The way you shape your eyebrows has always been an easy way to accentuate and define your favorite facial features. But over the past couple of years, brows have taken center stage. More and more beauty lovers are experimenting with new eyebrow trends in 2022 — and rediscovering old ones.
“We’re in a new time,” celebrity brow artist Joey Healy tells Bustle. “We want to get dressed up, we want to do our makeup fully, we want to celebrate makeup, beauty, and fashion.”
Per usual, the ’90s and Y2K nostalgia have a stronghold on beauty culture. This is even prevalent when it comes to how eyebrows trends will be influenced this year. “Let’s face it — the ’90s were a whole vibe,” says Benefit Global Brow Expert Jared Bailey. “People who are drawn to that style of fashion and beauty tend to lean into it hard. If you’re going to commit to a wolf cut, feathered bangs, or butterfly clips, you’re probably also going to want a slimmer, more tailored brow.”
From the infamous thin eyebrow look to fun, blinged-out face jewelry, Bailey and Healy break down how everyone will be coloring, shaping, and accessorizing their brows. Read on for the five eyebrow trends they predict will be huge in 2022.
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Thin Eyebrows
Yes, thin brows are making a huge comeback in 2022. But don’t be alarmed — these aren’t the old over-plucked ones that made you afraid of tweezers. “Today's thin brow still has density and texture,” says Bailey. “Even though the shape has slimmed in width, filling them in is key as brows remain an important anchor while blocking out the proportions of the face.”
To avoid any over-tweezing regret, you can either go to a salon have a professional do it or use makeup to your advantage. Bailey says to first brush your eyebrows over and out towards the temple. Next, you’ll use a micro liner (he personally likes the Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow Pencil) to make tiny, hair-like strokes in sparse areas. “Keep these strokes sharp and deliberate,” he says. “The thin brow is opposite of a wispy, feathered brow. You want it to be very contained.”
Next, use a full-coverage, matte concealer to cover the hairs that fall outside of your desired shape, and set it with a clear brow gel.
Bleached Eyebrows
Citing the popularity of the ’90s and Y2K aesthetics, Healy predicts bleached eyebrows will start trending again. (For inspo, think supermodels like Kate Moss and Claudia Schiffer.) You don’t need to go to a salon to get it done either. To get them just a shade or two lighter, he suggests using a tinted brow gel like the Joey Healy Brow Lacquer in its lightest shade to get that bleached look. “It is a great way to swipe through without commitment since it’s makeup that makes your brows blonder,” he says.
If you’re feeling especially bold, he suggests drugstore facial hair bleaching cream Jolen. Be cautious when going this route; there’s not much room for error. “If you are very careful and trust yourself, you can achieve that look more permanently [with this],” he says.
Brow Bling
One of the most treasured relics from the Y2K era is the rhinestone-encrusted cellphone. (Pink bedazzled Razr hive, this is your time.) Healy is turning to this as inspo for the next big eyebrow trend of 2022: brow bling. “I’m talking about ornamentation,” says Healy. “Beads, baubles, glitter, crystals, jewels, and decals.”
It’s pretty easy to achieve. He says all you need is Duo Lash Adhesive (don’t forget to opt for a latex-free formula if you’re allergic) and whatever sparkle you want to use. Apply them around the brow or directly on hair, using a tweezer to carefully place your face jewel of choice. “It's random, fun, chaotic — it’s a celebration,” he says. “It’s kind of breaking all the rules, but it’s also that we’re learning to have a bit of fun in 2022.”
Eyebrow Lamination
If full eyebrows are more your thing, no need to worry. They’ll still be very much on trend for the new year, just with a more modern and feathered twist. Bailey predicts eyebrow lamination as one of the big 2022 eyebrow trends you’ll be seeing everywhere.
“Brow lamination is a chemical process done by professionals that opens the bond of the hair and repositions it into an upward, more lifted shape,” he says. He notes that the trend started to gain steam before March 2020, and it’s coming back now that more salons and spas are reopening.
To recreate a version of the look at home, all you need is a clear brow gel, a makeup or eyebrow brush (or a clean finger), and a micro-lining brow pencil. Bailey says to start with your clear brow gel and let get it a bit tacky and thick by taking the wand out of its tube and air-drying it for 30-45 seconds. Then comb product through the brows evenly. He says you want hairs to be saturated with product, so be prepared to re-dip the wand once or twice.
Once eyebrows are evenly saturated, let them dry for about 45 seconds to a full minute (they should feel slightly tacky). Grab a clean spoolie brush and brush your eyebrow hairs upward and outward. Finish by adding a few hair-like strokes with your micro-lining pencil to add density. He suggests going one to two shades darker than your natural color to get those ultra-thin strokes.
Higher Arches
Slightly different than thin eyebrows, an arched eyebrow, Healy explains, is about that one part underneath the arch that sits a bit higher than the rest. “People want to look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed,” he says. “So having a higher arch is a wonderful way to have the eye look refreshed, especially because we are still wearing masks and we cannot see the rest of the face.”
He suggests placing a dot of cream highlighter under the brow and patting it out with your fingers to instantly create the illusion of a higher arch. Another way to achieve the lifted look is through microcurrent tightening. Healy says at-home facial devices like NuFace tighten and firm the muscles of the face, which can result in temporarily higher arches.
