I could go multiple months between professional tweezings, but I'm now tempted to go in way more often.
6. Cleaning Up My Diet
It might sound crazy, and I'm never one to preach any type of diet to others, but whenever I'm prioritizing a healthy lifestyle, my hair seems to take major growth and shine cues. When I went 100% plant-based with Sakara for a two-week challenge last year (which I then extended for a few more months), my hair had honestly never looked better, and my friends and family couldn't believe how long my hair got. And my brows, which had hit a little bit of growth plateau, also seemed to benefit.
As holistic nutritionist and friend Meryl Pritchard has shared with me, consuming a combination of vitamins (especially B!), healthy fats, and protein—either animal or plant-based—is essential for encouraging healthy hair growth. Due to my busy lifestyle, I've found plant-based and organic meal-delivery systems like Sakara and Thistle incredibly helpful for keeping me accountable and ensuring I'm getting a regular feed of hair-enhancing, nutrient-dense meals.
Next, our editor got her eyebrows laminated—here's what happened.
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has been updated by Dale Chong.