Our poor, confused brows have been through turbulent times lately. We’ve seen the trends needle swing from brushed-up bushy to ‘90s-inspired skinny, but this year, we’re settling on a new, gloriously normal equilibrium. The runways set the mood: for every pair of bleached-out, gravity-defying arches, there were far many more polished and quietly pretty brows on parade this season.
This laid-back approach is spilling into the salon, too. “We are now seeing a much softer, more low maintenance look, where there’s a little bit of enhancement but it's far more natural,” says Sherrille Riley, founder of Nails & Brows Mayfair.
The professional approach
To demonstrate exactly what she means, Sherrille has invited me to try the Brow Lift, currently the most popular treatment at her chic London salon. “This combines shaping and tinting with a modern spin on lamination - where brow hairs are set into a long-lasting shape, but one that’s just beautifully groomed and very slightly lifted, not artificially brushed up,” she explains.
Taking around an hour to perform, the treatment proves to be an extremely clever balancing act: managing to transform my rather neglected brows without making me look or feel like I’ve got somebody else’s features tattooed onto my head. The difference is remarkable. By darkening my colour and brushing the hairs subtly upwards, my brows look thicker, more defined but also natural.
Rather than parting and drooping halfway, my brows now flow in a neat, face-framing arch, and require very little upkeep beyond a quick morning brush-through with a spoolie. It’s exactly the kind of trend I can get behind: polished, wearable and exceedingly easy to maintain.
How to achieve the new modern brow
Ideally, visit a professional to reset your brow equilibrium, but if that’s not possible there are some ground rules to follow. “The front of the brow must be soft, natural and in line with what you were blessed with. Don’t pluck inwards as it looks unbalanced,” says Sherrille. “Also, never tweeze away hairs to raise your arch. Focus on removing fluff, nothing else, because that’s what gives you a clean, naturally defined brow shape.”
Brow make-up can be simplified to two essentials, says brow guru Shavata Singh, founder of an award-winning chain of salons. “Use a great eyebrow pencil to build colour, sketching in a loose, hair stroke motion. Two shades darker than your natural hair colour is the holy grail. Then set with a conditioning brow gel.”
If you’ve tinted your brows, just the gel alone might be enough to master this low-key look. “Often you can just stroke them into shape and go,” says Sherrille. “With this look, doing less is more.”
One of most intuitive brow products we've ever tried, making it ideal even for beginners. It’s applied using a cleverly shaped brush; one side with longer bristles to disperse the pigment quickly across the whole brow, and then a shorter one to shape and define. Flattering for all brow shapes, the unique mousse formula gives a soft, fluffy finish which thickens brows in a natural-looking way. We like the way it’s buildable, too: one stroke for a fairly subtle boost and a second to really pump up the colour and cheat a fresh brow tint effect.
Beauty Edit Mayfair Brow Setter
Lacking a steady hand? Don’t worry, this clear gel is foolproof. Simply brush hairs upwards for a quick groom, or through the hairs after you’ve filled in sparse areas to set your work in place. The best thing about this brow gel is that its formula nourishes as it tames – castor oil and vitamin E strengthens and conditions your brows as you wear it. Clever.
Shavata Defining Pencil
This tiny tip makes it easy to create realistic-looking hair strokes. The formula is creamy, never wears waxy or compromises your natural shape and you only need a light touch to feather on short strokes. Finding the perfect pencil can be tricky, but this one is a winner.
Glossier Boy Brow
One of Glossier’s hero products, this clever brow gel lends a soft, flexible hold for tidy, groomed hair that stays in place. The mini spoolie grabs on to the thinnest of hairs, but never smudges on to the surrounding skin. Plus, the shade range is beautifully brow-accurate, making online shopping a breeze.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo
Done right, powder can look impeccably natural on brows. This nifty duo from brow authority Anastasia Beverly Hills has two natural-looking shades to create a shape that looks like your own. Use the lighter shade at the front of your brown to keep it looking clean and light, and the darker shade at the arch and tail for a brow that looks naturally thick. There are 11 shade duos available, so there’s bound to be a combination for everyone.
A little bit of space-saving genius for your makeup bag. One end is an ultra-fine pen that allows you to draw hair-like strokes in any missing gaps, while the other end has a clear gel that holds straggly hairs in place all day. While some gels feel crunchy and uncomfortable, this one sit so comfortably on the hair, it’s easy to forget it’s there. A great option for really sparse eyebrows, where every stroke of the pen matters.
