Experts Say 2023’s Eyebrow Trends Hold A Little Something For Everyone

Really, this generation can be firmly divided into two halves: the era before everyone had a complete eyebrow routine, and our modern, enlightened age. Sure, eyebrows and their many variations enjoyed some special attention in decades (and even centuries) prior, but there’s never been full-fledged dedication — complete with tons of products and treatments to match — like the kind seen today. With so much focus on the brows, it’s only natural that several extreme styles can all be en vogue at once — and it looks like predictions for 2023 eyebrows trends point to the most brow-obsessed year yet ahead of us.

If you stayed even a little bit plugged-in to the celebrity and fashion sphere, you know extreme eyebrows absolutely abound — glitter brows on the runway, bleached brows on celebs like Kendall Jenner, no eyebrows on celebs like Doja Cat, and plenty of fluffy, laminated eyebrows all over. But what about next year? Below, TZR turns to two world-class beauty experts for their opinions on exactly what to expect. Regardless if you’re legitimately in the market for an entirely new look or just spectating, there’s an upcoming, 2023-ready eyebrow trend out there bound to pique your interest and tickle your fancy.

Brow Shape Trends

The past few decades have been largely dedicated to arched brows — the lifting effect is at once face-flattering and more than a little foxy. But in 2023, an exciting new contender enters the ring: the straight-across brow. Already a staple in East Asian beauty — K-Pop stars like Jisoo of BLACKPINK are largely credited with bringing the stunning shape stateside — the look is now catching fire with American celebrities like Ariana Grande and Zoë Kravitz. “We’ve seen more and more faces coming in for brow shaping and even microblading that creates a straight brow without an arch,” says Melissa Pruett, founder and CEO of MELT by Melissa. “I definitely think this trend coincides with the increase in surgical and non-surgical brow lifts and PDO threads that open the eye,” she says, explaining that the brow tails then point up to the hairline.

And as for those Y2K-era skinny brows threatening to come back into style every few months? Both Pruett and Anastasia Soare, founder and CEO of Anastasia Beverly Hills, say to keep on dreaming. “I remember perfectly when Pamela Anderson was the It-girl, and I had so many clients in early ‘90s who would come with a picture of her and say, ‘I want my eyebrows like that,’” Soare muses. Because her eyebrow theory is based on the universally accepted Golden Ratio (more on that in a sec), Soare had to convince her clients that the ultra-trendy look would fall flat fast. “We need to shape your eyebrows to coordinate with your bone structure and natural shape,” she says. Plus, Soare adds, removing too much hair too often can result in patchy, sparser brows as you age.

Both professionals make it a point to note that while social media makeup artists and celebrities often go for the extreme eyebrow trends, they’re the exception rather than the rule. Most people want the best, most flattering version of their own natural brows, filled in and fluffed up for a youthful look and proportioned to suit individual bone structures — and that’s where the Golden Ratio comes in. “Beauty in brows is less about the size and more about the shape,” Pruett explains. “In true brow artistry, we use the Golden Ratio and map out each client’s most desirable brow proportions — the head, the arch and the tail have set points. From there, we can create a clean, polished brow with a more defined arch or go for fluffier, overgrown brows, etc.”

Soare has a great day trick for approximating your own Golden Ratio at home. She says to hold a brow pencil aloft and use it like a protractor to map out the head (which should start right at the corner of your nostril), the arch (it looks best arcing just above the center of your iris), and the tail, which should extend just beyond the end of your eyes.

Brow Color Trends

The bleached brow look marched its way from the runway to the red carpet, but did it ever manage to make a true mark among the general population? Not exactly. The avant-garde, alien-like look is undoubtedly cool, the experts agree, but not something most people want day-to-day. For a more wearable take on the light-brow look, Soare suggests using different-colored pencils and gels to create something of an optical illusion. A lighter color concentrated at the inner part of your brows and a darker shade on the highest points and ends will create a soft gradient effect, opening the eyes and drawing attention. “I use a caramel-tinted brow gel that looks shimmery, but when you apply it and it dries, it applies like a flat color to just gives a hint of lighter look,” she says. “If your eyebrows are darker than your hair, they will be the point of attraction. If your eyebrows are lighter than your hair or the same color, then your eyes will stand out.”

Trending Brow Treatments

For those with both thick and thin brow hairs alike, there’s no doubt that brow flips — also known as brow lamination — are ruling right now. The perm-like service not only lifts, separates, and makes coarse brow hairs more manageable, but it gives the appearance of a fuller, more youthful brow altogether. Pruett confirms the service is by far the most popular among her clients. “We love the ‘perfectly imperfect’ look where the brows are well-groomed and feminine without being overly shaped or polished,” she says. “Happiness is when clients fall in love with their truest brow.”

Microblading also continues to be a highly in-demand service. Filling in the brows with an ultra-fine needle and ink-like (not quite as permanent) tattoo, it’s the most effective longterm solution for fuller-looking brows. “If babes are getting microbladed, it’s more and more likely that it’s to achieve this fluffier wispy over-grown but feminine look,” Pruett explains. “Clients are less and less likely to want a fully filled-in, solid makeup or powder brow and want to look like they are rocking their best natural hair-like brow possible.”

Below, shop all the essentials necessary for your best at-home brows. These brow trends might be set to rule 2023, but you can get the sleek look now.