Brows   |   January 07, 2022

How to style your eyebrows has been an ever-changing argument because some fit the hair growth of one individual better than others. There has been an increasing amount of focus on the more natural brow look but this has not always been the case. Below we explore some of the biggest eyebrow shapes that were prominent from the 1950s to the 2020s.

The 1950s 

The 1950s saw high arches. The higher the arch, the more dramatic the look. This style was made popular by some of Hollywood’s golden age actresses. This was often coupled with bold, red lips. Women started experimenting with applying black and brown eyeshadow on top of their brows to create a more striking and dramatic effect.

The 1960s 

Natural and relatively thin brows were trending during the ‘60s. This is because more focus was put on dark eye makeup, and so the rest of the face was less of a focus. Smokey eyes were counterbalanced by untouched brows. 

The 1970s 

With the birth of the hippie era, many women opted to put their tweezers down. Slightly wild, untamed brows were left to shape the face. On the other hand, disco divas were embracing very groomed, highly-arched eyebrows. Donna Summers was the trendsetter for this look, leaving ladies wanting a rounded shape for their brows. This shape allowed for disco eyeshadow which typically was applied all the way up to the brow. 

The1980s 

This was the decade of the caterpillars. Pop-culture figures, like Madonna and Brooke Shields, made thick, big and bushy brows central to their look. Big and bold was the 80s look, from fashion to makeup and even to eyebrow shape. 

The 1990s 

Thin brows with low arches, very close to the eye, were made popular. Some took their plucking too far and chose to go for ultra-thin eyebrows that were not much thicker than a pencil line.

The 2000s

 Ultra-thin eyebrows remained popular but with more of an arch than in the ‘90s. Sometimes the trending shape was called ‘barely there’ eyebrows. This was coupled with the beginning of experimentation with eyebrow tattooing and semi-permanent brow options. Using pigments to finetune eyebrows or permanent eyebrow tattoos started to become an attractive option for those looking for long-lasting results. 

The 2010s 

As the world got further away from Y2K and fashion grew apart from the similar trends of the ’20s and ’00s, the bold brow took centre stage. There was a push to accept different brow shapes, especially the naturally thick shapes experienced by some POC, which were previously marginalised by European fashion trends. Online campaigns started to communicate the importance of embracing your body because every body is beautiful.

The 2020s 

We may only be at the beginning of the 2020s but the laminated look has gripped the globe. It is inarguable that the media has been flooded by models, influencers and fashion houses who are embracing brow lamination. The procedure leaves clients with fuller and more uniform brows. The natural look is still embraced, carrying on from the 2010s, but a more groomed version has become popular as people desire thick but neat brows.