Eyebrow trends have always reflected the beauty ideals of their era, from the delicate curves of the 1920s to the wild, Instagram-worthy creations of today. Brows are more than just a facial feature—they frame the eyes, express emotions, and, in recent years, have become a powerful form of self-expression. Over the past century, we’ve seen trends come full circle: thin, barely-there arches have given way to bold, natural brows, only to return in more experimental forms. Thanks to social media, eyebrow styles evolve faster than ever, with each decade leaving behind an iconic shape that defines its time. Whether you prefer polished or messy, minimal or extravagant, let’s dive into the fascinating history of brow trends, from the past to the present and beyond.
Eyebrow Trends Throughout the Decades
1920s: Thin and Rounded Arches
During the silent film era, brows were all about drama and elegance. Clara Bow’s iconic thin, rounded arches became a signature look, giving actresses an exaggerated, drooping expression. These high-impact brows, carefully penciled in, were designed to stand out on the silver screen.
1930s: Structured and Strong Arches
The 1930s ushered in thicker, more structured brows, reflecting a move toward a bolder look. Stars like Billie Holiday embraced the stronger shape, creating a striking yet polished brow that embodied confidence.
1940: Full and Natural Arches
The ’40s marked the beginning of fuller, more natural-looking shapes. Joan Crawford inspired women to manicure their natural brows with a light hand.
1950s: Arched and Brushed Brows
The 1950s introduced a polished yet natural approach to eyebrow styling. Marilyn Monroe popularized brows with a softly arched shape that added subtle elegance without looking overdone. These brows were brushed and neatly groomed, creating definition while still maintaining a natural appearance. The pointed arches gave a slight lift to the face, enhancing feminine allure and complementing the era’s glamorous beauty standards. This look perfectly matched the polished red lips and winged eyeliner that dominated 1950s fashion, making these brows an iconic staple of old Hollywood glam.
1960s: Neat and Minimal Brows
With Twiggy’s iconic eyes dominating the beauty world, brows took on a minimal role in the 1960s. Shapes became short and neat, allowing dramatic eye makeup to take the spotlight.
1970s: Glamorous, Waxed Arches
Eyebrow trends have always reflected the beauty ideals of their era, from the delicate curves of the 1920s to the wild, Instagram-worthy creations of today. Brows are more than just a facial feature—they frame the eyes, express emotions, and, in recent years, have become a powerful form of self-expression. Over the past century, we’ve seen trends come full circle: thin, barely-there arches have given way to bold, natural brows, only to return in more experimental forms. Thanks to social media, eyebrow styles evolve faster than ever, with each decade leaving behind an iconic shape that defines its time. Whether you prefer polished or messy, minimal or extravagant, let’s dive into the fascinating history of brow trends, from the past to the present and beyond.
1980s: Thick, Natural Brows Take Over
The 1980s saw the return of thick, untamed brows, thanks to trendsetters like Brooke Shields. This au naturel look embraced fuller shapes with minimal grooming, marking a shift toward effortless beauty.
1990s: Ultra-Skinny Brows Rule
In sharp contrast to the 1980s, the 1990s brought back super-skinny brows. Celebrities like Kate Moss popularized heavily plucked arches, giving faces a sleek, minimalist appearance.
2000s: Pencil-Thin and Edgy
Building on the ’90s aesthetic, the early 2000s took thin brows to the extreme, with stars like Christina Aguilera opting for barely-there shapes. This trend emphasized edgy, rebellious vibes.
2010s: The Bold Brow Boom
With the rise of the Kardashians came the era of bold, defined brows. Strong, sculpted arches became the ultimate beauty goal, with brow products like pomades and gels flying off the shelves.
2013: Brushed-Up Brows Make Their Mark
Celebrities like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley introduced the trend of brushing brow hairs upward for a fuller, lifted effect. This voluminous look gave brows a natural yet high-impact vibe.
2015: The Instagram Brow Era
The mid-2010s saw the birth of the Instagram brow, with beauty influencers like Patrick Starrr setting the standard. This trend featured precisely sculpted, ombré brows, blending soft fronts into sharp tails.
2017: The Year of Experimental Brows
2017 was a breakthrough year for creative and unconventional eyebrow trends, with beauty influencers and makeup artists pushing boundaries like never before. Here’s a closer look at the bizarre brow trends that took over that year:
Feathered Brows
Stella Sironen kick-started the feathered brow trend, transforming brow hairs into feather-like shapes. The look involved parting brow hairs down the middle and brushing them outward to create a fanned, feathered effect. Originally intended as a joke, this trend quickly became a viral hit on social media.
Barbed Wire Brows
Makeup artist Athena Paginton introduced barbed wire brows, featuring sharp, spiked shapes mimicking twisted metal. This bold, rebellious trend added an edgy twist to eyebrow styling and made a statement with its daring, high-impact look.
Lightning Bolt Brows
Zakia Wahbi shocked the beauty world with lightning bolt brows, a design with sharp, angular lines that resembled bolts of electricity. This striking trend emphasized precision and was a perfect example of how brows can become artistic, graphic elements.
Boxed Brows
Boxed brows introduced structured, block-like shapes, offering a quirky and avant-garde spin on eyebrow styling. This trend created straight, boxy angles, turning brows into a bold, geometric experiment that blurred the lines between beauty and art.
Wavy Brows
Influencers took to social media with wavy brows, a playful and meme-worthy trend. This whimsical design featured squiggly brow shapes, giving a surreal, cartoon-like appearance. While it was often meant as a joke, the trend highlighted how social media was reshaping beauty standards.
Rainbow Brows
Makeup artist Alexandra Merino brought color to the forefront with rainbow brows, turning eyebrows into vibrant, multi-colored creations. This trend became a celebration of creativity and self-expression, with wearers experimenting with all kinds of bold hues.
2018: Creative Brow Designs Continue
In 2018, the beauty world embraced bold, artistic brows, with influencers and makeup artists pushing the limits of creativity. These trends showcased jewel-like embellishments, playful edits, and daring designs, cementing eyebrows as a central feature in self-expression. Here’s a breakdown of the standout brow trends of the year:
Bejeweled Eyebrows
The Gypsy Shrine introduced crystal-covered brows, adding a dazzling touch to festival fashion. These brows were adorned with glittering rhinestones and jewels, making them perfect for anyone wanting to shine under the spotlight. This trend quickly became a festival favorite, offering a bold and glamorous aesthetic.
Fishtail Brows
Started by SkyEditz, fishtail brows split the brow into two distinct tails, resembling the shape of a fish’s tail. Achieved using makeup tricks or photo edits, this quirky trend offered a fun way to experiment with asymmetry and gave brows a whimsical, unexpected twist.
Emoji Brows
SkyEditz also brought us emoji brows, adding playful icons to brow shapes through digital enhancements. Featuring tiny, colorful emoji symbols, this trend became popular on Instagram and demonstrated how far beauty lovers were willing to push the boundaries of traditional makeup.
Dip-Dyed Arches
Makeup artist Bea Sweet made waves with vivid dip-dyed brows, showcased on twins Simi and Haze Khadra (SIMIHAZE). This bold trend used electric pinks, blues, and other bright shades to create gradient effects, proving that eyebrows could serve as a colorful accessory to complement bold looks.
Halo Brows
One of the most unique brow trends of 2018, halo brows involved connecting the arches of both eyebrows to form a circular shape across the forehead. This playful and surreal design took the Internet by storm, showing that the fascination with experimental brows was far from over.
2019: Glossy, Laminated Brows Become the Norm
Laminated brows took off in 2019, offering a sleek, polished look that kept brow hairs in place for weeks. This trend became a hit among influencers for its high-shine finish and effortless appeal.
2020: Soap Brows Sweep Through Social Media
With salons shut during the pandemic, beauty lovers turned to soap brows—a simple, at-home technique to create fluffy, lifted brows. This low-maintenance look emphasized natural texture and easy styling.
2022: Colored Brows Make a Bold Statement
In 2022, brightly colored brows became a hit at festivals and on social media. Temporary color gels let people experiment with pinks, blues, and purples, adding a playful edge to their looks.
2023: Microblading Becomes Mainstream
Microblading surged in popularity as more people sought semi-permanent solutions for fuller brows. Brow tattoos and shading offered a polished, long-lasting alternative to daily makeup routines.
