Ladies have been lusting after Cara Delevingne‘s lush brows for quite some time. But all you need is a good look at Sarah Hyland, Nina Dobrev, and Ruby Rose‘s recent red carpet outings to know that stars are taking the defined brow trend to a whole new place!
Take Hyland’s dark chocolate brows. The Modern Family star, 24, attended the annual Elle Women in Hollywood Awards on Oct. 19, with her already enviably thick pair penciled in from end to end, with almost pointed inner ends. (Dobrev worked a slightly softer version at the same event, while Rose went bold at the MTV EMAs on Oct. 25.)
“By filling in the brows that boldly, it can and does lift the face — especially if you do a dramatic arch [like Sarah],” Jessica Scantlin, the Director of Artistry at Blushington Makeup & Beauty Lounge, tells Us Weekly. “Any time you have a big event where you know you’ll be photographed, it is better to do a more defined brow, as it looks more polished and ties the whole look together.”
Ready to try the trend? Here’s everything you need to know, straight from the experts.
Why Are Girls Going Bold?
These brows are for the HBIC. “Defined brows make you look like you’re in control and portray your mental outlook on life,” Umbreen Sheikh, Wink Brow Bar founder and CEO, tells Us. “From an aesthetic perspective, they structure your face. They smooth your jawline and make your cheekbones look higher.”
That said, Sheikh says that the more natural the brow, the younger you appear. “A girl in her teens would look much better with a full, natural brow, whereas a women in their late 20s and beyond would look great with very defined brows,” she shares.
The Trick to Looking “Naturally” Bold
The key to looking like your brows are natural, even when you’re filling them in with products, is to go a shade lighter. “I use a powder, because it looks more natural. Then, to define the shape, I’ll use a pencil for a more precise application,” Scantlin tells Us.
The brow guru recommends Billion Dollar Brows Powder ($18, available in four shades) to fill in those sparse spots. And she has a nifty trick for setting them: gold shimmer gel. (Anastasia Beverly Hills offers seven shades of tinted brow gel at $22 each.)
But how do you know if you’ve gone too far? “If your brows start to look like a dark Nike check mark, you’ve done too much,” Scantlin says.
Let It Grow!
While Sheikh confirms that threading will get you the most precisely groomed brows, there’s one thing that truly helps above all else: having thick, fierce eyebrows naturally. If you’re brows are a little thinner than you’d like, Scantlin says not to fret: “Use castor oil! The old myth you have heard about actually works. Use it every night for two months straight, and you’ll have Brooke Shields‘ brows.”
