With the above in mind when considering whether your eyebrows should be lighter or darker, I'd suggest the main rule of thumb is… “…to have your brows similar to your hair colour! You can't go wrong! If you wish to go for a slightly different colour, I'd recommend only 1-2 shades darker or lighter!”
The rule of thumb for maintaining a flattering eyebrow shade is: For lighter hair colours like grey hair or chemically lightened hair, your eyebrows should be two shades darker than your hair. For darker hair colours like brunettes or red-haired girls, your eyebrows should be two shades lighter than your hair.
For women of all ethnicities, brow color faded with age—so darkening them may really make people look younger, the researchers say.
Our experts suggest using brow products that are a shade lighter than your hair color. Using a tone that's too dark may cause your makeup to look harsh or obvious, instead of natural and effortless. “Lighter tones look more natural and are more forgiving,” celebrity makeup artist Kimara Ahnert tells SELF.
YOUR BROWS SHOULD BE DARKER
We hate to break it to you, but if you thought that your brows should perfectly match your hair, you might want to think again. In fact, your eyebrows should actually be darker than your hair color—unless your tresses are pitch black. This is what looks the most natural.
Just as there's a limit to how dark your brows should be, you don't want them to go too light. Light eyebrows age you. The tails of the brows get lighter and thinner with age, and you may also notice some patchy areas.
Using a darker shade to fill your brows
Using a darker shade delivers a very vampy and aged appearance. Additionally, ensure that you use short, feathery strokes for natural-looking brows.
“Making sure your brows have more depth and thickness than a thin pencil line will help any face appear younger. Soft baby strokes appear far more natural than a bold swipe.”
“A straight brow is considered a younger-looking brow in Korea because the fuller, straighter brow is associated with the look of a younger person, even a teenager,” explains celebrity eyebrow specialist, Elke Von Freudenberg, who adds that she's currently getting four to five clients per week coming in and asking for ...
"Fill brows in with a color that is slightly lighter than brow hair," Ahnert says. If you have dark brown hair, use a light/medium brown brow pencil. If you have light brown hair, use a taupe/dark blond pencil, and so on.
'It could be that relatively thicker eyebrows signal other qualities, such as a tendency towards more grooming. 'It is also possible that this preference reflects current fashion trends. Whatever the associated trait, it seems to be particularly desirable in a long-term mating context, such as marriage.
A good rule of thumb is to try to stay within two shades of your hair color. If you have dark eyes, pick a brow shade that is lighter than your hair color and vice versa. Exact matches aren't important as long as the shades are complementary. In fact, sometimes matching too closely can ruin your look.
Hairstylists and estheticians can also bleach brows using salon-grade products.
In 2022, tweezers are back – and so is the skinny eyebrow, last seen in Gen Z's favourite Y2K era.
"Microblading is meant for someone who prefers a natural brow look and who doesn't wear makeup all the time, as the technique mimics real hair." Microblading uses a pen-like hand tool with a blade made up of needles to etch hair strokes into the skin, says Tran.
The most popular eyebrow trend for 2022 by far, is brow lamination. The semi-permanent treatment provides perfectly placed, brushed up brows that last for months.
Natural blondes who have fair hairs can feel free to deepen the shade of their arches, she says, adding that darker brows will act as a frame for the face and enhance your eye color. “Generally, it will give you the appearance of a lot more brow. It can really revolutionize your look,” agrees Lee.
"Pairing dark brows with light hair looks great because of the confidence it exudes," Matrix SOCOLOR StyleLink stylist George Papanikolas told Good Housekeeping. He adds that it "instantly makes the eyes pop" — a big benefit we're definitely loving.
Sometimes the key to bigger eyes lies in the brows. A low ceiling can make a room seem smaller, and straight brows have a similar effect on your eyes. "To expand the eye area, I brush up the brows and tweeze in a slight arch," says Pati Dubroff, a celebrity makeup artist.
In fact, getting older is one of the main causes of thinning eyebrows. One reason for this may be a natural decline in hormones or hormone sensitivity as you age. Lower hormones can affect hair follicles, causing hair to become thinner and not grow as well.
Full, dramatic brows can provide shape and symmetry to the face. Thick brows appear more youthful than sparse brows, and they frame the eyes naturally and beautifully.