These days, it's all about the brow. That's a trend that isn't likely to change in the new year, as is evidenced by the more than 3 million Instagram posts that include the hashtag #brows. Currently, there are more than 600,000 Instagram posts that use the #browsonfleek hashtag, so achieving that ideal arch is still very much a goal for social media addicts and beauty gurus alike.
A lot of us are still dealing with the aftermath of the early 2000s, a time that was fraught with over-plucked, pencil-thin brows. We're all emotionally scarred by these bad beauty choices, but a lot of us have physical reminders, too. Sparse and misshapen brows can be tough to deal with, and being patient enough to grow out your brows completely feels like a mammoth feat. But if you want your brows to reach their full potential, you've got to leave them alone. Resist the urge to tweeze (even to clean up stray hairs!), for one thing. You can also brush and massage your brows to stimulate hair growth. Experts recommend castor oil, vitamin E, and aloe gel to exfoliate and condition. This phase might make you itch to get them waxed, but the results will be worth it. Even if you can't naturally achieve the result you're after, letting your brows grow out fully will allow you to know what you're actually dealing with.
In their quest to get full, bold brows, a lot of people have a tendency to overfill. The result may look good in photos or in video, but in person, it may look a lot more obvious and take away from the look you're trying to achieve. (That said, you should still have fun with your makeup — if you're trying to create an other-worldly look, then go for it!) Uniformity may look perfect, but perfection isn't always interesting. Plus, the shape and color may not be quite right for your face, complexion, or aesthetic. This year, experiment with filling your brows in with a lighter hand and less product. Even if you end up liking both approaches, these techniques will give you the option to switch things up or easily take your makeup from day to night without much effort.
Long gone are the days when you had to fill your brows in by pencil only. These days, there are tons of different products on the market for your brows, all with different textures, finishes, tones, and applications. There are gels, pomades, powders, creams, cushions, mousses, and more — in addition to the traditional pencil. There's even a Korean beauty product that provides "eyebrow extensions in a jar" (essentially a gel filled with fibers that mimic the look of real hair) that's been seen all over YouTube. Everyone has different preferences when it comes to their brows; some people want more control over the application for a precise, sculpted look, while others want something more soft and subtle. Don't be afraid to try out something new, especially if your current method isn't quite cutting it. A recent survey conducted by Dove found that 70% of women agreed that a "beauty product" is any product that makes them feel more confident, so don't settle for a brow application that doesn't make you feel radiant and put-together.
Not everyone likes spending a ton of time and money on cosmetics to fix their brows on a daily basis. Enter: microblading. Yesteryear's harsh brow tattoos have been replaced with this more natural (and semi-permanent) option. Approximately 45 million Americans have at least one tattoo, but if you're concerned about the pain, you should know this process actually won't hurt at all due to the use of numbing creams. The effect creates realistic hair strokes that won't rub off and that can fool even the most discerning eye. There's a real art to this practice, and people are often thrilled with their results. Not only is it a great option if you have sparse brows, but it can be great for those going through cancer treatments or who have alopecia. It's relatively pricy and requires some touch-ups, but for those who can't grow full brows and want something that's both natural-looking and long-lasting, it's often worth it. Just make sure you've chosen a highly skilled and trained artist for the job first.
We all know social media is huge in today's world. It's how we spend our free time and can even have an impact on our employment, as 93% of recruiters look at a candidate's social media channels. Apps like Instagram have played a huge role in bringing brows to the forefront. It's allowed makeup sales to take off in a big way, and makeup artists and brands now have highly visible platforms that allow them to show off the latest trends in cosmetics. But as we've learned, that's not always a good thing. Some of the viral posts first launched on social media last year not only raised some eyebrows — they actually made these arches a bit less conventional. From brow braids and feather brows to those kooky wavy brows, a lot of us have had just about enough of these unwearable trends. They might be fun for one post or a clickbait video, but we think it's time to leave the Christmas tree brow where it belongs: in 2017.
Of course, we don't yet know what crazy brows will emerge in 2018. There will likely be a few, and they can be fun while they last. But if you're after a brow that will actually complement your look and frame your face (a.k.a. what brows are supposed to do!), these tips will help ensure your brows will definitely be on fleek — if we're still using that term, that is.