They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, but we think eyebrows are the doors to the next best look.
Through the years, eyebrow styles have undergone significant changes, and you can often tell what decade a person is from or the counterculture they belonged to just by looking at the shape and thickness of their brows. TBH, we actually think that’s kind of neat (too square?).
In the 2000s so far, we’ve already seen a range of brows, from the ultra-thin to the oh-so-thick, from the curved and natural to the sharp and pointed. So what does the second decade of the 21st century hold for brows? We’re excited to share a look at the newest brow trend: straight eyebrows.
Straight Eyebrows at a Glance
Obviously, straight eyebrows are straight, but what does that actually mean?
After all, our brows naturally want to grow a certain way, and there’s almost always a natural curve or arch when they strike out on their own. You’ll want to put the tweezers down to get the straight brow look.
Rather than shaping the natural arch of the brow, it’s all about letting that area grow in, so you can have more fullness where it’s typically tapered to create the look of a straighter line rather than a curve.
Okay, pick the tweezers up again. Straight brows are also achieved by taking care of the long end of the brow, where it comes back down after the arch. By shortening or removing the tail, you can reduce the appearance of the curve and make the brows look even more straight.
But what exactly is the point? We’ve done thick and thin, dark, light, and everything in between.
Why are straight brows all the rage this year?
Modern skincare and makeup routines today push for more natural beauty, for healthy skin, and a youthful appearance. Straight brows are one of the best ways to accentuate your features and to bring attention to the cheekbones and jaw for a snatched look.
This look is most flattering on the girlies with longer, more oval faces, as it helps to shorten them and highlight the best features. If you have a rounder or heart-shaped face, higher arched brows tend to be more flattering to your natural shape, so adjust and style them in a way that looks best for you.
What Are Some Different Straight Eyebrow Looks?
Like all brow trends, you have a couple of different ways of approaching the straight brow, depending on your personal style and the celeb and influencer looks you like best. Here are a few of the different straight eyebrow looks you can try out for the next special event, prom night party, or everyday class look.
Straight and Thin
Thin eyebrows have an important place in style history, and if you have naturally thin brows, this might be the option for you. Since this trend is about letting brows fill in, you’ll want to leave your brows be until you know they’re as thick and full as possible, but make sure they’re cleaned up and sleek at the edges.
Thin brows are a little easier to get that perfect straight line, and they can look super chic or effortlessly cool, depending on your style.
Upward Straight
While straight brows are, by definition, straight, that isn’t always the natural shape of our brows or our faces. If your face isn’t super flattered by the straight line, or you just can’t achieve it without a little color or makeup, you might want to consider an upward straight brow instead.
They look very similar to the straight brow, but they have a sharper top corner, which adds a little movement and embraces the natural shape of the face. This is a bold way to embrace the trend while highlighting your best features.
Thick and Bold
If you love the classic brows of the 1960s — hello, Audrey Hepburn — a thick and bold straight brow is the look for you. Florence Pugh is the modern fashion icon making the most of the straight brows, and hers are as structured and thick as it gets.
This look is red carpet ready, and these brows will stand as an accessory all their own. No matter where the day might take you — or the night might lead — thick straight brows will serve looks until morning.
How To Achieve Straight Eyebrows
Depending on the type of straight brows you’re after, there are many ways to create the looks you love. Remember, different faces require different looks, so you always want to try out a few different styles and approaches before you commit.
Here are some steps you can take to find and achieve that perfect straight brow.
Test it Out
If you’re not ready to commit to the bit, or you just want to achieve straight brows for specific events and looks, consider faking it. You can do this with a whole lot of concealer, which allows you to really adjust and style your brows in the way that works for your face.
Most of the concealer will go over the brow's tail to help get rid of the natural shape, but you can also use the concealer to reduce the arch and polish the edges of your straight brows. Whether you want to keep the brows for an afternoon or for a year, this is a great way to take this trendy look to the next level.
And if it’s good enough for Florence, it’s good enough for us.
Focus on the Arch
We know just how tempting it is to take out those strays under your brow arch, but try to leave them be. While the tail of your brow can affect the look, your arch is much more within your control. Allowing the arch to grow in helps to reduce some of the movement of the brow and evens out the organic look, which isn’t in line with the straight style.
Once the arch is as filled in as possible, you’ll be able to take it the rest of the way for the perfect going-out makeup look.
Skip the Razor
If you want to shave your head for the summer, we think that’s rad, but you’ll want to skip the razor when it comes to your brows. If you’re fully committed to lopping off the ends of your curved brows to really achieve a straight look, it’s so much better for your skin and your hair to go in with the tweezer or the waxing strips.
To start, the hair at the end of your brows will grow back quickly, which means a lot of tweezing and irritation in the horizon, but it also won’t grow back as healthy or as strong. You may even notice that it grows back in different directions, which can make it way harder to style.
You also want to remember that fixing your brows can take way longer than it might seem, a one late night decision might just have you looking a little extra-terrestrial for the foreseeable future. If you’re going to chop away at anything, may we suggest bangs?
Better yet, bring your brow-loving self down to the experts. We guarantee that your favorite esthetician will help you to get the perfect look without the side effects.
Conclusion
We love a bold brow, and embracing the straight brow trend is one exciting way to stand out from a crowd. This look is sure to dominate runways and TikTok feeds in the future, but there’s no better time to try out the trendsetting, exciting, and confidence-boosting brow looks that will withstand the test of time.
The good news is, you don’t even have to commit. You can give this look a go with nothing more than your favorite pair of tweezers and a well-matched concealer.
If you do want to go forward with straight brows, you’ll want to try to focus on the arch of the brow rather than the tail. It’s easier to conceal the tail with a little makeup than to spend a year drawing your brows into place, and the concealer trick allows you to get the shape and style that most flatters your face.
Straight brows are just one of the fashion and beauty trends you’ll want to watch this year, and 10PM Curfew has so many more. Learn about products, practices, and pieces for fashion lovers and influencers from our team today.
Sources
1920 to 2021: Looking Back at the Curious History of Eyebrow Trends | Vogue Arabia
Audrey Hepburn's greatest and most memorable fashion moments | Harper's Bazaar
How to successfully shop for concealer online | Harper's Bazaar