There was a time in the not so distant past where your brows needed to be filled in, perfectly arched, and blocky in order to prove that you were clued up on the latest eyebrow trends. Bold brows, in general, were everywhere, with multi-step brow routines inspiring a boom in the creation of brow pomades, gels, pencils, and powders.
However, in recent years, makeup trends in general have evolved towards a ‘less is more’, natural-looking approach. Eyebrow trends have followed suit, with fluffy, brushed-up (verging on unruly) brows dominating on both the catwalks and our Instagram feeds. "I’ve definitely been using less in my brows and I know my clients have too,” says makeup artist and brow specialist Lucy Hart. "Brows are definitely a lot softer compared to previous years and I think for 2023, fluffy, natural brows are here to stay.”
As far as experimentation goes, Hart predicts that bleached brows and the return of the skinny ‘90s brows are set to become a lot more mainstream in 2023. "Either way, brows are now all about looking low maintenance (even if they’re not) and not too ‘put together’,” she adds. "There’s an anything goes approach these days which means you can embrace your natural eyebrows and work with what you’ve got or what you know suits you, rather than committing to a cookie cutter trend like the ‘Instagram brow’.”
We love a little foresight from the pros, so if you want to get ahead of the curve or if you’re curious about what to expect from the 2023 eyebrow trends, scroll down to discover our predictions.
1. Bleached Brows
While it’s bold in its own way, bleaching your brows is about as much of a backlash to the over-filled, stand-out brow trend of yesteryear as it’s possible to be, and celebrities like Kendall Jenner, Julia Fox, and Lady Gaga have already embraced the trend, which is a sure sign that it’s set to be huge in 2023.
"Most people will be surprised by how good bleached brows actually look, but I would recommend experimenting with this look before taking the plunge,” says Hart. "There are already brands releasing products for this look and I expect we will see more launch throughout the year.”
Get the look:
This innovative product was created by drag artist Alexis Stone to offer up a solution for those who don't want to commit to actually bleaching their brows. "We have all known the struggle of brushing concealer through the eyebrow and putting powder in it but it looking crusty," he says. "That is why I created the Brow Engineer and introduced something into the market that hadn't been done before."
This highly pigmented white pomade lifts brows into place and covers even the darkest hair shades.
2. Skinny '90s Brows
Skinny brows have made a remarkable comeback, but again, it’s not surprising given that this trend contrasts so much with brow looks that are now considered to be ‘out’. It also makes sense, given we’re seeing the resurgence of so many other Y2K trends from the 2000s, like glossy lips and French tip manicures.
"On a personal level, it’s a no from me, but I can see how they are making a comeback,” says Hart. "I would just warn people to be careful as brows make a face, and once you’ve plucked your brows thin, it’s hard to get them back.” That said, we’ve already seen icons like Rihanna, Alexa Demie, and Bella Hadid nail this trend. "The modern way to pull off this look is to follow your natural brow shape rather than making them too arched,” adds Hart.
Get the look:
Maintenance is key to nailing the skinny '90s brow, so you're going to need a good pair of tweezers in your makeup bag. Ultra sharp and precise, Tweezerman truly are the best of the best.
If you do want to fill in or extend your brows, use a very fine-tipped brow pencil to do so.
3. Laminated Brows
Laminated brows are here to stay. The innovative technique is basically the eyebrow equivalent of a lash lift or perm. Brow hairs are relaxed and straightened then brushed up and set into place, resulting in a full and fluffy effect that lasts for about two months. "This is such a low maintenance treatment because once you’ve had it done, most people don’t even end up using any products in between bookings,” says Hart. "People often get scared by a brow lamination but I assure them they won’t be stuck to their head, and it’s possible to adapt the result to suit each individual.”
It’s also easy to achieve this look using makeup. Rather than using pencils and powders to fill in brows, instead look to more malleable formulas like gels and pomades, which allow you to sculpt hairs into the desired shape. The key is to ensure hairs look separated, so brows appear fluffy rather than blocky.
Get the look:
If you want to experiment with the look of laminated brows before committing to an in-salon treatment, this clear brow wax is the next best thing.
"Pink Honey have smashed the brow game," says Hart. "My favourite product is the Wonder Whip - it's perfect for the super laminated look."
This glue-like solution slicks brow hairs into place and keeps them locked in all day (and night) long. The dual ended brush is particularly useful to sculpting hairs into a laminated effect.
4. Straight Brows
When it comes to the trending brow shapes for 2023, Hart has already noticed an increase in clients asking for straighter brows. "Lily Collins is always the reference with this look,” she says. "She have very strong, straight brows which don’t really angle until the very end.”
If your brows aren’t naturally straight, it is still possible to create the illusion of straighter brows. First of all, don’t emphasise the arch. Instead, Hart advises using product (a fine-tipped pencil or powder works best) to fill in the arch from beneath the brow. Essentially, you want to extend the natural shape of the bottom of your brow in a straight line until it meets where you brow angles downwards.
Get the look:
Using a tinted brow gel helps to thicken brows without them looking blocky.
If your brows naturally arch and you want them to look straighter, this powder and fine angled brush are perfect for softly filling in the arch of your brow.
5. No-Maintenance Brows
This is the category I (firmly) sit in. Ever since the pandemic put a stop to my bi-monthly threading appointments I’ve taken a much more low maintenance approach to my brows. I no longer care if they’re looking overly thick and instead I’ve learned to embrace their natural shape—enhanced with just a touch of clear brow gel, and I’ve started using brow serums to address the gaps in them that I used to fill in with pencil. "People are focusing more on using brow treatments that they can maintain their brows with rather than layering loads of products on,” says Hart. "I myself have super full brows so applying thick product is just not needed,” she adds.
If you’re not yet ready to step away from your brow routine, just take a softer approach. "Try a skinny brow pencil if you’re into more definition but apply it super soft on the skin so you can build it gradually,” says Hart. "I’ll still sometimes use pomade for my clients but the tiniest bit ever on an angled brush to create hair-like strokes, and you can always use a spoolie to remove any access product.”
Get the look:
No matter how low maintenance you are, your brows may still require a little TLC—plus, this brow serum is great for boosting growth and thickness, so you can get the fluffy, laminated look with minimal effort required.
When Schwarzkopf clocked that MUAs were using their Got2b hair gel to style brows and edges, they packaged the same solution up in a handy brush-on format. It's a staple in Hart's kit—she says this clear brow gel is suitable for both lightly grooming and slicking up brows.
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