Hey, so I don’t know about you, but I’m kinda really over Instagram brows. You know the look, you’ve probably seen it a million times, copy-pasted on pretty much every Instagram make-up blog.
It’s overplucked, overdrawn, overarched, and looks like something that would be more at home on a Barbie than on a human being. But pretty much every beauty guru is sporting them, and most of the young girls watching them are sporting them too, or at least, wishing they were (and consequently hating their natural eyebrows too. Ugh).
So, here are three ideas for something different to do with your eyebrows. Not only will they help you buck the trend and show something a bit more unique on your social media, but they may also give a spark of hope to the little girls in your life that eyebrows don’t have to all look the exact same way.
-
Partially-shaved Off
I must confess that I am a bit partial to this look, as I have been experimenting with it myself recently. Though it is more common in the Goth and alien-glam scenes, it also has a lot of wearability for those of us outside of those sub-cultures. These brows add a touch of interest and can really open up space for more exploration with your eyeshadow and eyeliner looks. And, depending on how much you want to shave off and how messy or neat you want to keep them, you can still look put-together and professional! Also, I must add that cat-scratches also fit under this category and can be a fun, lower-risk way to play around with shaving your brows. Also, I must add that cat-scratches also fit under this category and can be a fun, lower-risk way to play around with shaving your brows.
-
Straight
Straight brows are very popular in South Korean and Chinese fashion, about as ubiquitous there as the overarched Instagram brow is here, so I considered not putting it on the list. However, I think the fact that I see them so rarely in makeup trends here in the States made me decide to include them (also, this photo helped change my mind as well). Shaping your brows straight can change a lot about your face, so I recommend this to people who really want a big change. Also, as a quick warning, not only must you be careful not give yourself RBF by drawing these on too deadpan, but you may also have to change your go-to eyeshadow and eyeliner looks. Straight eyebrows can really affect those.
-
Au Naturel
I saved this one for last because I knew there might be some pushback, but hear me out. I am not necessarily saying that you should let your hairy caterpillars (or lack thereof) go completely unchecked. After all, eyebrows are body hair and if you would not walk out with a tangled rat’s nest of bed head, you shouldn’t go out with unkempt brows. However, what I am saying is that eyebrows do not need to be plucked, waxes, and drawn within an inch of their lives. A simple run through with a wet finger can be all you do before you head out, and that is A-OK. Let the younger women and growing girls in your life see that you are not mastered by your eyebrows. You master them. And they can be a bit unruly, with stray hairs and imperfect shapes, but that cannot, will not, and does not stop you one bit from going about your day as the queen you are. Period.