BY JULIA BENITO
Ready for a big throwback?
Over the years, we’ve seen eyebrow trends grow and evolve, from the infamously thin brow trend of the 90s to the blocked-out, perfectly sculpted brows from the height of the beauty YouTuber era, and now to the natural, faux micro-bladed brows that we see all over TikTok. But, just as our history spans centuries, so does the beauty industry and the fashionable makeup looks that come with the times. So, we thought it would be fun to take a stroll down memory lane and look through the eyebrow trends that women flocked to.
Ready? Roll the tapes!
The 1920s: Thin and Downward
Let’s start off our journey down beauty history with the 1920s. In this period of silent, colorless films, expressing yourself through your facial expressions was everything — hence the dramatic, downward arching brows that emphasize a softer look. And much like how trends work today, fans of these films had wanted to emulate this look, later popularizing the thin, downward-brow trend in the mainstream.
The 1930s: Rounded
Though the trend of thin eyebrows was still prominent in the 30s, there’s definitely a big difference. While eyebrows in the 1920s would perhaps droop down passed the eye, eyebrows in the 1930s had a much more rounded, upward arch. Many would even go so far as to shave or pluck their eyebrows off almost completely, only to draw them back on again.
The 1940s: Natural
After two decades of thin eyebrows, fluffier, thicker brows have finally come into the fray! Though it can still be observed that care was taken to create a beautiful arch, more natural shapes and a lighter hand were preferred over the more obviously penciled lines of the 30s.
The 1950s: Sharp and Angular
The 50s was undoubtedly the Marilyn Monroe era — and we’re not just saying that because Blonde is out on Netflix. This bombshell didn’t get to her icon status by her staple blonde curls and bold red lips alone. Her eyebrows, with their sharp, squared-out geometric arch brought her sultry look together. But, of course, the 1950s wasn’t just Marilyn’s time to shine brow-wise. Hollywood stars like Audrey Hepburn were also prominent figures, sporting prominent arches and sharp, pointed lines.
The 1960s: Understated
Just like fashion, beauty trends come and go in circles. In the 1960s, thinner brows were back — though notably not quite as pencil thin. They were understated enough for bolder eye looks and big lashes to take the driver’s seat. Take Twiggy for example. Because of her iconic bold eye makeup and overdrawn lashes, her brows were styled to be tamer so as not to compete with the graphic statement.
The 1970s: It Depends
Vague — I know. But hear me out. The 1970s was the age of both the flower child and the disco queen. As such, some would want thinner, higher-arched brows to complement their vibrant makeup, namely in the flamboyant eyeshadow and lipstick departments. However, on the other side of the spectrum, some would want to be freer with their overall look, perhaps foregoing brow grooming altogether.
The 1980s: Bigger and Bolder
With iconic women like Brooke Shields and Madonna in the spotlight, bigger brows were certifiably in vogue. Donning what had been called “caterpillar” brows for their full, bushy appearance, women in this decade were going more natural and putting that tweezer down.
The 1990s: Barely There
Ah, yes — the 90s. Infamously known for its now-cringe, then-fashionable thin brows, the 90s brings the tweezers back from their place in our vanity drawers for thin, not overly filled, and low-arched brows. Though we joke about it now, it was quite the sensation with Kate Moss, one of the world’s most sought-after models, rocking thinner brows on magazine covers and runways. Still, those of us (myself included) who plucked our brows with reckless abandon may not be so keen to bring this era back — for now, at least.
The 2000s: Y2K Takeover
Though the thin-brow trend bled over well into the early 2000s, we do get a peek of natural brows coming into play later. These thin brows ala Xtina were also noticeably darker than the previous decade, making them a tad bit fuller and darker. But just a tad.
The 2010s: Natural, The Sequel
And again, the tweezers are put into the furthest recesses of our drawers once more. In the 2010s, we found women rocking more natural-looking brows. The most prominent example in this decade is perhaps the bushy brows of Cara Delevigne — big, brushed up, and bold. In this decade, we also see the rise of the famed “Instagram Brow”, possibly spawning from the boldness of Delevigne. Pristinely shaped, perfectly filled in, arched to perfection — you know the look we mean.
The 2020s: You Do You
With all the trends that have come and gone, beauty lovers in recent times have been going with whatever suits them the best. Now, there’s not so much of a distinctive trend. There are just as many women out there that love light, fluffy brows as there are that still love carving out their arches — even those that love shaving off parts of their brows or shaving their entirety to create new, drawn-on brows however and wherever they please!
Love thick, soaped-up brows? Go for it. Prefer a more natural, barely there look? Just grab a clear eyebrow mascara or an ultra-thin eyebrow pen and go. Want more oomph from your sparse brows? Or perhaps you’d want to emulate your favorite Korean icon? There are plenty of types of eyebrow products like pencils, pomades, gels, and powders to fit whatever style you want.
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