The History of Eyebrows
Eyebrows have been the pinnacle of all fashion statements for longer than you think. We have come a long way in brow trends since the 1990s barely-there line. But why are eyebrows so important to our look? Let’s take a trip down memory lane to brow trends far and gone, to pick your favourite and inspire you.
1950s: The Block Brow
1950s eyebrows were the start of the block brow. The thicker the better, but it had to be defined. We could put this down to most celebrities at the time being actors. The block brow could have been popular to be more dramatic on screen. Marilyn Monroe’s brows were a prime example of 50s brows with an impressive defining arch. Either way, the block brow is still used today, even if we do go OTT on the first try.
1960s: The Hairy Brow
60s brows were all about defining your style, standing out and experimenting. We see the brow get a little more attention with Sophia Loren eyebrows starting off the tattooed trend with defined lines for a polished look. Edie Sedgwick took the more au naturel approach but stuck with the hairy brow. The 60s showed us that no matter how much maintenance you like to give your brows, they can still look polished and defined.
1970s: The Tidy Brow
The disco era welcomes the maintenance of the 1970s eyebrows with more time and care to shape them. Although there was a lack of product, the shape was thinner and precise. Cher kept hers muted with brighter 70s eye makeup taking centre stage. But still, without a stray hair to be seen, this is the decade of the tidy brow.
1980s: The “Be You” Brow
The 80s was a whirlwind of different music genres and makeup. With brows through the decades changing so rapidly, 80s brows were a chance to embrace your own brow shape and style. While Dolly Parton was fashioning the drawn-on brow with an exaggerated arch, Madonna was in her eccentric era of overgrown brows that were still perfectly brushed up, and Whitney was embracing her natural brow shade and shape. The 80s welcomes the ‘be you’ brow.
1990s: The Barely There Brow
The 1990s eyebrows trend is one that we can lock away and never speak of again. However, it is still worth revisiting the thin eyebrow trend to learn a few lessons about brows. We saw the defined arch on one of the most famous supermodels of the century. This kicked off the beloved arch we know today, with obviously a thicker look than Kate Moss’ eyebrows. Drew Barrymore went to the next level with her skinny 1920’s inspired lined eyebrows which we should probably forget ever happened.
2000s: The Skinny Natural Brow
The early noughties welcomed the lighter brow. Whilst staying a thin line, 2000s eyebrows embraced the natural shade to match our hair colour. This was the age of ditching the brow product and saving a hella’ lot of time in the morning (even if we were still members of the over-plucking club). Paris Hilton was the classic girl next door of the noughties with natural makeup with brows to match. Will we be revisiting this look? Maybe when we miss three alarms in the morning.
2010-Present: The Age of the Arch
We bring ourselves to the present day, where eyebrow shapes rule the cosmetics market. We’ve come a long way from the au-naturale brows or tattooed style. We take inspiration from each decade to cater to our own look. Some prefer the bushier natural brow whilst others spend time perfecting the ideal arch and shade. Whatever your brow style, embrace what makes you feel great!
Feeling inspired to perfect your own brows? Pick your decade:
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And check out our guide on how to style your brows the present day way:
Written by Rebekah Massey
December 12, 2018
