Skinnier, lighter eyebrows are back, but with a modern twist

Who could forget the transfixing scene where Lady Gaga serenades the crowd (and Bradley Cooper) in A Star Is Born by singing La vie en rose, channelling those minuscule (removable) Edith Piaf brows. Then there’s the moment her co-star peels off one of the plastic slivers to reveal her real brows blotted out below. Well, she was certainly ahead of the trend because the time has come to say goodbye to thick brows in favour of something lighter.

At the autumn/winter fashion shows, wonder make-up artist Pat McGrath worked her magic at Schiaparelli Couture, with Irina Shayk and Karlie Kloss sporting bleached brows. And celebrities such as Doja Cat and Gigi Hadid are also on board, as is Kendall Jenner, who stepped out with her striking version at the 2024 Met Gala.

We’ve spent the last decade with the “boy brow”, all free and unfettered (in part a reaction to the trauma of over-tweezing in the ’90s), but now brow artist Jimena Garcia says, “Clients are starting to come to me and ask for a tighter brow. We’re seeing, at minimum, the return of the arch. People are feeling very experimental and asking for something new when it comes to shape and form – messy is no longer the moment for brows.”

If you’re looking to lighten your look, bleaching your brows or taking them a few shades lighter could be an excellent starting point. When bleaching, find a professional brow artist to ensure you don’t end up with a brassy finish (those with medium or light hair shades are the best candidates). If you want to take your colour lighter, experts recommend lightening brows by two or three shades.

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For those who prefer do it themselves at home, there’s an array of great gels and powders – try BeneFit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Gel ($49). Or take a foundation brush (we love Shiseido Hasu Fude Foundation Brush$26), dip it in your foundation, then swipe it over your brows for a faux bleach. Cosmetic options are not only fun, they can be swiped off instantly.

Finally, tattoo pigment can build up over time, causing cosmetic tattoos to appear blocky rather than sheer. Anyone with tattooed brows who wants to return to their natural colour, or just to lighten their tattoo, should look into laser lightening, with the Pico laser a safe option.

Brow expert Amy Jean says her clients are increasingly opting for softer, less obviously defined brows a few shades lighter than their natural colour. So maybe it’s time to take a walk on the light side.