The Best Thin Brow Looks Anyone Can Pull Off

January 31, 2022

By: Ariel Wodarcyk | Makeup.com by L'Oréal

Pencil-thin brows were all the rage in the early 2000s and are slowly making their return to the makeup world, along with frosty lip glosses (looking at you, Lancôme Juicy Tubes), smoked-out eyeshadow and other Y2K-inspired trends. Whether you’re looking to embrace your naturally sparse brows or want to learn how to fake the look, keep scrolling for Instagram pics that might convince you to put down the brow pomade and pick up the tweezers.

How to Fake Thin Brows

Super thin brows are a bold statement and a big commitment to make if yours are already full. While some beauty influencers choose to shave their brows so they can have maximum versatility, you don’t have to go to that extreme if you don’t want to. “I would use a fine point brow pencil to focus on defining the top of the brow, keeping the bottom soft and feathery” suggests celebrity makeup artist Colby Smith.

“This will give the appearance of a higher, thinner brow. To increase the effect, take a warm-toned concealer and brush a bit in the hairs at the base of the brow to soften the color even more.” We recommend tracing the tops of your brows with the NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil and sealing in the hairs with the L'Oréal Paris Unbelievabrow Longwear Clear Top Coat, which is totally transparent and offers up to 30 hours of hold.

High and Arched

@blackbirdkhai uses the NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil for their perfectly precise brows. If you make a mistake when drawing your shape, just clean up underneath your brows with concealer, as Smith suggested.

Subtle and Natural

Instead of brushing your brow hairs up to create more volume, try brushing them down and only filling in the arches, as seen here on @harbsy. This is a low-maintenance way to maintain naturally thin brows.

Soft Slopes

The more arched your brows are, the more uplifted your eyes will look. Enhance the wide-eyed effect with a pair of false lashes that flare at the outer corners — we love the Siren Flare by House of Lashes.

’00s Glam

@georgiaolive commits to the Y2K-inspired makeup trend with pencil-thin brows, a rhinestone-studded smoky eye and a carefully lined nude lip.

Wispy and Penciled In

A barely-there brow lets a bold smoky eye take center stage. It’s practically begging for a brow bone highlight, so make sure to place a lighter shade underneath the arch of your brow.

Photo: @audemjmakeup