Like hemlines and hairstyles, eyebrow trends have fluctuated massively over the years. Once the pinnacle of brow beauty, we’ve seen pencil thin brows fall off their long-respected pedestal in favour of fuller, more natural brows before eventually becoming in vogue once more decades later. As for ever since? Brows have become fair game for a hell of a lot of beauty experimentation. While here at BBBLondon we’ve always celebrated brow individuality, we thought we’d take a walk down eyebrow memory lane to highlight just how much eyebrow trends have changed over the years.

 

The 1920s

The quintessential flapper girl of the Roaring Twenties, Clara Bow was the prime example of this era’s biggest brow trends. One of the biggest names in the emerging Hollywood scene, she was known for her pillowy-plump lips, smoky eye make-up and her ultra thin, downward-arching brows; all trends that soon hit the mainstream.

 

The 1930s

In the 1930s, brows became a little bolder and arches became more exaggerated, a look most often achieved by shaving and plucking away every last hair before drawing brows back on using make-up. As for the brow poster girl? Take a look at Marlene Dietrich or Billie Holiday.

 

The 1940s

By the 1940s, a more natural-looking brow was favoured, creating a make-up look that appeared softer overall. For instance, both Joan Crawford and Katherine Hepburn’s brows, while perfectly groomed, were thicker and fluffier than many of their Hollywood predecessors.

The 1950s

During the 1950s, darker brows were preferred, even for blondes like Marilyn Monroe, which meant many women pencilled over their natural hair for greater definition.

 

The 1960s

Twiggy, with her big, doe-like eyes and mega lashes, was a major beauty icon in the 1950s. She kept her brows neat, tidy but notably understated, so her signature fluttering lashes made even more of an impact. Sophia Loren, on the other hand, championed the full, brushed up brow, not too dissimilar to the brow lamination trend that’s everywhere today.

 

The 1970s

By the 1970s, eyeshadow was bolder than ever, which meant some beauty icons – Donna Summer, we’re looking at you – opted for ultra thin eyebrows, arguably to make space for more colour! Conversely, the hippie movement was also in full motion, which saw many women forgoing beauty rituals like brow grooming in favour of a freer, more relaxed approach to their appearance.

 

The 1980s

Two words: Brooke Shields. With eyebrows that defined the entire decade, Shield heralded the rise of super thick and bushy brows.

 

The 1990s

The 1990s will forever be known as the decade of overplucking. In fact, so many of us are still haunted by our tweezer-happy days. Who do we have to thank? Well, Kate Moss was well-known for her naturally straight, thin brows.

 

The 2000s

As the 2000s rolled around, the trend for ultra thin eyebrows remained, largely fuelled by popstars like Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera.

 

The 2010s

When Cara Delevingne rose to fame in the early 2010s, so many women dedicated their mornings to replicating her thick, dark and heavy brow look.

 

The 2020s

As for the here and now? Well, thanks to social media, we’ve witnessed the emergence of so many unusual brow trends (from rainbow brows to barbed wire brows and everything in between) that never quite took off. Instead, the prevailing trend has to be brow individuality: a celebration of your brows, however you like to wear them!