Do you remember when there was a new brow trend every single day in 2018? Fishtail brows, halo brows, geometric brows… the craziness never stopped. Now, in 2021, colorful and creative eyebrow makeup is making a comeback — but this time in ways you’ll actually want to wear.
Every week, we discover a new eyebrow makeup and grooming trend among Lizzo’s recent bleached brows, Bella Hadid’s alien-like straight brows, and TikTok’s plethora of high-brow material. Natural brows with hands-off grooming, on the other hand, are becoming increasingly popular for daily wear.
So we combed the internet and enlisted the help of a few of our favorite experts to give us the rundown on the seven brow trends that will be popular this fall (and onward).
Hands-Off Grooming
In eyebrow artist Robin Evans’ studio, brow minimalism is becoming increasingly popular. “I feel like low maintenance and natural eyebrows are a trend we’re going to see more and more,” she explains. “I recommend using a clear brow gel and a pencil that isn’t too intensely pigmented for fresh, modern, natural brows.” She utilizes Browluxe products in her practice, but we’ll also recommend Giorgio Armani Smooth Silk Brow Pencil and Wander Beauty Frame Your Face Precise Brow Gel.
Stick-Straight Arches
Straight and upward-facing brows, which are popular on TikTok and the red carpet (see here on Bella Hadid at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival), could very well become the standard in the near future, as eyebrow practitioner René de la Garza reveals. “I think we’re going to go toward a more sculpted brow with a tail lift – that relates in with the thread lift and brow lift trends that are emerging since a lot of people are getting that snatched appearance.”
If you aren’t ready to commit entirely to this shape, you can totally fake it for a day. “You can get the appearance by hiding the small fluffy hairs at the tail end,” he explains. You’ll need a concealer with great coverage, such as Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer.
Brows Bleached
Bleached brows are another TikTok trend that has gained popularity among celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Maisie Williams. They are also seen on designer runways. They’ve already been in shows for Dolce & Gabbana, Balmain, and Jean-Paul Gaultier in 2021. From a distance, these give the impression of having no brows at all. The look is not for the faint of heart, but it is possible to achieve it using a full-coverage concealer and a spooley brush.
ROYGBIV Brows
Lizzo took her bleached brows to the next level by adding pink and purple pigments to the look — and she’s not the only one who’s done this recently; eyebrows tinted in every color of the rainbow also made a decent impression during Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2021.
This style is actually simpler to achieve on light or bleached brows. In this case, a bright mascara may serve as your high-octane brow gel (one of our favorites is Colourpop’s BFF Mascara). If you truly want to attract attention to this trend, Evans suggests keeping the rest of your makeup simple.
Soap Brows & Lamination
Lamination — the process that temporarily perms your brows upward for a thick and fluffy look — became popular in 2019, but it’s not going away anytime soon. Just ask makeup artist Delina Medhin. “I think people want a structured, fluffy brow; lamination is quite fashionable right now because it creates that structure by having the brows stick up,” she explains. “As a result, brow gel is making a big comeback since it is something you can apply at home to achieve the same look.”
Speaking of brow gel, this look has also contributed to the popularity of soap brows, which may be achieved with the right products. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze, in our opinion, is the end-all, be-all product for at-home soap brows or fake lamination.
Disco Brows
If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok recently, you’ve certainly seen “disco brows,” the sparkly new twist on eyebrow makeup promoted by Megs Cahill, who shows how to make them as approachable as possible.
“The idea is to smooth your brows down flat so you can put chrome or shimmer eye shadow on top — not glitter because glitter is too thick,” she says. “I use my finger with my shadow of choice and softly tap or swipe with the hair growth across the brow,” she says after shaping her brows upward with soap.
If the look is too intense for her, she uses the pen side of the Urban Decay Brow Blade to make little hair strokes to tone it down.
Eyebrow Slits
Move over, Jason Momoa – brow slits are everywhere these days. On the runway (see above for the Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2021 runway outfit) and on the internet (see literally any on-trend TikTok teen). You could get this look with a razor, but brow artists and dermatologists both advise mimicking the appearance with a full-coverage concealer until you’re ready to commit.
