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History of Brow Shapes Through the Decades by Tamara D Ferrigno


Though today's definition of perfect eyebrows is a thick precise look with impeccable arches, things didn't always look so naturally in terms of brow trends.

Back in the 1920s, silver screen stars wore theirs pencil-thin with a severe downward-curving tail, and every decade that followed saw its share of brow-raising trends that would come and grow in waves. Perhaps thanks to Audrey Hepburn's full set in the 1960s, arches began taking on a more natural appearance, until the '70s, when disco, shimmery shadow, and interesting brow shapes came on the scene.

In the '20s, brows were worn uber thin, and the tails were given a downward curve.  Along with a defined Cupid's bow, women of the '20s mirrored a dramatic shape with long arches.

In the 1930's, stars ditched the sloped look of the previous decade for a more rounded upward bend. Women who wore red lips filled their brows in with a darker hue to play up the bend while others grew their brows into a completely straight line, save for the down-turned tails on the far edges.

The line between the trends of the 1930's and 1940s, though some arches were less severe than those of the previous decade others were heavier brows.

Leaving the rounded curve in the '40s, the shape of choice in the '50s mirrored that of some stars which had a pointed arch and shorter tail. In the era of the bombshell, women in the '50s followed Marilyn's lead with bold red lips, lush lashes, and angled arches.

Hepburn sparked a more natural set, inspired the women of the '60s to fill in their own with well-placed strokes of the brow pencil.

Chalk it up to the sparkly disco feeling that took over the nation, but in the '70s, a thin, curved brow allowed the shimmery eye shadow to extend even further.

Thanks to stars who flawlessly worked a full set, the women of the '80s got their grow on, with ample brows completing any good power-dressing ensemble. Some celebrities set the trend of brushing the individual hairs upwards for an exaggerated look. 

In contrast to the overgrown look of the previous decade, the '90s saw an abundance in pencil-thin brows. The grunge era also saw some interesting shapes like skinny, ultra-dark arches.

Recovering from the tweeze-fest that was the '90s, eyebrow shapes remained thin, but followed a more natural path in 2000's. Instead of lining the beginning portion of the brow with the bridge of the nose many stars had their arches start along the outer area of the nostril.

Perhaps in an attempt to keep up with our natural hair growth cycle, the 2010s were marked by a more natural shape with a vibe that suggested bigger was better, at least in terms of our brows.

Talk about feeling like a natural woman! Brows have become an expertly groomed set that seem to be untouched by the tweezers, to perfectly frame the eye.

For more information about brow trends and Microblading before & afters go to MMbrows.com 


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