For the past few seasons, brows have been big news. Whether invisible, bushy or green, they've put themselves on the map. And just like hairstyles, makeup shades and clothing fashions, different shapes and textures of eyebrows go in and out of style over time. In the the '20s and '30s, it was all about thin, dramatic brows with lots of curves. In the '80s, there was a bigger-the-better attitude. And then there were the '90s, when brows were so thin, tweezers never got a break. So let's take a peek at some of the most memorable eyebrow styles over decades past. Which era stands out most for you?
If I had five cents for every time I've heard that "grooming your brows is one of the easiest ways to bring your whole beauty look together," or "brows really do frame the face," I'd be a rich little lady. But it's hard to get annoyed at something that's not only a) helpful but b) plainly true. If you've got good brows, then your work is practically done: your face is instantly lifted, balanced and more youthful. A good brow product should totes be in your top five, but it rarely is, so I thought we'd do a little brow workshop to be sure that our arches are living up to their fullest potential. Let's kick off with Choosing the Right Product Chart: pencil/powder/gel/cream/wax:
Bambi Northwood-Blyth has something we want. Shockingly, it isn't those gorgeous sea-green eyes, that expanse of tousled beach-chic hair or the sugary-sweet moniker that she goes by. It's those brows. They may seem big and bold to some, but being almost under-groomed and therefore very suitable for 'bushing-up' à la the Olsen twins makes them the perfect arches for Spring. I'm devastated that mine will never be as full as they once were thanks to an over-zealous waxer, but if you've still got what it takes to 'do a Bambi,' then I urge you to start growing them back.
Statement brows have moved away from being strongly defined, into a more combed-up, natural style (we even saw it at NYFW) and I for one like the look. Do you? If so take lead from the model on everyone's To Watch list and be naturally bold . . .
UPDATE: I have been dutifully informed that I am not the only one to appreciate Ms. Bambi's strong brow. The Sartorialist is a fan too.
If there's one thing guaranteed to distract from a nasty family feud, it's bold brows. Well, so says little Lohan (aka Ali) who appeared to go all Frida Kahlo on us as her and Lindsay made an appearance at an LA milkshake store. Linds, c'mon, it's only fair that you or Dina tell Ali that while filled-in brows can look all edgy on the runway, they might not look so good in reality. If you must fill in your brows (though bushy, natural ones are having a moment; see Mary-Kate Olsen and Christian Siriano for shining examples), do it gently. Use a brow kit like Benefit Brow Zings ($55) and apply the wax in short flick-style movements; not in one straight line, before setting with powder. This will look more natural. How do you 'wear' your eyebrows?
'Tis true, you wouldn't want to be attended the opening of Otarian, the world's most sustainable restaurant, sporting a truckload of hairspray so Mary-Kate's relaxed vibe is fitting. The messy Grecian braid works with the loose, tousled locks and the grungy eye makeup is very Alexander Wang. But I'm not loving the (albeit on-trend) bushy brows. Everything else works in Mary-Kate's signature kooky way, but them arches just look poorly maintained. Girl needs to get reintroduced to some tweezers, please. Stat. What do you think of the whole thing?
If you take Balenciaga's pastel creation out of the equation, then there really are only two sorts of extremist brows: bold and bleached. Me, I'm a brunette and as such turn to the likes of Camilla Belle for inspiration on my look. Fellow bold browers include leader of the pack Jennifer Connelly and Estée Lauder model Hilary Rhoda, both of whom didn't disappoint in the brow stakes at the Tribeca Ball yesterday evening. Also there, complete with extremist brows of the bleached-out variety was Theodora Richards (daughter of Keith). You know my preference, but how do you take your arches: bold or bleached?
V Magazine is probably my most favourite mag. The images. Sigh. They're always beautiful. Without fail. And slightly left of the middle too. I'm loving issue #64 which features Kristen Dunst as cover-girl, sporting some interesting brow work. The top of her eyebrows have been darkly lined and extended out towards her temple, with the arch accentuated and shaded in with a dark blonde towards the eye socket. I love the look on her. Some serious false lashes and a glossy pink lip wrap it up nicely, while I simply cannot get over the startling resemblance to Mae West in this black and white shot. LOVE. Those cheekbones would cut ice. You like?
(Psst. PopSugar has all the deets of Kristen's interview: her time out from Hollywood and her friendship with Rodarte's Mulleavy sisters.)
Brows have been big news at Fashion Week for the past few seasons. Up until now it's been the fairly standard bleached-out vs. full and filled debate, but things just got a whole lot more interesting. In Milan, we saw the dual-coloured low brow at Armani. Pretty amazing. Not all that wearable, though. Luckily we have Peter Philips on hand to give us a statement brow that we can all pull off. At Dries Van Noten, Philips filled in only the beginning of the eyebrow; the rest was left bare. Way to please us ALL, Peter. Smart. But in the blue corner, we have Pat McGrath, Balenciaga and these pastel brows. Discuss. Which do you like best?
Dakota Fanning is pimping out her latest movie, The Runaways, in a series of stylish magazine shoots. Remember her amazing bouffant in V Magazine? Quite the '60s sexpot, was little Miss Dakota. Now 'tis time for her brows to take centre stage in Vogue Italia. I am digging the high-fashion blacked out brows, but I've always been a fan of them. Now, bold brows are a bit like oysters, you either love them or you loathe them, so which is it to be people?
Bambi Northwood-Blyth has something we want. Shockingly, it isn't those gorgeous sea-green eyes, that expanse of tousled beach-chic hair or the sugary-sweet moniker that she goes by. It's those brows. They may seem big and bold to some, but being almost under-groomed and therefore very suitable for 'bushing-up' à la the Olsen twins makes them the perfect arches for Spring. I'm devastated that mine will never be as full as they once were thanks to an over-zealous waxer, but if you've still got what it takes to 'do a Bambi,' then I urge you to start growing them back.
