Brush up on your brows
A soft, feathery feel gives you fullness without getting too dense, writes Katie Wright
EVER since the great eyebrow revolution of 2015, when Cara Delevingne almost single-handedly ushered in the era of the bold brow, thin arches have been firmly out of fashion.
Lustrous eyebrows are still very much on trend but now we’re seeing the emergence of a variation on the Cara look that’s growing – quite literally – in popularity: brushed-up brows.
Offering a soft, feathery feel – as opposed to a thick, defined shape – fans say it gives the appearance of fuller brows, without being too dense or severe.
It’s easy to create the look at home, or a treatment called brow lamination offers a longerterm solution.
Here, beauty experts explain everything you need to know about mastering the brushed-up brows trend...
Where did the brushed-up brows trend come from?
“Brushed-up brows have been on the trend circuit for quite a few years now,” said Marc Reagan, make-up artist and global director at Hourglass Cosmetics.
“As people embrace the power of a naturally full and fluffy brow, there are more and more products available to help everyone achieve the brow that works best for them.”
Who does it suit?
“This is quite a universal look and suits all eye and face shapes,” said Sherrille Riley, founder of Nails & Brows, but she warns that it’s more achievable on brows that are already quite thick. “More mature women – and those who have thinner and sparser hairs – will need to use make-up to enhance their brows.”
Are there ways to make your brows grow thicker?
“Absolutely,” said Riley. “I would advise investing in brow serums like RevitaBrow or using castor oil.”
Brow growth serums use peptides and conditioning ingredients to strengthen hairs and prevent them from breaking.
“Our clients swear by the result of these products,” Riley added.
“Applying a serum daily will help with re-growth, as well as condition the hair.”
How can you create the brushed-up brows look at home?
Reagen suggests starting with filling in sparse areas with an eyebrow pencil matched to your hair colour.
He said: “Choose the Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil (£33, John Lewis) when you want to fill in and shade throughout the entire brow, and the Arch Brow Micro Sculpting Pencil (£27, John Lewis) when you want precision and individual hair-like strokes.
“Next, follow with Hourglass Arch Brow Volumising Fiber Gel (£25, John Lewis).
“For a finishing touch, apply the Hourglass Arch Brow Clear Shaping Gel (£25, John Lewis) to separate, set, and hold hairs in place.”
Riley suggests using a soap trick to create the look: “I would recommend using a brow brush, such as our Beauty Edit Mayfair Brow Styler (£18, Nails & Brows), dampening it in water and gently rubbing it on a colourless soap.
“Then use this brush to ‘brush up’ the brows.”