If it wasn’t already evident, skinny brows have officially entered 2023 beauty zeitgeist. Labelled as one of the “lamest” beauty trends just a few years ago, they are now headlining fashion ads and impacting TikTok trends. 

For the past few months, we have seen Ariana Grande, Bella Hadid, and Doja Cat‘s strong fondness for thin brows, with each either plucking their brows into a skinnier form or shaving their brows off entirely and putting fresh multicoloured patterns on. But the question is, are we really down for the return of this look?

Thin brows were a polarising fad in the 1990s, when stars like Pamela Anderson, Kate Moss, and the Spice Girls roamed around the party scene with their over-plucked or drawn on brows. In the latter era, the beauty trend was popular among underground LGBT communities as a means of protesting the status paradigm. Then, as trends often do, it went rapidly out of favour. 

However, as explained by MUA Troy Surratt, thin brows can actually help to open up your eye region. Proper trimmed brows can make your eyes appear wider and rounder, as they complement the entirety of your visual appearance—ensuring that all focus is brought immediately to your eyes. “This thinner, more preened eyebrow look can have an overall eye-brightening effect. Brows that are overly sharp or angled may result in an overall harsh or aggressive effect on the face.”

They are also relatively easier to maintain than thicker brows. Needing far less time for care and maintenance. Benefit Cosmetics’ Brow Expert Jared Bailey said, “Today’s modern twist on the thin brow is much more proportionate to [someone’s] facial features […] Even though the shape has slimmed in width since the Cara Delevingne brow craze, filling them in and giving them density regardless of their size is key.”

To summarise, the ‘’new-generation’’ of skinny brows involve less tweezing and over-shaving, and more about refining its natural shape.

If you don’t have natural skinny brows, we advise you to be careful while plucking the hair.  Everyone is suited to a distinct style, yes, but consistency is key. We believe that the overall shape, (whether thick or thin), should be the main priority in order to optimally complement your face structures.

Try following TikTok makeup creator @cutcreaser who shared the skinny brow technique without tweezing any hair.