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.
"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.
The simplest thing to match, when it comes to hair and eyebrows is most definitely the black color. If your hair is black, then your eyebrows need to be black too, or at least dark brown.
For women of all ethnicities, brow color faded with age—so darkening them may really make people look younger, the researchers say.
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.
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.
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.
"Blondes should look for an eyebrow product that is almost ashy with no red undertones for the most natural deepening effect that won't oxidize towards the end of the day." He suggests taupe, which is a super flattering neutral color that can be used on everyone — from women with blonde hair to women with black hair.
Dark brows were shown to make a person look younger in a study that was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology because humans appear to (subconsciously) correlate distinct contrasts in facial features with youth.
Are Darker Eyebrows Attractive? Study shows women with thick eyebrows may be more attractive to men. Women typically tweeze and wax their eyebrows, but a 2019 study conducted by two Oakland professors found that men are more attracted to women with thicker eyebrows.
'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.
The brows should always be two shades darker than the hair for a natural look. For a dominant and eye-catching look contrast brows are ideal. Also remember that the colder your hair shade is, you can use the darker eyebrow shade.
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!”
"Blondes should look for an eyebrow product that is almost ashy with no red undertones for the most natural deepening effect that won't oxidize towards the end of the day." He suggests taupe, which is a super flattering neutral color that can be used on everyone—from women with blonde hair to women with black hair.
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.
Generally, your brows should be one to two shades darker than your hair and less vibrant. So if your hair is a dark blonde, a cool light brown would be a great choice.
The trick to really natural looking brows is blending, blending, blending. Fill in sparse areas where needed then take a spoolie and brush color into brows over and over again. The more blended-in, the more natural-looking.
“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.”
They believe thicker eyebrows allow for more clear expressions and, most importantly, the romantic interest someone is having.
Scientists say that women with thicker brows, such as model Cara Delevingne and actor Audrey Hepburn, are more attractive to men — especially those seeking a long-term partner. A study has shown that men prefer women with thicker eyebrows, especially those who want a long-term partner.
In 2022, tweezers are back – and so is the skinny eyebrow, last seen in Gen Z's favourite Y2K era.
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.